How To Connect With Key People.

I attended a NSA (National Speakers Association) meeting last night. I know . . . after a full day at work, I spent additional hours in a cramped, hot hotel room looking at slides. I wouldn't change it for the world.

• I met a LOT of great people just like me. People that I can help and who also can help me.
• I experienced a great speaker who gave me a LOT of great information to grow my business exponentially.
• I had fun and it energized me (and my business).

Without further ado, here are some critical tips:

1. Get Out. The hardest thing my clients, colleagues, and friends do is to not get out and meet people. Find events and GO TO THEM. My motto: The more people you meet, the more opportunities you make, the more business you close. Corollary: The less people you meet, the less opportunities you make, the less business you close. It's that simple.
2. Show Enthusiasm & Energy. Don't be manic and scary though. Keep an upbeat focus on everyone you meet. Greet with a broad smile, hearty handshake and have one item/area to personally compliment the attendee. Do what you have to do to bring up your energy, go for a walk before the talk, listen to a power song on your iPod, drink an energy drink - anything. But come with ENERGY.
3. Wear Your Own Nametag. This sounds hokey - but it works. Everyone knows your name and what you do. And . . . you name is clearly visible to everyone you meet. In addition, the speaker could see it from her vantage point and mentioned my name — although I never met her! So it works.
4. Try To Do Something For Everyone You Meet. And then follow up the next day. I know it's hard, but this is how the big boys and girls do it.
5. Do a 360°. Talk to everyone around you when you sit down. During breaks, increase the frequency and solidify the relationship. Follow up the next day (this is critical).
6. Don't Eat. Not only is it difficult to handle a plate, shake hands, eat, and maintain a conversation, chewing and talking just don't go together. Eat beforehand. You look more polished and professional if you don't eat. Did you ever spit food while talking? Not cool.

Finally, two areas that I would like to promote:

• National Speakers Association - www.nsa.org - check them out - great meetings, incredible speakers, they make it happen!
• Rebecca Morgan - this professional clearly knows her stuff on how to "Make Money In Your Jammies" - www.rebeccamorgan.com

Why I'm Not Surprised You Got Fired.

It's funny. So many things happen in life that make us wonder, "Why did they do that?" "Why did they go with the other candidate?" "Why am I not getting that promotion?" "Why did I get laid off?"

It's the balance of factual and emotional and how we also balance them in our head and heart.

Unfortunately, we often tend to skew on the emotional side when it comes to highly personal and influential decisions. As I say to my clients, "You tell yourself stories."

You need to evaluate the FACTUAL side of the equation and you'll probably see why and how they made the decision.

Why do I mean by facts? Follow the money, perception, situation, and influencers. They are probably to blame.

On the other hand - there are situations when the people in charge make emotional decisions and let facts fly in the wind.

Candidly, you don't want to work for them. Trust me.

What Are You Afraid Of . . . Failure Or Success?

At some time in our careers, we self-sabotage. We know we need to do 'A' to move forward, but somehow we find ourselves doing 'B'. And 'B' isn't as good as 'A'. In fact, 'B' might make us take a number of steps backwards. But we do it anyway.

Why? Fear of Failure & Fear of Success.

Fear of Failure is simple - we don't want to attempt something if we feel that it's going to fail in the end — a sales call not attempted, a higher price asked, etc. We retreat to that safe, warm, and fuzzy place in our heads that takes us away from all possible failure scenarios. Unfortunately, you might be wrong — that call or price might be accepted and you suddenly move forward at a blinding speed with your career . . . and that's where fear of success steps in.

Fear of Success is even more insidious and calculating than fear of failure. It hides in the deep recesses of our psyche and when it comes out, we usually don't even notice it. Fear of Success sabotages our ability to make great leaps forward in our career by preying upon our irrational fears.

So how do we fix this?

Fear of Failure - Just do it. Most of the time, we are just putting up obstacles to procrastinate and hide of the pain of rejection. But the reality is that you usually have a better chance of acceptance is you just take action. Also - the rejection is not as bad as you think - so just do it.

Fear of Success - Get real. Most of the internal stories we tell ourselves are based upon fantasy. If we lose weight, we'll cheat on our spouse . . . if we get that big promotion, we'll never see our family again . . . and on and on and on. Sit down and list all the irrational ways you fear success, write them on paper. Then take each one and dissect it with a clear head and only use FACTS. You'll find that most of your fears are highly irrational and not based in the real world.

