Gatekeepers

“Gatekeepers are the enemy! If they would just stop blocking me from getting thru to their bosses, I would be much more successful!”

That is the attitude of many sales professionals whose job it is to initiate unsolicited contact with decision makers. They view executive assistants, administrative secretaries and lower level managers as problems… instead of what they could be – valuable assets. Most people mistakenly believe that it’s the job of a gatekeeper to keep everybody out… to prevent salesmen and other nuisances from bothering the boss.

That is not true... because like any great filter, it’s the gatekeeper’s job to improve productivity by keeping out the waste… and letting thru only the good stuff. Therefore, if you don’t have the ability to prove your value to a gatekeeper well enough to get thru, then that person did their job.

Possibly more than any other person in an organization, the gatekeeper knows the executive’s goals, priorities, headaches, hot buttons, schedule AND availability. Never trivialize, disrespect or fear them. Treat them as if you want them to become your very best friends… because you do!

Failures Wanted!

How many times did you fail last week?

If your answer is "Zero!", don't be so proud. That only proves the fact that you did not try hard enough... or stretch yourself far enough... because if you're not failing on a regular basis, something is wrong.

Most people are proud of the fact that they are not only confident... they are competent in everything that they do. I was the same way for most of my career. But, after much personal reflection, reading and hearing words of wisdom from people that I trust, I realized that I was not a failure at success... I was a failure at failing.

Don't fear people telling you "No!" or turning you down. Don't fear missing your short-term goals. Failure is an absolutely necessary part of achieving your potential.

Here's wishing you a future of many failures... and much success!

Make A Better Tomorrow... Starting Today!

Starting today… Let’s:

Become a healthier nation & world by eating better & exercising more…

Improve our financial situation by becoming more financially intelligent, creating more real jobs and holding our leaders accountable to ‘Do The Right Thing’…

Lead the world out of war, hate & despair by taking the moral high ground in everything that we do…

Regain our lead as having the best schools & banks & communities by dismissing our petty differences and addressing the serious issues at hand…

Have zero tolerance for every individual or organization that creates, markets or distributes ‘poisons for consumption’ just to make a profit…

We have tried living our lives in ‘isolation’… with a mindset of fear, hatred and scarcity. How has that been working so far? Improve your Life… the lives of your loved ones… and the world by accepting the 30-day Challenge:

1. Eliminate all of the negativity in your Life

§ Negative television, music, movies, conversations and thoughts

2. Remove the distractions in your Life

§ Things that prevent you from making your life and the world better

3. Capture your thoughts in a journal

§ Goals, dreams, plans, observations, etc.

4. Embrace the Silence

§ Allow uninterrupted thoughts to flow

5. Read – Read – Read

§ Take advantage of your free access to every piece of knowledge & inspiration you could ever need

We can save the world by stopping all negative influences (incoming & outgoing)… creating our own reality… and looking inward for The Solution. Make a better tomorrow… starting today!

(This blog post was inspired by Randy C. Wilson. Check him out at www.longliveyou.com)

Lessons Learned... Lessons Forgotten

Life is precious...

We can get past petty differences...

Tomorrow is not guaranteed...

We can come together as a nation...

Something 'important' one day… is meaningless the next...

True heroes do exist...

Make It!

Make it Better!

Make it Happen!

Make it Authentic!

Make it Remarkable!

Make it Memorable!

Make it Stick!

Make it Yours!

Make it Honest!

Make it Personal!

Make it Valuable!

Make it Now!

Honor Your Rank

Certificates of Achievement should mean something. They should indicate a level of understanding, expertise and performance that translates into a minimum standard of behavior… without exception!

I observed an advanced class of young karate students one day. Each student had a rank of brown or black belt. I watched this group workout with a feeling of amazement and embarrassment... as most of the students sloppily executed their routines. Despite having reached two of the highest levels in their craft, many of them could not throw a decent punch or kick… I blame the teacher for advancing students just to prevent them from quitting. I blame the parents for not holding the teacher accountable to actually teach their kids. And, I blame the ‘real’ advanced students for not questioning the fraud.

If you look closely, you can see similar situations in all walks of life:

• Sales professionals who don’t listen
• Teachers who don’t care
• Doctors who aren’t compassionate
• Distinguished Toastmasters who say, “ah & um”
• Customer service reps who aren’t nice
• High school graduates who cannot read
• College graduates who have no marketable skills
• Parents who are unable to raise their children
• Politicians who abuse our trust
• Adults who act immature

How do you honor your rank?

Change

According to an NFL expert, 40% of all offensive plays break down and don’t go as originally planned. Therefore, the true test of a quarterback is not his arm strength or other athletic gifts… it is his ability to adapt to Change.

The quarterback must make an immediate assessment of the new situation… consider the vast array of options… choose the best course of action… communicate the new plan to the team… then flawlessly execute the play… all within a matter of seconds while powerful, skilled opponents try to stop him. This challenge repeats play-after-play, series-after-series, and game-after-game.

Similar situations can also be found throughout the business world every day… as executives, managers, sales professionals and entrepreneurs are challenged to succeed in this ever-changing world. Change is not probable… it is certain. And, the only way to perform at your absolute best when the ‘game’ is on the line… is to practice so much and so hard that nothing surprises you.

'Right Place' at the 'Right Time'

As a solutions provider, there is only one place where you must be… and that is exactly where your customer needs you. There is only one time at which you must be there… and that is exactly when your customer needs you.

If you are any other place… at any other time, you are (at best) irrelevant or (at worst) an annoyance. Where and when do your customers need you?