My first home was in Schaumburg Illinois in the mid '70's. In my little slice of suburbia, I thought of growing up in Michigan as a kid & having a lawn & garden, complete with flowers and vegetables. Now it was my turn, and I was not to be outdone by my father.
So the first thing I tackled outside was the most visible - the lawn. Well, it was a big challenge, and it seemed that most everyone else had a greener, healthier one. Not a slacker, I got down on my hands and knees and declared war on the weeds. They were ugly, everywhere, and choking out my precious grass. This went on for a few weeks, but the more I dug, the sooner they sprouted back, seemingly bigger than ever.
Even though I was not a quick learner, I changed strategy. Instead of eliminating the lawn's problems, I decided to maximize it's health and beauty. I began regularly fertilizing and watering the grass. Then it was thatched and aerated. Before long it was looking much better. As I inspected it carefully, I discovered that many of the weeds were still there, but were stunted and minimized by the lush grass. By magnifying strengths instead of minimizing weaknesses, I had helped to create a beautiful outcome, and had more fun "growing" something than destroying it. Beauty had won out over the beast.
Yes, it is the same with our personal lives and businesses. Why oh why are we critical of ourselves & others when we have so many positives to celebrate? In our flawed "humanness" we seem to think we gain more by criticizing than with praise. It's just the opposite; we achieve more by building than tearing down. We also have more fun doing it. Don't you naturally want to be with positive people, who always see the good, rather than someone who picks you apart? We do not elevate ourselves by tearing others down,, we achieve it by taking them with us to higher ground.
One other point is critical here: faults are always present. We are human, and by definition, we will never eliminate them. Our only hope is to glory in our strengths so that our shortcomings seem trivial in comparison. Examples are the salesperson that struggles to handle details, but has such warmth and empathy that customers flock to her; or, the accountant who is abrupt with people, but so competent that he is valued; or, the shift foreman who is impatient, but always expects more of himself, and gains respect.
If we are good finders, we will be found good. Celebrate strengths!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Confidence, Attitude & The World Series of Poker
Two years ago I had the good fortune to play in the Main Event of the WSOP. It was quite an experience. I was a relative new Hold 'em player, thrust by winning several progressive satellites, into competition with 5700 other players from all over the world. I went out on Day 2 with pocket aces; I wish I knew then what I know now. Even so, there were some real lessons to be learned, just from the experience and being around so many top players.
Some people, as in their personal lives & work, think being a winner is simply luck. After becoming at least a decent player, I would say it is about 20% luck and 80% skill. Just as we make our own breaks in our careers and relationships, so it is on the tables. It's all about attitude and confidence.
Notice that I didn't say AROGANCE and confidence. Arrogance, as misguided confidence, is often fatal in tournaments just as it is in business. We love winners, but struggle with people who are full of themselves. Everybody is the most important person in the world to themselves; they don't want to be patronized, ignored or abused. Yes, I know, there are obnoxious players who have that table image, but they are in the minority.
Last November, I played in a game in LA at the Commerce Casino. From the beginning, there was an aggressive AND obnoxious player who tried to dominate the table. It took us about an hour and several hands to drive him out, but we did so, simply because no one liked him.
Do you see a version of this dynamic in the workplace? Will people avoid those who act superior, who don't support the culture? You bet. These same people will often think they were mistreated, but they brought it on themselves, having the victim mentality.
Instead, if we have a quiet confidence with a measure of humility, it generally adds up to RESPECT. Simply put, this is what I strive for in my business, and when I'm on the tables. Without it, there's almost nothing that is possible; without it virtually everything is.
Some people, as in their personal lives & work, think being a winner is simply luck. After becoming at least a decent player, I would say it is about 20% luck and 80% skill. Just as we make our own breaks in our careers and relationships, so it is on the tables. It's all about attitude and confidence.
Notice that I didn't say AROGANCE and confidence. Arrogance, as misguided confidence, is often fatal in tournaments just as it is in business. We love winners, but struggle with people who are full of themselves. Everybody is the most important person in the world to themselves; they don't want to be patronized, ignored or abused. Yes, I know, there are obnoxious players who have that table image, but they are in the minority.
Last November, I played in a game in LA at the Commerce Casino. From the beginning, there was an aggressive AND obnoxious player who tried to dominate the table. It took us about an hour and several hands to drive him out, but we did so, simply because no one liked him.