Now go out and face the world without fear!

Accelerate Your Job Search - Sales vs. Replenishment.

Have you ever sold products? Stood in front of a board of directors and pitched an idea? I have. In sales, there are two types of salespeople — salespeople whose goal is to sell some 'stuff' and salespeople who solve the client's problem. Guess who is more successful?

Why is it then, when most unemployed executives network, connect, and interview, they focus on selling 'stuff' and not solving problems? I call this the Sales vs. Replenishment Model. And it works perfectly when looking for a job.

Replenishment is just what it means - you are there to replenish an open position. And you try your hardest to fashion yourself in a cookie-cutter way to fit into that replenishment model. What happens? You usually fail. Most accomplished account executives know that you can only replenish inventory for so long until your client smartens up (or someone else pitches them a better solution) and cuts/eliminates your order.

True Sales is the ability to listen, learn and understand what issues, problems, and opportunities your clients have and then try to help them solve them with one of your inventory. This clearly applies to your job search. You need to do a massive amount of research prior to your meeting, ask a lot of questions during the initial meeting, and then (and only then) do you present possible solutions to your lunch partner's issues. One might say that this is a cookie-cutter approach to — but there is a lot less shoving a square peg into a round hole.

Bottom line — if you try to replenish, you lower yourself to every other salesperson out there hawking their stuff. If you endeavor to solve one of the company's problems or present an alternate way to do things - you will instantly catch their attention and make a major impression.

Your chances to get that job have now risen dramatically.

Three Major Mistakes Many C-Level Executives Make.

Look, your job is hard. Probably one of the hardest in your company. But then again, you are the best and most highly decorated/compensated employee too. But you're human and sometimes it hard to lead and execute perfectly. Over the past 10 years of advising C-Level executives, here are three of the more frequent mistakes made in your day-to-day endeavors running the whole 'lemonade stand':

1. Trying to do everything, not honing in on your talents.

A frequent occurrence since everyone that works for you thinks that you can solve all their problems. Or when issues, obstacles, and opportunities come at you from many directions, it hard not to say no. But you have to say no.

One way to fix this problem is to either say no, or not now. But that's hard to do. The best way to fix this issue is to delegate it to someone below you. You first need to know what key strengths your people exhibit and then you have to apply certain communication/management skills to pass on the task. Then ask them. Most of the time, they are dying to work on more complex/challenging stuff, especially your 'stuff'. Then you can go back and work on things that compliment your talents.

If you don't do this, you'll find that your days are filled with an avalanche of decisions and tasks, many that you're not the best at. And that spells trouble.

2. Less focus on planning, more focus on quick decisions.

When time is short and your to-do list is long, we tend to make more 'shoot-from-the-hip' decisions rather than planning ahead of time. Again, this is a hard thing to do in today's marketplace.

One line of attack is to clearly define key recurring areas that frequently need addressing and to bring your team together to plan for them, rather than waiting for something to blow up. You can segment them into client-based, financial-based, operations-based, marketing-based issues and have key, qualified people responsible to lead the charge. Once areas are planned and options are defined, it's much easier to chart your course in a more educated fashion.

If you don't do this, you'll find that you will spend more time substantiating your decisions with higher-ups, direct reports, and clients and realizing that many unplanned decisions usually aren't the best ones to execute.

3. Not asking for input from multiple sources.

This is the biggest and most important one — and it also aligns with the previous two mistakes. As you get comfortable in your position, it's really easy to insulate oneself from other learned sources when managing, leading, and running the business.

One way to eliminate this mistake is to actively and frequently reach out to people and ask them their opinion on a strategy, direction, or decision. They could be mentors that you've established, previous colleagues that you've worked with, key direct reports you can trust, and even employees that you never talk to. You'll be surprised with their answers — you might find that their line of thinking is completely different from yours. And it might be better!

If you don't do this, you'll slowly find that many people around you will be able to telegraph your position immediately (since you always make the decision) or they shut down completely since you are asking them for advice. Take a chance — listen to other sources.

Do One Thing Today That Scares You.

Do one thing today you've been procrastinating on that scares you. Anything. Why?

