Are you concerned about changes?

Is the organization which you work for afraid of change?

Tom Peters said "Companies have got to learn to eat change for breakfest."

"There are six predictable and sequential concerns that people have when they are asked to change. By planning for these six stages of concern ahead of time, leaders can diagnose and respond to individuals' predictable concerns with change and, therefore, reduce resistance and build momentum for moving ahead."

Are you addresing the change from a recipient's perspective?

Read more in the article:
Successful Organizational Change Must Address Individual Stages of Concern
©2005 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved.
http://www.kenblanchard.com/ignite/ignite_volume4_2005.cfm#22366

Tipping Point? - The way social epidemics works!

The Tipping Point is a book by Malcolm Gladwell.

The book seeks to explain "social epidemics", or sudden and often chaotic changes from one state to another. For example, he cites the drop in the New York City crime rate in the 1990s. The ability to generate these epidemics is highly-sought in marketing. They are similar, in their mathematical properties, to disease epidemics.

Gladwell identifies three types of people who have the power to produce social epidemics:

Connectors: Those with wide social circles. They are the "hubs" of the human social network and responsible for the small world phenomenon.
Mavens are knowledgeable people. While most consumers wouldn't know if a product were priced above the market rate by, say, 10 percent, mavens would. Bloggers who detect false claims in the media could also be considered mavens.
Salesmen are charismatic people with powerful negotiation skills. They exert "soft" influence rather than forceful power. Their source of influence may be the tendency of others, subconsciously, to imitate them rather than techniques of conscious persuasion.

"What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

One of the things I'd like to do is to show people how to start "positive" epidemics of their own. The virtue of an epidemic, after all, is that just a little input is enough to get it started, and it can spread very, very quickly. That makes it something of obvious and enormous interest to everyone from educators trying to reach students, to businesses trying to spread the word about their product, or for that matter to anyone who's trying to create a change with limited resources. The book has a number of case studies of people who have successfully started epidemics--an advertising agency, for example, and a breast cancer activist. I think they are really fascinating. I also take a pressing social issue, teenage smoking, and break it down and analyze what an epidemic approach to solving that problem would look like. The point is that by the end of the book I think the reader will have a clear idea of what starting an epidemic actually takes. This is not an abstract, academic book. It's very practical. And it's very hopeful. It's brain software."

From Interview with Malcolm Gladwell.
"The Tipping Point - How Little Things Can Make a big Difference" - Malcom Gladwell
http://www.gladwell.com/tippingpoint/index.html

Be ready!

"You see, you never know when the door of opportunity is going to open wide. For some, the big break comes early in life and for others later on. But for all of those who become successful, there is one key similarity: They were ready. And for every one of those who were ready, there were thousands more who weren’t.

So, the principle for us is: Be ready!

Are you ready? Here are some thoughts for you to consider.

Are your skills as sharp as they could be? Are they enough so when your shot comes you can perform? Is your character deep enough to handle success? Let’s face it; you don’t want big success if your character won’t be able to handle it.

Are you working hard to position yourself now? The job to do while waiting for the door to open is to develop your skills and your character, so as to position yourself to get through that door before it closes.

Your door will open someday. It opens for everyone. It may only open once or it may open many times. It is different for everyone and life just isn’t fair that way. But everybody gets a shot. Will you be ready?

When that huge door of opportunity opens up, will you be able to walk boldly through it? Do everything you can to be ready. Don’t just sit and wish and dream. Be proactive and make sure that you are the most qualified when the door opens. Make sure that you are the hardest worker. Make sure you are the closest to the door.

When it opens – Be Ready!"


Please read the full article "When the Door of Opportunity Opens by Chris Widener" @http://www.chriswidener.com/ezine/ezineissue21.htm

Reproduced with permission from the Chris Widener Ezine. To subscribe to Chris Widener's Ezine, go to http://www.chriswidener.com or send an email with Join in the subject to subscribe@chriswidener.com Copyright 2005 Chris Widener International. All rights reserved worldwide.

EXPECT TO SUCCEED AND YOU'LL SUCCEED

The dreams you choose to believe in come to be.
When you feel in your innermost being
that you will achieve what you set out to do,
you open the way for miracles.

Choose to believe something good can happen.
Expecting it to happen energizes your goal
and actually gives it momentum.
What you expect to happen, happens.
Life responds to your outlook.

©2005 by Max Steingart www.maxsteingart.com
Reproduce freely but maintain © notice

Do you have a warrior mind?

We make decisions every day that affect our long-term success. Sun Tzu taught that success means achieving your goals in the easiest way possible. The purpose of bing-fa (that is, The Art of War) is not only to identify how to win, but to discover how to win easily.