Do you see a version of this dynamic in the workplace? Will people avoid those who act superior, who don't support the culture? You bet. These same people will often think they were mistreated, but they brought it on themselves, having the victim mentality.
Instead, if we have a quiet confidence with a measure of humility, it generally adds up to RESPECT. Simply put, this is what I strive for in my business, and when I'm on the tables. Without it, there's almost nothing that is possible; without it virtually everything is.
A Recruiting Lesson From Al McGuire
Another unforgettable person I had the privilege of getting to know was Al McGuire. Al, of course, was the basketball coach of Marquette University in the 1970's. (OK, so I was only a kid.) He is not only remembered for his National Championship and winning teams, but for his candid and original vocabulary. His "seashells and balloons" was one I liked the best, which meant perfect happiness - Camelot. He also coined "aircraft carrier" and "blue chipper", which respectively meant a gifted big man and a superstar.
Al's philosophy, at his height, was to only recruit what he thought were tremendously talented players: "blue chippers". He rationalized that if he was wrong and they were only very good, he would still have a better than most player. But if he was right in his analysis, he would have a truly great player to coach.
And wow, was Al a great coach! He knew kids and what they needed; he would never lie to someone to tell them what they wanted to hear; you always knew where you stood with Al. He minced no words. Along with the criticism came the praise, and a love for the game as well the player. Al cared. Al was genuine. Al gave you everything he had.
What can we learn from Mr. McGuire? Well, nothing more than a "great truth": Only hire superstars. One of my prior colleagues, John Cahlamer, who mentored me for a time, had a favorite saying, "Don't hire the tallest Pygmy." Think about it. So many times we get caught up in getting the hiring task done, rather than done right. We then "settle" for someone who is just OK. What happens if we are wrong? Well, we then have mediocrity on our hands, and probably another costly search. Or even if they are a bit better than anticipated, we only have someone who is good, not great.
Finally, our coaching process improves markedly with superstars. They take more initiative, learn and become more productive faster, and are more open, generally, to constructive criticism and becoming great, not settling for good. Blue chippers also attract others like themselves; the bar is raised on standards. The company culture improves. Everyone wins with superstars, they do, you do, the customers do, and the company does.
When was the last time you, or your company, hired a superstar? It's time for seashells and balloons!
Al's philosophy, at his height, was to only recruit what he thought were tremendously talented players: "blue chippers". He rationalized that if he was wrong and they were only very good, he would still have a better than most player. But if he was right in his analysis, he would have a truly great player to coach.
And wow, was Al a great coach! He knew kids and what they needed; he would never lie to someone to tell them what they wanted to hear; you always knew where you stood with Al. He minced no words. Along with the criticism came the praise, and a love for the game as well the player. Al cared. Al was genuine. Al gave you everything he had.
What can we learn from Mr. McGuire? Well, nothing more than a "great truth": Only hire superstars. One of my prior colleagues, John Cahlamer, who mentored me for a time, had a favorite saying, "Don't hire the tallest Pygmy." Think about it. So many times we get caught up in getting the hiring task done, rather than done right. We then "settle" for someone who is just OK. What happens if we are wrong? Well, we then have mediocrity on our hands, and probably another costly search. Or even if they are a bit better than anticipated, we only have someone who is good, not great.
Finally, our coaching process improves markedly with superstars. They take more initiative, learn and become more productive faster, and are more open, generally, to constructive criticism and becoming great, not settling for good. Blue chippers also attract others like themselves; the bar is raised on standards. The company culture improves. Everyone wins with superstars, they do, you do, the customers do, and the company does.
When was the last time you, or your company, hired a superstar? It's time for seashells and balloons!
Most Unforgettable Character
Last week, I travelled to Bettendorf Iowa for the funeral of a long time friend and associate, Kevin. Kevin was among the most talented and blessed people I have ever met. He was a gifted athlete, the consummate salesman, a lover of people, generous - especially to the elderly and homeless, and a wonderful father and husband who loved the Lord and Mary. Sadly, he only had 47 years on earth to share what he had been given. He left a wonderful wife and 5 children.
What made Kevin unforgettable was his passion. He never would approach doing something without trying to do it faster, better, or smarter, while having more fun. "I can't" wasn't in his vocabulary. He had no fear of rejection, and no fear period. All of us gained energy
just by being around him. As I taught him, he enriched me.