• You get something done (duh . . . Rich).
• It's the only way you grow (okay, I see where you're going).
• You will feel better about yourself (big win here).

Most of the time, we get down on ourselves when we don't get key stuff done. We are also even harder on ourselves when we hold ourselves back on the most important stuff.

And that feeling and those behaviors take a subtle toll on our confidence. Your confidence is one of the major players in your success in business and life. It's what drives you and makes you attractive to others. You do not want to deplete it — you want to nurture and grow it. So you need to do SCARY things.

It's the only way you will grow your confidence level. So how do you do it?

• Call that one person that you are afraid of calling or you've been putting it off because your 'not prepared'. Just call.
• Make an appointment with an influential mover and shaker. Today.
• Start something that really scares you. An exercise program. Dancing. Singing. Speaking. Something.

It's doesn't matter WHAT it is. It's the action of just doing it that builds your confidence level. And that's a good thing.

Are You Sleeping At Work?

The past few posts have been a bit long, so this one will be concise and blunt. I run into many people at my workshops who are unemployed. When I offer a FREE coaching session to help them, a few balk. Why? I think:

• They like unemployment (stay with me here).
• They want someone else to do the thinking and searching for them.
• They are afraid of doing it themselves.
• It's easier to not make a decision/do something rather than making a decision or acting on an opportunity.

Why does this happen? Because they lived on the corporate teat for the last 20-25 years. What do I mean by that?

They got lazy at work. They did the same thing every day — hoping and praying (as the world changed around them) that no one would notice.

Unfortunately, someone did. And they were let go from their job. Now they are desperately looking for a new  job just like their old job. They are looking for a new job just like they worked for their old job — they're telegraphing it in.

I'm not saying that they didn't work hard. They probably did. But they didn't work SMART. They didn't push themselves into KEY initiatives or projects that would change the company. Or developed a process that saved the company a lot of money. Bottom line - did they affect the growth of the business, save a lot of money, or change the game? No. They sucked on the corporate teat.

Let me say that again — are you:

• Affecting the growth of your business? Talking to a new major client? Releasing a new product?
• Saving your company a lot of money? Cost cutting, streamlining, better allocation of resources?
• Changing the game? Orthogonal thinking, coming up with major ideas/solutions that no one has thought of?

What's funny is that these unemployed people are now moving from the corporate to the federal/state/city teat. They can't find a 'safe' job in corporate — so they hope to find a 'safe' job in a public position. Unfortunately, I see that cost-cutting will start to matriculate down into these areas too in the next 5-10 years. So guess what? These 'safe' jobs are not really safe.

So don't sleep at work. Impact the growth of your business. Save your company a lot of money. Change the game. Start TODAY.

Corporations? Dead Or Dying In Five Years.

Corporations are changing all around us — it's just that we don't see it happening. Not until it happens to you. There is a 'perfect storm' of many major influencers affecting the typical corporation of today. Let me go back a little in history . . .

• The first corporation came into existence in 1347 (Stora Kopparberg).
• The first modern corporations started in the early to mid 19th century.
• Corporations as we now know them (glass office buildings, desks, water coolers, etc.) thrived right after WWII and into the 50's/60's.

The majority of boomers and millennials were brought up with the idea to do well in school, go to college, graduate and get a good job in a corporation. Then very quickly afterward comes marriage, kids, grandkids and social security (hopefully!). The corporation would look after you if you kept your head down, worked hard, stayed late, and never caused trouble (see Linchpin).

In the 1990's something arrived called reengineering. This upended the typical unspoken agreement you had with the corporation. All bets were off. Corporations began review efficiencies EVERYWHERE. And if they found them, the answer was to remove the chaff and redistribute responsibilities to the remaining staff.

Unfortunately, reengineering went away as a process and was wholly subsumed into the functioning practice of the corporation. No longer was there a single great 'vetting' of the chaff, it happened EVERY YEAR. Odds are, every able corporate type has been laid off based on one stupid corporate reason or another. Before this happened, getting fired had an enormous stigma. No longer — everyone has that 'A' on their soul.