Written approximately 2000 years ago, The Sun Tzu's The Art of War is a timeless classic about how people are to be treated and dealt with - it's a study of human behavior. Sun Tzu outlines some of the attributes that can set a leader up for failure. It is just as true today as it was back then.

The entire work it's available at a number of Web sites including http://www.chinapage.com/sunzi-e.html, however, I liked Kaufman's interpretation in his The Definitive Interpretation of Sun Tzu's Classic book of Strategy for the Martial Artist.

"It is for the ambitious and strong spirited; do not seek morality lesson here". says Stephen F. Kaufman, Hanshi 10th Dan.

If you do a little word substitution (such as competitor for enemy, and marketplace for battlefield, you suddenly have some wise advice on how to run your business, a guide for the control of people, places, and things. Free of ambiguous methaphors, as Hanshi (highest rank attainable in martial arts) Kaufman details "the actions that must be taken to maintain control of an environment".

After you've read the book, reflect on how you can apply the lessons of Sun Tzu to your life.

Do YOU believe in yourself as a leader?

Test your strategic skills:
http://www.artofwarplus.com/cgi-bin/quiztest.cgi?strategicquotient1frameworkunderstanding

A Life-Changing Procedure - By Zig Ziglar

The Self Talk Card

from Zig Ziglar, world renowned author and lecturer offers sales training products, books, video, DVD and audio on success and motivation.

If I could give you one procedure that would require roughly fifteen minutes every day, could you find the fifteen minutes? Suppose the fifteen minutes and the procedure would have a dramatic impact on your life, giving you an infinitely better chance at being happy, healthy, reasonably prosperous and secure, and having friends and peace of mind, and you would see results within ten days after you started the procedure. Are you willing to commit yourself to invest fifteen minutes every day for immediate results and long-term benefits? There are no catches and, best of all, the results have been well established. I'm going to tell you in advance it definitely, absolutely, positively has worked, is working, and will work for you. What is this marvelous step that's going to make such a change in your life? Well, here it is.

http://www.ziglartraining.com/docs/Self_Talk.pdf

Zig Ziglar motivational author and speaker.

Official website. www.zigziglar.com

Friday's Joke

A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an oil lamp. They rub it an a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, "I'll give each of you just one wish."
"Me first! Me first!" says the administration clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world."
Poof! she's gone.
"Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life."
Poof! he's gone too.
"OK, you're up," the genie says to the manager.
The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."

Moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say.

My TIME is my LIFE!

In this boom of information we need to use efficient tools and effectively manage information.

Success = Time Management = Money = Life

* from this formula our fundamental resource is Time only!

- Brian Tracy http://www.empowermeonline.com/

Do you know the difference between urgent and important?
I am still working towards a better system to effectively deal with my work information as well as my personal information. Sometimes I feel swamped! BUT, I decided to become an expert in Time Management. AND, I practice it every day.

Where am I now?
Where am I going?

... it's simple! :))

The easiest way is to go direct from NOW to THERE in straight line.

This is the shortest path!

Do you have some best practice tips?

Use the strategy presented by Franklin Covey organization to master information overload

@http://www.franklincovey.com/fclearning/index.html

TIME MANAGEMENT

Something will master and something will serve. Either you run the day or the day runs you; either you run the business or the business runs you.

Learn how to separate the majors and the minors. A lot of people don't do well simply because they major in minor things.

Don't mistake movement for achievement. It's easy to get faked out by being busy. The question is: Busy doing what?

Days are expensive. When you spend a day you have one less day to spend. So make sure you spend each one wisely.

Sometimes you need to stay in touch but be out of reach.

Time is our most valuable asset, yet we tend to waste it, kill it, and spend it rather than invest it.

We can no more afford to spend major time on minor things than we can to spend minor time on major things.

Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.

Never begin the day until it is finished on paper.

Learn how to say no. Don't let your mouth overload your back.

Time is the best-kept secret of the rich.

These quotes are by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine, go to http://www.jimrohn.com/or send a blank email to mailto:subscribe@jimrohn.comExcerpted from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn. Copyright © 1994-2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.

Getting to the better future!

"Of all the creatures of earth, only human beings can change their patterns. Man alone is the architect of his destiny…
Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." - William James

ALWAYS TRY TO DO YOUR BEST AT EVERYTHING

Make it your life rule of living to always do your best.
It's your constant effort to be first-class in everything you attempt
that will help you conquer the heights of excellence.
Let superiority become your trademark.

Do a little more each day than you think you possibly can.
There is always a best way of doing everything. Find it.