In this world of boredom, passion is such a rare quality to see. We are bored with our jobs, our teams, our friends, our hobbies, or even our families. Whatever we have is just not enough. Well, for Kevin, he loved it all, had fun with it all, and thanked God for it all. He genuinely loved people, and people loved him.
Thank you Kevin, for coming my way, for making me a better person, for taking me just the way I was. Thanks for being my most unforgettable character.
What made Kevin unforgettable was his passion. He never would approach doing something without trying to do it faster, better, or smarter, while having more fun. "I can't" wasn't in his vocabulary. He had no fear of rejection, and no fear period. All of us gained energy
just by being around him. As I taught him, he enriched me.
In this world of boredom, passion is such a rare quality to see. We are bored with our jobs, our teams, our friends, our hobbies, or even our families. Whatever we have is just not enough. Well, for Kevin, he loved it all, had fun with it all, and thanked God for it all. He genuinely loved people, and people loved him.
Thank you Kevin, for coming my way, for making me a better person, for taking me just the way I was. Thanks for being my most unforgettable character.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Bodacious Listening
How often have you heard the word bodacious used with listening skills? If you're like most, probably never. It could have something to do with its origin being bold and audacious, coupled with the common definitions, such as "outright, unmistakable, remarkable and noteworthy. Do you know of anyone this good at listening?
Why is it so rare to find these skills in the business world, or in our personal lives for that matter? The answer lies in our world revolving around us. If it's all about ME, why should I listen to You, except as it relates to something I want? We care most about how WE are feeling, how WE experience things, how WE are pleased or stressed. To improve how we listen, we must first CARE about others, not necessarily more than ourselves, but still in a very real way.
Listening skills can be taught and even practiced, but little headway will be made until we actually have honest, genuine, and deep empathy. We cannot effectively ACT interested unless we really are. How many times have you noticed this in others when they look at you, nod, and feign interest only to fail with a simple question arising from what you said?
So how does one gain true empathy? It involves overriding a portion of our self absorption. Some answers might be: 1) Internalizing facts about others; 2) Finding likeable/relatable traits in them; 3) Having discipline with attention span; and 4) Honestly putting them ahead of yourself.
By learning about others, we become involved with them as persons, not things. Everyone has at least a few values or hobbies of interest. As these are discovered, we should make a special effort to categorize and relate to them. Our intellect is such that as we begin to absorb their uniqueness, it interests us. When this occurs, we become engaged and naturally involved. It then becomes more interesting, and perhaps even fun. And what we like, we do.
When it becomes less of a chore, the disciplined attention span follows a bit more naturally. I like to refer to it as relaxed discipline. Most people find this oxymoron attractive; we respond better. We get what we want, and so do they. Finally, you may even find youself thinking more about them than yourself. Wow.
To close, this is a lofty challenge. Bodacious listening. A good start for many of us could be to make it something to which we aspire. How about you?
Why is it so rare to find these skills in the business world, or in our personal lives for that matter? The answer lies in our world revolving around us. If it's all about ME, why should I listen to You, except as it relates to something I want? We care most about how WE are feeling, how WE experience things, how WE are pleased or stressed. To improve how we listen, we must first CARE about others, not necessarily more than ourselves, but still in a very real way.
Listening skills can be taught and even practiced, but little headway will be made until we actually have honest, genuine, and deep empathy. We cannot effectively ACT interested unless we really are. How many times have you noticed this in others when they look at you, nod, and feign interest only to fail with a simple question arising from what you said?
So how does one gain true empathy? It involves overriding a portion of our self absorption. Some answers might be: 1) Internalizing facts about others; 2) Finding likeable/relatable traits in them; 3) Having discipline with attention span; and 4) Honestly putting them ahead of yourself.
By learning about others, we become involved with them as persons, not things. Everyone has at least a few values or hobbies of interest. As these are discovered, we should make a special effort to categorize and relate to them. Our intellect is such that as we begin to absorb their uniqueness, it interests us. When this occurs, we become engaged and naturally involved. It then becomes more interesting, and perhaps even fun. And what we like, we do.
When it becomes less of a chore, the disciplined attention span follows a bit more naturally. I like to refer to it as relaxed discipline. Most people find this oxymoron attractive; we respond better. We get what we want, and so do they. Finally, you may even find youself thinking more about them than yourself. Wow.