Now fasten your seatbelts — here is when it gets fun. Present day . . . seven disparate areas are merging together:

1. Corporations still practicing slash and burn with employees on a regular basis (CFOs have the ear of the CEO and board).
2. Worst recession hits since the great depression (mass firings, low personnel in-house, anemic hiring).
3. Technology accelerates to allow virtual workers (laptops, wi-fi, iphones, ipads)
4. Boomers are retiring - Millennials are taking the stage (more focus on work/life balance, less hours/smarter work).
5. Benefit outlays are rising exponentially (there is a breaking point - workers want them/companies can't afford them).
6. Facilities are really getting expensive (Rent, HVAC, Security, Ergonomics, Networking, Phones, Cafeteria, Gym, Parking, Grounds, etc.).
7. Unintentional entrepreneurs (those fired in the last two years) are becoming consultants, looking for work ANYWHERE.

This begs the question: Why employ permanent workers at all?

Think of it — why not bring together required workers when needed for projects and initiatives and let them go when it is done?

Many departments can be easily outsourced or eliminated - Finance, IT, HR, Marketing, Sales, Events, Customer Service, etc. What does that leave? Management, Operations, Production? And those groups could be culled down significantly to a point where a small group of key executives rally the vision and leverage temporary teams to execute that vision.

It's already being done - think of how a movie is shot. A studio/director has a vision on filming a movie. Over the next 6-12 months, an incredible amount of highly skilled professionals are brought together (from many different areas) to build this film. The production hits an apex and then this huge group is then slowly whittled down to nothing when production is complete. Why can't this model be applied to business?

It's the perfect virtual company. Help is brought on based on experience, knowledge, and aptitude. Not seniority. You might say, "Where's the dedication? Where's the loyalty? Well . . . you're kidding yourself if you think that your company is loyal. And day by day, year by year, employees are becoming more disaffected and disloyal as corporations treat them like chattel. They hate you as much as you cheapen them.

Now you might think this is a bad thing. A negative thing to happen. I disagree - in fact, I think the exact opposite.

In my next blog post, I will present why it should happen and what are the real hidden benefits to all parties.

The First Day of Autumn.

It's the most wonderful time of the year . . . I LOVE FALL! I used to run cross country - I love the smell in the air, the look of the trees, the wood stoves firing up. I get nostalgic for those times. But what is nature really telling us at this time of the year?

• Things die. Leaves are falling to the ground. Tilled my garden under for the winter.
• Things hibernate. Grass is turning light brown for the winter, but will come back in Spring.
• Things turn cold. Left the bedroom windows open last night. We FROZE!
• Time to pack things away. That incredible teal floral hawaiian swimsuit I bought thankfully goes away until next summer.
• Time to get ready for different weather. Having my famous wood stove cleaned as I type - wood is being delivered this week.
• Time for my favorite foods to appear. Macoun apples are MY favorite. By the way - looking for them - some help here would be appreciated.
• Get busy. Squirrels are losing their friggin' minds collecting thousands of acorns that have fallen on the ground.

How does this align with business? You career? Your life?

• Things die. Mourn their loss (a project, a system, a job) and MOVE ON. Right Now. It's never coming back.
• Things hibernate. A stream of business has gone away - look for others - don't fret! Take Action.
• Things turn cold. That's life - sometimes people or businesses give you the cold shoulder - find where the warmth lives.
• Time to pack things away. Things that haven't been working now might need to be put away for awhile. Work on new and interesting stuff.
• Time to get ready for different weather. Change your game - start targeting people instead of waiting for them to come to you.
• Time for my favorite foods to appear. New things appear on a regular timetable - what happens in your industry at this time? Take advantage of it - be prepared.

And finally . . .

GET BUSY! Stand up, get out, and start collecting the thousands of acorns that have fallen on the ground.

Just one might change your life.

Buffett Predicts Bright Economic Future.

Famed investor Warren Buffett declared that the country and world will not fall back into the grips of the recession. "I am a huge bull on this country. We are not going to have a double-dip recession at all," said Buffett, chairman of Omaha, Neb.-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. "I see our businesses coming back across the board."

Buffett said the same things that worked for the country through a century of two world wars, a depression and more – all while increasing the standard of living – will work again. He said banks are lending money again, businesses are hiring employees and he expects the economy to come back stronger than ever.

"This country works," Buffett said during a question-and-answer session via video at the Montana Economic Development Summit. "The best is yet to come."

By Matt Gouras at The Huffington Post

I Miss Kinko's and Mailboxes Etc.