Do a little more than average
and from that point on your progress multiplies itselfout
of all proportion to the effort you put out.

Do more than you're supposed to do
and you can have or be or do anything you want.

If you want to enjoy enduring success,
try traveling a little in advance of the rest of the world.
Your greatness will come from being great in the little things.

©2005 by Max Steingart www.maxsteingart.com Reproduce freely but maintain © notice

What’s the cost of doing nothing about your dream?

What is one goal or dream have you yet to achieve?

How focused are you on this goal?

Why is this important to you?

Do you really want it or do you think you "should" want it? (If it's a should, it is time to reasses your goals)

How many other projects do you have going on at the same time?

Most of the time do you feel scattered or focused?

You only have to be committed to your success and do whatever it takes to achieve it.

You see things; and you say "Why?" But I dream things that never were; and I say "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw

How well you present a story?

"No one needs special training or technology to understand a story", writes Cliff Atkinson in Beyond Bullet Points, "because it's the way humans have been communicating with one another throught history." However, from one side to other of industry, PowerPoint presentations are telling many stories. Succesful stories or bad ones are a matter of how well we are using the PowerPoint language tools. Presenting us a better way to change the classic fragmented presentations toward a much more storytelling emotional one, Cliff's approach is giving us a fresh start.

"We all have untold stories locked inside of us. If there’s one thing I ask you to do today, it is to open up PowerPoint and to let us hear them, and to let us see them." - Cliff Atkinson

Sociable Media®. http://www.sociablemedia.com/
http://www.sociablemedia.com/thebio.php4
http://www.sociablemedia.com/thebook_resources.php4

Getting Organized for Achievement

Getting and staying organized is critical to achieving your goals. A well organized person is more productive, has more free time, wastes less money, and experiences less stress. This article will outline a simple, effective, and flexible system to help you get and stay organized by using a top down approach. This system will allow you to keep some of your current scheduling systems in place, if they are currently working for you, and makes suggestions with some new ideas and changes that can be made to make you more productive and organized.

Productivity isn't so much about getting more things done as it is about getting the right things done. Dr. Stephen Covey, who is co-founder/co-chairman of the FranklinCovey Company and author of the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, has as one of his key beliefs to "begin with the end in mind" and says that goals give a framework for motivation.
A top down approach to Time Management means that you start with your goals and work down to your smallest todo tasks. This approach to scheduling your time makes sure your priorities are really being observed and gives more meaning to even your smallest task. You may also find that some of your current activities are not needed or are misguided towards achieving what is really important to you.

Top to Bottom Scheduling Breakdown:

Goals
Goal Steps
Email
Calendar/Todo List

Goals
Start by determining your true Goals and Prioritizing. Use MyGoalManager.com's Discover Goals Tool to build your prioritized goals list. Once you have your goals list you can create well formed goal statements and set deadlines.

Goal Steps
The next step is to create a plan of action for your goals and develop timelines. Read more about properly setting your goals and creating your plan of action for achievement in the article Steps for Successful Goal Setting and Achievement.

Email
Your email account is a great tool because its like an automatic todo list that is checked on a regular basis. Emails that require immediate action should be addressed and then deleted. Emails that require action at a later date should be recorded in your calendar then deleted. Always try to keep your inbox empty.

Calendar
Many people use a software calendar system such as Microsoft Outlook, a PDA, or other online calendars to keep track of their appointments. Some people prefer a paper day planner or master list, the most important thing is to find whatever works best for you and stick to it. One very effective method of keeping on track is your mobile phone. Most new phones have a built-in Calendars which is an excellent place to keep your todo list since it is almost always with you. If your in sales or some other profession that requires you to keep an extensive contact list and frequently schedule calls and meetings then you should also look into getting ACT Contact Management Software.

Now that you have a simple organizational structure set up the last and most important step for achievement is to stay on top of your plan and review it frequently. Your Goals and Goal Steps should be reviewed at least once a day. MyGoalManager.com has a "Home Page" (designed to be made your browsers home page so frequent goal reviews are automatic) which is the perfect starting place for each day. The system has an automated Goal Review which analyzes all your goals and alerts you to items that need attention. The goal system also can send you email reminders for your Goal Plan which place them in your todo inbox. You can create and modify your todo lists and/or Day Planners from this goal review.

Good luck implementing these new organization methods and enjoy the added productivity and extra free time!

Realize the Value of Time

This moving sequel to Control, Choice & Perception shows the priceless value of the people we care about and the time spent during our life's situations. Observing closely we find each day to be a gift with value beyond compare. What are your moments really worth to you?
Watch this inspiring movie and come away with a new perception of time.