To close, this is a lofty challenge. Bodacious listening. A good start for many of us could be to make it something to which we aspire. How about you?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Changing the End of the Story
Sometimes even when armed with maximizing our strengths and making every effort to create a positive outcome, we experience the same bad result. It is not uncommon to see similar patterns occurring. What causes this? While we may feel that it's just bad luck, that's rarely the case. We often suffer through repeating failures because we have not changed the way we approach the task. Output results from input. A flawed approach means a flawed result.
Here is an example to illustrate. I'm a runner and have been for 30+ years. I have retired from racing (got tired of the "20 somethings" making me look bad), but training was everything. How well I prepared determined how I finished. Since I was competitive in my age group, I knew the runners. The first example was. in a 10K race near Chicago. I was in fourth place as we approached the last half-mile, running just behind #3. I wanted to beat him because 3rd place earned a trophy, and 4th did not. #2 was almost 100 yards ahead. I remember sayinig to #3, "let's go get #2" I really had no intention of getting to #2, but knew I was fit, and thought I could discourage #3 if I sprinted and he felt he couldn't keep up. I made the move and #3 did not come with me. When I got 30 yards ahead, I stopped the sprint, but it was too late for him to catch me. I was only able to make the move because I had trained and prepared so well.
An example of a bad outcome was in the New York Marathon as we approached Central Park. I had overtrained and actually had injured my left leg, but didn't know it yet. I remember deciding to surge, then pushing, but nothing happened. My "tank" was empty because I did not fill it properly before the race. Flawed preparation, even with the best of intentions means failure.
And so it is in business. If we prepare with a lack of discipline, or even if we make a concerted effort with outdated technology or methods, we will struggle. When we watch a favorite movie, no matter how many times, the ending is always the same. When we don't embrace change, are complacent, or just go through the motions, we cannot expect anything but disappointment. It involves having the discipline to change what we're naturally inclined to do to change how the story ends.
Do you approach challenges the same way each time? Do you have the courage to change?
Here is an example to illustrate. I'm a runner and have been for 30+ years. I have retired from racing (got tired of the "20 somethings" making me look bad), but training was everything. How well I prepared determined how I finished. Since I was competitive in my age group, I knew the runners. The first example was. in a 10K race near Chicago. I was in fourth place as we approached the last half-mile, running just behind #3. I wanted to beat him because 3rd place earned a trophy, and 4th did not. #2 was almost 100 yards ahead. I remember sayinig to #3, "let's go get #2" I really had no intention of getting to #2, but knew I was fit, and thought I could discourage #3 if I sprinted and he felt he couldn't keep up. I made the move and #3 did not come with me. When I got 30 yards ahead, I stopped the sprint, but it was too late for him to catch me. I was only able to make the move because I had trained and prepared so well.
An example of a bad outcome was in the New York Marathon as we approached Central Park. I had overtrained and actually had injured my left leg, but didn't know it yet. I remember deciding to surge, then pushing, but nothing happened. My "tank" was empty because I did not fill it properly before the race. Flawed preparation, even with the best of intentions means failure.
And so it is in business. If we prepare with a lack of discipline, or even if we make a concerted effort with outdated technology or methods, we will struggle. When we watch a favorite movie, no matter how many times, the ending is always the same. When we don't embrace change, are complacent, or just go through the motions, we cannot expect anything but disappointment. It involves having the discipline to change what we're naturally inclined to do to change how the story ends.
Do you approach challenges the same way each time? Do you have the courage to change?
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Playing The Game On Your Home Court*
The winning percentage of a typical NBA team is about 35 percent for away games, and 65 percent playing at home. Although the overall record is .500, why do they perform 30 percentage points better at home?
Most NFL teams consider a 10-6 record a successful year which, most times, will get them in the playoffs. Of the 10 wins, most likely 7 were at home, and 3 were away. Why does this good team win all but 1 game at home and yet only 3 of 8 on the road?
There are some obvious answers, many of us would say, such as - they don't have to travel and are therefore more rested; they get more support at home from their fans, so they visualize success and are inspired to play harder; they have a more familiar routine at home which adds to their confidence; or, because they play where they practice, they know what to expect which adds to better execution. Whatever the reasons, the numbers are clear: home teams play harder, better, and win more often.
What should this mean to we who play on the business field? How can we play more games at home ensuring a better winning record? Can we schedule our own home games?
The answer, as in most great truths, is simple: we must play toward our strengths and away from our weaknesses. We must do more of that at which we excel and spend less time floundering. But can we actually change how we do what we do? And how much can we really control? Yes, and to a greater extent than you realize.