This happens all the time. Larger companies catch, chew, and swallow smaller companies. It's the 'circle of life'. But there have been two not-so recent purchases/migrations of companies that are slowly building a slow burn in the back of my neck lately. Who are they you might ask? FedEx Office and The UPS Store*.

First off - the real haven for any small business was Kinkos and Mailboxes Etc. Why?

• Service. Kinkos had a familial atmosphere where all employees had fun. Mailboxes Etc. was a franchise and usually run by people who were using it as their retirement nest egg. They were having fun.
• Convienence. Both were close to my Stamford and home offices. If I needed something duplicated, bound or sent, it happened immediately. They also had incredible hours, where I could access their services when I needed them.
• Products. They delivered what they promised. All with a real smile.

Over the past few years, both companies were subjugated by the competition and turned into zombie clones of their former self (okay . . . a bit harsh). Let me explain:

• No Service. Where Kinko's had between 5-8 people on staff at any one time cheerfully helping myriads of small business people just like me with their office issues, Fed-Ex Office has no more than 2 people on the floor at any one time (and one squirrelly manager skittering in the background running back to their office as soon as a long line forms of customers). The worker at UPS Office is on a potent mix of prescription drugs and the cheapest liquor one can purchase, all fueled by a steady stream of Hot Pockets. He cannot pay attention and loses his train of thought frequently (this is a local occurrence, but has happened to me at other UPS locations).
• No Convenience. Store hours have been truncated severely. Most FedEx Office locations are no longer 24 hours (a real problem when you need business documents for a morning meeting). Even the UPS Store has cut their available hours over the weekend.
• No Products. FedEx Office eliminated many of their offerings and every location looks like a mere shadow of what it used to be. There is an increased focus on shipping and not on duplication/printing. The UPS Store still has most services, but its mailing and office supplies have been cut to the bone.

Finally - I really feel for the employees at these locations. They walk around like zombies with no apparent smile or enthusiasm. This is a clear example of poor management coupled with a very oppressive 'corporate-mandate' rule structure (you must do this, don't do that - no ability to make your own decisions).

I love when I find perfectly run, service-oriented tools that I can use for my business. It's sad when I see corporate greed snatch up these same icons of good service and turn them into awful places to work and shop.

I'd love your comments, viewpoint, and experiences on this topic!

*There are still a minimal amount of locations for Mailboxes Etc. - but for all intents and purposes, they are The UPS Store to me.

Push Yourself Just A Little Bit & You'll See Incredible Results.

A great business story presented by my BNI sales team: What's the boiling point of water? 212° Fahrenheit.

What do you get when water boils at 212°? Steam.

What does steam do? It moves huge locomotives. It turns powerful turbines. It heats millions of homes.

What is water at 211° Fahrenheit? Warm water. (okay . . . very warm water)

But not STEAM.

How many times do you stop at 211° in your life? In your career? In your business?

All you have to do is to just push yourself a little bit and you will produce STEAM in your life, career and business. What could you accomplish with increased energy, ideas, contacts, opportunities or prospects in your life?

Make the choice: Warm Water or Steam?

How To Get Clients.

I've been busy the last few weeks. In addition to coaching a full practice of clients, my action team meetings started this week (say goodbye to Monday nights). So the production end of my business is 'full-steam ahead'.

But I also got up early every morning over the past two weeks (4:30 AM) to attend various networking/sales meetings to spread the word of the Rich Gee Group.

And I gave a major presentation Thursday to a business group (50+ executives) about how to market themselves. It was a big hit for me - most attendees gave me a 4 to 5 rating (on a scale of 1-5).

So the 'development' end of my business was in full gear too. What did it deliver? I received an avalanche of interest in my coaching and my phone has been off the hook. In addition, my site numbers are through the roof and I have a pack of new business cards that can choke a horse (all to enter today into my contact list for eBlasts).

Why am I telling you all this? Not to brag (even though it is bragging . . . ). But to illustrate HOW TO GET CLIENTS.

Get out there and SHAKE HANDS. Get out there and be visible. Get out there and BE A BILLBOARD.

You are the product - get others to meet you, talk with you, experience you. "Take you out for a test drive" as I call it.

Don't hover over your laptop all day. Get OUT and MEET people. It's that easy.

