We set goals
We set timelines
We have objectives
Then when we least expect it, something happens.
If we aren’t willing to be flexible this could be a lost opportunity. Be flexible, consider changing your plans and see what might develop
There is a big difference between being flexible and being unprepared. One will result in failure and the other opportunities for great success
Have a great day!
Lawrence
When people look for partners it’s typically because they are looking for additional resources (money, infrastructure etc). It’s important to realize that some times a partner is valuable for other reasons.
A partner who can introduce you to the right people or can help with sales or can help with in other ways can be just as valuable, or more valuable than those who can provide money or infrastructure.
Look for the total package and not just the obvious and you might find that partnerships can be more valuable than originally anticipated
Just something to think about.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
A few days ago I went to the Andy Warhol Museum up in Pittsburgh. While I like art his type of art isn’t exactly my style but one thing was very apparent. Warhol didn’t try to do something slightly better than others. Instead, he would take a completely different approach and be the best at his approach. I guess it’s easy to be the best if you create the style.
The next day I received an email looking for help with a new type of social networking site. It may or may not have a slightly different twist than what what is currently out there but it’s certainly not different enough to make people leave what they are currently using.
If you want to do something, either be MUCH BETTER than the status quo or do something MUCH DIFFERENT.
If you choose the much different maybe you will get your 15 minutes of fame!
Have a great day!
Lawrence
There is so much out there “in the cloud” that it’s important to ask ourselves “who has access?”
People use Google Docs or Microsoft’s Office 360 to store documents and files. They use Carbonite to back up files. They use Gmail for their email. They use BasecampHQ for project management. They use Amazon Cloud Drive to store photo’s, video’s and documents.
Most of these services have pretty specific explanations for how they protect your information from outside intruders. The question is, are you protected from their employees?
As an example, if you place an order online with an ecommerce site and see it’s using a secure certificate you can usually feel safe that your information is being sent safely. The question is, once it’s received, who has access to it? Can their employees see the information? Can the bank employees?
Another example is with smart phones. So many have their GPS enabled and many programs use these (and use them for good reasons). However, are you giving the people who own these apps access to more information than you intended? Are they able to track where you are? (you might be surprised how much information you are giving to others without knowing it).
The purpose of this post isn’t to encourage people to be paranoid but rather to be safe.
Just something to think about.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
Here is a guest post by Tony Demeo (www.tonydemeo.com) on goal setting
The beginning of the New Year is always a great opportunity for sitting down and setting goals for the year. As a Head Football Coach I met with every player on the team for 30 to 45 minutes to discuss their goals. This took basically the month of January to complete but it was time well invested. Most young men (and women) have never been taught the importance of setting goals or how to set them.
Not only were these meetings valuable as a teaching tool but they also gave me tremendous insight into the players’ expectations. These goal meetings were a great help in establishing relationships.
The importance of goals has been well documented over the years. Greatness and achievement don’t happen by accident. Cal Ripken didn’t accidently set the record for the most consecutive games. A simple rule is “you get what you set”.
Some other important tips are:
Set goals in areas of your life – I use a 5 point star for five major areas – Spiritual, Family, Professional, Health and Community. Set goals in each of those five areas.
Write all your goals down. Putting your goals on paper is a sign of commitment.
Never sell yourself short. If you don’t believe in yourself; you’ll never reach your potential. Think big. Ralph Waldo Emerson said “The heroic can’t be common nor can the common be heroic”. Stretch yourself. It’s better to shoot for greatness and come up short than to shoot for mediocrity and succeed.
Never let an “expert” discourage you. I doubt if too many experts thought Spud Webb at five foot seven would win the NBA slam dunk contest. Few experts thought the US Hockey Team would beat The Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Take an organized logical approach to your goal-setting. Follow up your goal setting process with action. Setting goals is important but they must be followed up with immediate action.
The system we developed was a series of Six Questions that not only clearly defined the goals but also tested the attainability of the goals. At the end of the six question process your confidence in achieving the goals will increase and will be well founded. The following is a brief overview of the Six Questions.
The first question is “What”. What is your goal? What is it that you want to accomplish? Make sure when you chose your goal it is very specific and something you can measure. For example make the goal to increase your bench press 25 pounds instead of just getting stronger.
The second question is “Who”. Whose goal is it? Is it your goal? Is it your Dad’s goal for you or is it your boss’s goal? Unless it is YOUR goal, you will never take ownership of it. Without owning the goal, you probably won’t achieve it.
The third question is “Why”. Why is it important to you to achieve this goal? The reason you want to achieve a goal is the soul of the goal. The “Why” of the goal is the propelling force behind the goal.
The fourth question is “How”. How do you plan on achieving this goal? What’s the plan? This question gives you goal credibility. Anyone can say they want to be an All American but those that know HOW they plan on accomplishing it have a much better chance of actually achieving it. Also breaking a big goal down into bite size pieces makes it seem more likely to be attained. The plan gives you confidence that your goal can happen. The more detailed the plan, the more credibility it has. The more credibility, the more confidence you have.