Here are some examples. If we are a morning person, do we rise early to perform most of our creative tasks before noon? If we are great at concepts but have trouble getting them down in writing, do we ask an associate or partner gifted in that area to help? If we are prone to nervousness when in front of a group (which most of us are), do we prepare such that our confidence is built? If we are in a job or company that is unfulfilling, do we summon the strength to make a career change?
You see, we tend to complain and worry rather than change the venue. Instead, we need to take an honest inventory of what we do, from best to worst, then maximize our exposure to the best, and minimize the worst. How good can you be when you are doing something you are good at and love to do? We could debate forever on whcih comes first, loving it or doing it well, but all could agree that one supports the other.
Winning ideas are: 1) Take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses 2) Love what you do, or have the courage to change 3) Make adjustments to both what you do and how you do it 4) Stay disciplined; it takes time 5) Evaluate your progress and make necessary changes.
Next time we'll look at changing outcomes of all too familiar patterns. As always, your comments are welcome.
*This exerpt is from a speech that has been given to several groups, and can be presented to your organization.
Most NFL teams consider a 10-6 record a successful year which, most times, will get them in the playoffs. Of the 10 wins, most likely 7 were at home, and 3 were away. Why does this good team win all but 1 game at home and yet only 3 of 8 on the road?
There are some obvious answers, many of us would say, such as - they don't have to travel and are therefore more rested; they get more support at home from their fans, so they visualize success and are inspired to play harder; they have a more familiar routine at home which adds to their confidence; or, because they play where they practice, they know what to expect which adds to better execution. Whatever the reasons, the numbers are clear: home teams play harder, better, and win more often.
What should this mean to we who play on the business field? How can we play more games at home ensuring a better winning record? Can we schedule our own home games?
The answer, as in most great truths, is simple: we must play toward our strengths and away from our weaknesses. We must do more of that at which we excel and spend less time floundering. But can we actually change how we do what we do? And how much can we really control? Yes, and to a greater extent than you realize.
Here are some examples. If we are a morning person, do we rise early to perform most of our creative tasks before noon? If we are great at concepts but have trouble getting them down in writing, do we ask an associate or partner gifted in that area to help? If we are prone to nervousness when in front of a group (which most of us are), do we prepare such that our confidence is built? If we are in a job or company that is unfulfilling, do we summon the strength to make a career change?
You see, we tend to complain and worry rather than change the venue. Instead, we need to take an honest inventory of what we do, from best to worst, then maximize our exposure to the best, and minimize the worst. How good can you be when you are doing something you are good at and love to do? We could debate forever on whcih comes first, loving it or doing it well, but all could agree that one supports the other.
Winning ideas are: 1) Take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses 2) Love what you do, or have the courage to change 3) Make adjustments to both what you do and how you do it 4) Stay disciplined; it takes time 5) Evaluate your progress and make necessary changes.
Next time we'll look at changing outcomes of all too familiar patterns. As always, your comments are welcome.
*This exerpt is from a speech that has been given to several groups, and can be presented to your organization.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Words of Wisdom from Lou Gentine
Yesterday, I had the good fortune to interview Lou Gentine, Sargento Foods CEO. I had learned of him through a mutual consulting friend. who had heard Lou speak at Concordia University at a meeting I was unable to attend. The subject matter of corporate values woven into a family owned business supported by a strong faith in God, had intrigued me, since those are an important part of my business . When Mike suggested I call Lou for an interview , I did so and Lou's assistant, Deb was most helpful in setting it up.
First of all, Sargento is, and has been, an innovative and very successful company. It was started in the late '40's by Lou's father, Leonard, who had high standards and was driven to take special care of his employees. When Lou took over running the organization 26 years ago, he formalized much of what his father believed. They were proud of being family owned and treating everyone uniquely. As Lou says, God became part of their mission statement.
What is my point? First of all, it is refreshing to see leadership humble and yet driven. Secondly, having many years of experience working with family-owned businesses, it is impressive to see family members held accountable, coached, and agreeing to a "Family Participation Agreement" which outlines what is expected. Certainly, family members are special, as they should be. As Lou says, it is understood that family members win ties. At the same time, employees realize that they will be promoted and given more responsibility if their performance warrants. Everyone wins.