Events To Catch Rich Speaking . . .

This year, the fourth quarter has come fast and furious to the Rich Gee Group. Here is a cross-section of all the events and meetings where Rich will keynote or present: Fairchester Business Group - Complete (we had a BALL!) "Market Yourself to Success: Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" Thursday, August 19 - 7:30 to 9:30 AM http://www.fairchesterbusinessresource.org/

American Marketing Association - Complete (knocked it out of the park!) "Brand Yourself In Today's Job Market - Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" Wednesday, September 8 - 6 to 8 PM http://www.americantowns.com/ct/norwalk/news/ama-fairfield-county-chapter-proudly-presents-toot-your-own-horn-911810

Westport Library - Complete (a packed house of energized jobseekers!) October 5 - 8 AM "Jobseeker Special: Take Action!" http://www.westportlibrary.org/events/2010/10/jobseeker_special_jobseeker_sp.html

Wilton Public Library - Complete (capacity crowd of businesspeople who want to learn!) "The Message is the Medium - New Ways to Connect with Customers: LinkedIn" Tuesday, November 9 - 8 to 9:30 AM http://www.wiltonlibrary.org/

International Coaching Federation - Connecticut Chapter "Market Yourself To Success: Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" Friday, November 12 Doubletree Inn - Norwalk

Bethel Public Library "Get Tough: The Best Jobs Are Never Advertised" with Margo Meeker! Tuesday, November 16  - 7 to 9:00 PM http://www.bethellibrary.org/

Wilton Public Libraray "The Message is the Medium - New Ways to Connect with Customers: Wordpress Blogs" Tuesday, November 23 - 8 to 9:30 AM http://www.wiltonlibrary.org/

How To Be The BEST At What You Do.

All you have to do is watch this video:

What can you do RIGHT NOW to add this kind of focus and customer service to what you do?

Make It Happen. NOW.

A Powerful Thought For Friday.

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

- Walt Disney

Do You Give Unbelievable Customer Service?

As many of you probably know, I took my family to Walt Disney World over the past two weeks. We had a BALL! In the middle of all the excitement and relaxation, my business mind was constantly going. I am very observant when it comes to viewing high level operational, organizational and customer service processes. And candidly, I saw a bunch of them:

• When we returned to our room (we stayed on-site) we found the room attended to by our maid, but the TV was left on. How strange! Then we turn to one of the beds and find my son's stuffed character Stitch sitting upright on the bed with the TV remote in his hand. It blew us away and we doubled her tip at the end of our trip.
• Our son had a broken arm (not bad, but it is in a cast) - and during our entire stay, whenever we had an interaction with a Disney cast member (that's what they call them, not employees) they would inquire with my son and then go out of their way to make the situation that much more special. They would give him stickers, or a better table, or faster service.
• The grounds were immaculate. No trash, nothing. They were even replacing old bushes with new grass around the resort walkway. In 100 degree heat. They were also repainting the main convention building even though for the life of me tell where it actually needed painting. It looked fine to me.
• Finally, at the resort's pool, the lifeguards were not only plentiful (9-10 on duty at any one time and this was not a big pool), but when some were on, the others jumped into the pool and got the guests to have a tug of war or a marco polo contest. They were even challenging the guests to volleyball!

Now that is customer service and attention to your clients needs.

What do you do currently that goes above and beyond your current customer service?

Are You Losing Your Game? Time To 'Adjust' It.

From Greg Couch in Paris:

"Venus Williams just keeps letting this happen to her, and she throws up her hands as if there is nothing she can do about it.

She had been playing her best tennis in years, and had a shot at moving to No. 1 in the world rankings, where she has spent just 11 weeks in her long career. And then she had an off day Sunday. Now, she's gone. Williams lost 6-4, 6-3 to Nadia Petrova in the fourth round at Roland Garros. It's clear now why Williams has never won the French Open, and never will. It's not about a lack of ability or comfort on clay.

It's unbelievable that someone who has been so great for so long would allow herself to play for all these years without a safety net. She has no adjustments to make, no alterations.

On hot days, the red clay is fast and on cold days it's slow. On wet days, even stickier. On Sunday, it was raining and windy, too. Nothing stays the same, and even on the best of days, you can't just impose physical strength on your opponent, the way Williams plays. The ball slows down when it bounces in this dirt, and gives players a chance to catch up to the power.