The fifth question is “When”. When will this goal be achieved? Giving your goal a deadline is providing a sense of urgency to your plan. Deadlines force you into action. Action separates goal setting from goal getting. Anyone can put a plan together but all plans are worthless without action. Setting deadlines and benchmarks keeps your feet to the fire.
The last question is “Price”. Are you willing to pay the price to achieve this goal? Is this goal that important to you that you are willing to pay the price to achieve it? A simple formula is: the greater the goal; the higher the price. If you are not willing to pay the price then you must start the process over again and choose a goal that you are willing to commit to. The last question is really a reality check. If you are willing to pay the price then proceed with massive action.
This is a quick synopsis of the Six Questions of Goal Setting. It’s not just about goal setting; it’s a process of goal getting. If you are interested in a more detailed and expansive version of this system; I have a limited amount of DVDs available that explains this process in detail.
To order the DVD’s please go to http://tonydemeo.com/featured-dvd/the-six-questions-of-goal-setting/
Have a great day!
Lawrence
People want to do big things.
This could mean creating a big/profitable business.
This could mean winning a national championship.
This could mean making a great scientific discovery..
The problem is, with a few exceptions, it’s difficult to start big. Instead, look to start small and slowly build.
If you are looking to build a big company, smart small and use the initial revenue to grow bigger.
If you are looking to win a national championship realize you have to first win your first game and build from there.
Be willing to start small and grow. It’s better than wanting to be big and never start at all.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
Monday night I watched the NCAA football D1 championship game between LSU and Alabama. Before the game started two of the commentators mentioned that because of the amount of time to prepare for the game the coach who does the LEAST amount of coaching will probably win.
I know what the commentators were getting at in terms of being worried about the teams being given so much information that it might stifle their play. The question is, were they confusing coaching with bad coaching?
Anyone who watched the game knows that Alabama completely dominated the game. Those who have watched Alabama with Nick Saban in charge know that his teams are incredibly well prepared and while I’m sure most, if not all coaches work extremely hard, I can’t imagine any coaches can outwork or out prepare Saban and his staff.
The key is, while Alabama was extremely well prepared, they were prepared in a way that allowed them the freedom to be successful. As an example, when Alabama would kick off (to start the game and after their scores) their players were extremely well disciplined and stayed in their lanes which put them in position to then use their abilities and efforts to be successful. When Alabama was on defense, LSU would run their option offense and the defenders were disciplined to stay in their positions which allowed them to then make great plays.
While the announcers were assuming that the amount of time these teams had to prepare might result in stifling their efforts, Alabama used this preparation to put their players in position to excel.
The question is do you use your “coaching” (whether the coaching is for a sports team, a business, an organization or some other group) to stifle their performance or to put them in a position to use their strengths to their fullest.
Just something to think about.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
Recently I met with someone who was getting into a new field of work. His problem is that he didn’t know what he didn’t know.
It’s one thing to be wrong about things. It’s something very different to simply not know.
The challenge is to put yourself in a position to learn what you you don’t know. This might mean surrounding yourself with more experienced people, attending conferences, reading everything you can on the subjects (both online and offline) being willing to accept you need to grow.
No one knows everything about any one subject. Those who acknowledge they aren’t all knowing and are willing to constantly learn are the ones who will succeed long term. Those who think they know everything will inevitably get passed by the others
Just something to think about.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
Last week I was researching some options to purchase a type software application. I spoke with sales representatives from two different companies.
The first company asked me which of their competitors I was also considering. I told them the two other companies and he then told me everything they did poorly and why I shouldn’t go with them. He then told me about all of the features the program he was selling had and why it was such a good program.
The second company started off by asking me what I was looking for. They wanted to know what I was looking to use the software for, they wanted to know about my company and then they proceeded to show how their software could help me do what I wanted to do. They actually showed me how I could spend a little bit more and accomplish a LOT more than I even was looking for.
Each conversation took about the same amount of time. Neither sales technique cost more than the other.
You can figure out which technique is more effective but sadly, I’m not sure the first company ever will.
Just something to think about.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
Too often we think we have two options.
If we want to buy a new car we can choose between option 1 or option 2
If have offers to sell a house we can choose between offer 1 and offer 2
If we are looking for a software program we can choose between the ones carried by the store.
The option we frequently forget is the option of “no”.
We can choose to not buy a new car.
We can turn down the offers for the house.
We can choose not to purchase any of the software.
Remember, we always have the option to say no.
Just something to think about.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
If there is one thing Lawrence Fine is most passionate about it's teaching. From sharing his knowledge about soccer as a soccer coach, he now shares his expertise in the field of human resources and the Internet. (More...)