The final observation, in the vernacular, is "How cool is it" that in this day and age of shaky corporate ethics and secular values, Sargento puts God in their mission statement? Like the family owned values, employees are aware of the importance of faith in the workplace at Sargento, and all faiths are welcome. Lou is proud that they've never had a complaint about their approach, even though a diverse group of non-Christians have worked, and are working there.
This leaves me with the thought that "good guys" can win and not be reticent about pleasing our Maker. In this case, cheese heads rule!
First of all, Sargento is, and has been, an innovative and very successful company. It was started in the late '40's by Lou's father, Leonard, who had high standards and was driven to take special care of his employees. When Lou took over running the organization 26 years ago, he formalized much of what his father believed. They were proud of being family owned and treating everyone uniquely. As Lou says, God became part of their mission statement.
What is my point? First of all, it is refreshing to see leadership humble and yet driven. Secondly, having many years of experience working with family-owned businesses, it is impressive to see family members held accountable, coached, and agreeing to a "Family Participation Agreement" which outlines what is expected. Certainly, family members are special, as they should be. As Lou says, it is understood that family members win ties. At the same time, employees realize that they will be promoted and given more responsibility if their performance warrants. Everyone wins.
The final observation, in the vernacular, is "How cool is it" that in this day and age of shaky corporate ethics and secular values, Sargento puts God in their mission statement? Like the family owned values, employees are aware of the importance of faith in the workplace at Sargento, and all faiths are welcome. Lou is proud that they've never had a complaint about their approach, even though a diverse group of non-Christians have worked, and are working there.
This leaves me with the thought that "good guys" can win and not be reticent about pleasing our Maker. In this case, cheese heads rule!
Saturday, January 5, 2008
To Blog or not to Blog?
As I pen my first entry, it is compelling to explain what positive experience, for you the reader, I hope to create. My first premise is that if somehow challenging, enlightening, or enriching you or your organization doesn't result, you won't bother again. Simply stated, while the blog can and should provide benefits to the writer such as clarifying thoughts, getting feedback, and marketing, it must provide even more to those who experience it. WIFM - what's in it for me (meaning you)?
My pledge is to deliver; call me on it if I don't.
Relevancy is next. You won't find meaningless photos or drivel here UNLESS there is a story, a lesson, or a signnificant point to be made. You don't care what I did today, and you may not even care what I think about blogs, but I want to set the table for honest communication with some useful nuggets here and there.
What should blogs provide? They should be a: 1) Teaching and learning experience 2) Networking opportunity 3) Challenge to traditional thinking 4) Change facilitator 5) Business opportunity. Blogs should also be short and to the point; more detail can be provided in an article or newsletter.
Another important characteristic should be to separate fact from opinion. While most would concede that blogs, by definition, are realities only in the mind of the writer, they are most useful when supported by data, or labeled as conjecture. This allows the reader to pick and choose his or her conclusions and gain maximum value.
Enough of my philosophy! Please give me yours.
In adherring to my brevity value, I will now close with the future structure. I will write 2 blogs per week. Since my business is a consulting firm, and my background is in printing and the book industry, the topics will surround the areas of best business practices, technical issues within the book business, and hiring, coaching, and developing outstanding people. Authors should write what they know; I will write what I do best.
Until next time, always take the high road!
My pledge is to deliver; call me on it if I don't.
Relevancy is next. You won't find meaningless photos or drivel here UNLESS there is a story, a lesson, or a signnificant point to be made. You don't care what I did today, and you may not even care what I think about blogs, but I want to set the table for honest communication with some useful nuggets here and there.
What should blogs provide? They should be a: 1) Teaching and learning experience 2) Networking opportunity 3) Challenge to traditional thinking 4) Change facilitator 5) Business opportunity. Blogs should also be short and to the point; more detail can be provided in an article or newsletter.
Another important characteristic should be to separate fact from opinion. While most would concede that blogs, by definition, are realities only in the mind of the writer, they are most useful when supported by data, or labeled as conjecture. This allows the reader to pick and choose his or her conclusions and gain maximum value.
Enough of my philosophy! Please give me yours.
In adherring to my brevity value, I will now close with the future structure. I will write 2 blogs per week. Since my business is a consulting firm, and my background is in printing and the book industry, the topics will surround the areas of best business practices, technical issues within the book business, and hiring, coaching, and developing outstanding people. Authors should write what they know; I will write what I do best.
Until next time, always take the high road!
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