Sometimes it happens? Then why not be ready for it? Don't you have to make adjustments?"

Greg is spot on with Venus. Now here's the kicker . . . he sounds like me when I first talk to my clients. Things have been going so well for so long, then all of a sudden, everything falls apart. It's like their career or business just had a 4-6, 3-6 game and they don't know what to do. They've been playing their power game all along and the whole world around them has changed.

And it hits you smack in the center of your face just like a tennis ball. You suddenly realize that you no longer are employed, you're handling multiple positions that have been eliminated, or a majority of your clientele have disappeared. How do you fix this?

It's called FLEXIBILITY. LIMBERNESS. AGILITY. React to external conditions as they change (and you can bet your bottom dollar they will) and take steps to be flexible, limber and agile.

Here are some tips:

• Keep your eyes open. Major career or business changing events usually don't happen in an instant. There are predictors and subtle changes that should be alerting you. People just don't listen or they obstinately keep their eyes closed to the problem(s). When you see something begin to happen, take some time out to look out on the horizon. What is changing? For the better? For the worse? Who's leaving the company? What projects are being cut? Who is disappearing from certain projects?
• Set goals. It's that easy. Most executives and business-owners don't have goals. They just trundle along with no targets to hit. You're asking for trouble. Businesses - look at your last 12 months gross revenue, pick your three best months, average them and that is your current target for each month. If you want to be agressive, raise it by 5%. Executives - How is your project/department progressing? Are you hitting your deadlines? Are you receiving increases when you hit something out of the park (great review)?
• Have a plan in case things change. If the environment is going south, have a backup plan. Businesses - What is another customer base you can tap into? Why aren't you hitting them already? Executives - Is your resume up to date? Are you actively having lunch with colleagues outside of your company to survey the marketplace?

If you begin to attempt just one of these tips and MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, you'll find that you'll be winning the matches, rather than going home a loser.

Gasoline, Hybrid, & Electric Cars Are Not The Answer.

Am I not getting this? I follow this news track often because I am very interested in this country's future energy needs. What I keep seeing is a concerted (and in my opinion, a highly misguided and uninformed) focus on alternative energy vehicles that still require energy from dirty energy sources. Let me explain:

Gasoline - This is a no brainer. Don't even add what's happening in the Gulf right now. Our attention to gasoline puts this country at risk by forcing us to do business with unstable countries. This should stop.

Hybrids - Great idea, but it still uses gasoline. And if you ever drove one, the pickup is not quite what you'd expect. And at the end of the day, the mileage is still equal (or surpassed) to a VW Polo Diesel (check it out). Also - just wait when you need to replace your batteries - there will be a lot of angry people out there.

Electric Cars - All I read today focuses on the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt. Where will the electricity come from? The air? No - it will come from Oil, Coal, and Nuclear - all three are very dirty. And you have to plug them in everywhere since they only get 100 miles per charge.

So where do we go from here? I have three words: Honda FCX Clarity - the most important car since the car was invented.

Check out this video:

No Oil. No Gasoline. No Electricity. It runs on Hydrogen - the most abundant element in the universe and it spits out water vapor. How do we do it?

This should be Our Five Year Plan:

Step 1: Government subsidies (Manhattan Project) to help automakers retool to produce hydrogen cars. Begin to incrementally tax gasoline to painfully move the public to hydrogen. Trucks can still use diesel (or natural gas) - we can focus on them in the second round. Step 2: All gas stations are refitted not to dispense gasoline, but to dispense liquid hydrogen. Step 3: State rebates to help owners purchase and own new hydrogen cars (you can probably throw in federal too). Step 4: Convert all refining stations that turn petroleum into gasoline into refining stations that turn water/seawater into hydrogen. Same energy expended - different results. Step 5: Leverage the existing distribution system for gasoline to now carry hydrogen. Step 6: Slowly wean the American public off gasoline - still have it around - just for antique cars - and keep it really expensive.

It's that easy - or am I missing something in my logic?

I know it will be a hard 5 years - but no harder than the trillions we have spent on wars to keep the oil flowing.

Hard Time Getting Started On Monday? Try This.

Whenever I have a dip in energy or productivity, I watch 30 to 60 seconds of this video. It works.