What's On the Minds of High Achievers

Take control of 2012 with a look at your health, wealth and time management

High achievers, chief executive officers and organizational founders come in all shapes and sizes. So, no two of them think alike. Most feel they are peerless, but they do appreciate skilled input.

Their styles vary, but they do have certain traits in common, including investing in their continuing education, a desire to surround themselves with other high achievers and an ability to be decisive in most cases.

One thing we all have a little trouble with is being completely objective about our blind spots and ourselves. That’s why professionals who wish to become more effective utilize coaches. They want fast access to resources a strong network and valuable input.

Here are a few other things on the minds of many high achievers:

» Focus on financial security. Feeling nervous about your income? You are not alone, and people at all income levels have renewed their focus in this area. Yes, the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid is getting a lot of attention these days with the need to arrange or restructure financing. High achievers worry about money, too. The average homeowner is not the only one concerned about getting finances in order. It is happening at every level, particularly with multimillion-dollar enterprises.

High achievers are looking for added sustainable revenue streams more so than ever. What used to be predictable cash flow can no longer be taken for granted, and diversified income is top of mind. Whether my clients are arranging construction loans or reevaluating their portfolios, the new year is a good time to review all your financial basics.

» Time management. Think 1,440. Time robbers are on our minds! Who stole 2011? We are all bombarded with phone calls, emails, letters, texts and people who want meetings, a lunch or a piece of us for something. Good causes and needy situations are abundant, and our society is at risk of becoming desensitized because of overstimulation. The good news is that we all have the same amount of time in each day: 1,440 minutes.

Are you making sure that you are doing the most important things with your 1,440? If you are having a little trouble with life balance or fitting it all in, it might be a good time to treat yourself to rereading Steven Covey’s book FirstThings First.

Remember this very popular book, based on his work, The Seven Habits of Highly EffectivePeople? You can download a free weekly worksheet at Wikipedia or from his site, and I highly recommend it.

Join the people who always seem to be open to the best new opportunities. Your decisions are not guided by “the clock,” but by the “compass” of purpose and values. Covey asserts that people have a need “to live, to love, to learn and to leave a legacy” and encourages us to move beyond urgency. We logically know that we can’t do everything. So, now is the time to stop trying. Most of my clients find they can actually accomplish more by doing less.

» Health and fitness. Yes, it is time to make sure your support team is reinforcing your healthy life style. According to the national Centers forDisease Control and Prevention and physicians everywhere, eating healthier and walking is one of the best things you can do for yourself to make a positive impact on fighting depression, heart disease and many other forms of disease.

If you or a loved one is still smoking, make a pact to quit this month. Smoking matters, and so does excess weight. We know this today more so than ever before. There are many things you can do to help yourself. Making the decision to start today is the first one. Help is available, and I have learned through my own fitness efforts — which enabled me to lose more than 90 pounds — that it is never too late to start on your healthier lifestyle program. Just get started!

For less than the cost of a daily cup of coffee you can join the YMCA or a fitness club, and there are many free resources available online.

— Santa Barbara resident and business consultant Patty DeDominic is an executive coach. An expert in human resources, development and recruitment, DeDominic sold the Los Angeles-based firm she started to a firm that made additional acquisitions and became a $1 billion-a-year company. Today, she runs DeDominicand Associates, which coaches high-achieving individuals and teams in entrepreneurial and social enterprises.

Deciding to be Successful

Patty DeDominic says........
 It's important to learn the basic skills and to decide not to become one of the unemployables.......

This is really a choice that most of the unemployed make unless they have a severe disability and most of those on unemployment do not have such disabilities!      Some suffer from what Zig Ziglar called STINKIN THINKING.......  that's when we listen to the voices who say it can't be done, or that it is too hard.....or that success take WORK!     Being a Success usually also takes the decision to be successful, and it takes FOCUS and a plan!

Gather your resources!   Gather your team and build a strong network.   Make  "DEPOSITS" into the universal favor bank of your selected team mates in your network.    Choose the people you associate with and seek out mentors.

Here's one of my favorite coaches, Bill Poet and some great advice on a basic skill we are all born with, one that we can refine and use to our advantage in performance.....
"Our first, last, and most important skill is breathing; if you are still breathing, then there is still hope! Your ability to keep on breathing and moving is God's and the universe's way of letting you know they are not done with you yet." Bill Poett, America's Coach.

Dear Patty,

Good morning,

Today's Cuppa Joy is literally a breath of fresh air. Breath... it's much more than the key to life; it is the key to power, focus, and presence.

Twenty years ago, when I was a close quarter combat instructor, my peers, students, and I were consumed with performance; when lives are at stake (yours or others), good enough simply isn't. And how we preformed in practice was meaningless; the only thing that mattered is how we preformed under pressure. The key (in addition to perfect practice) is breathing. Using it, controlling it, and managing it!
When you are blasted with adrenaline by an event (an attack, a presentation, job interview, first date) everything within your physiology changes; your breath, heart rate, vision, perception of time and space, all change. Your ability to recognize, control, and perform in this environment is what ultimately determines your success or failure.

I was constantly looking for ways to place myself and instructors in high stress environments - - skydiving, rock climbing, stress shooting courses, and training blindfolded were just some of the techniques we used. We could then conduct a physiological post mortem. What does fear feel like? What changes does it create within your body and most importantly, how do you manage it? The simple answer is it all comes down to breath; short and fast = fear and decreased performance; slow and deep = control, confidence and increased performance. Your environment isn't the only factor controlling you; I want you in charge.

I understand this is a simplistic answer to a deep question but exploring it will be well worth your time. Just remember this, if you are still breathing there is still hope and the game is definitely still on!

On behalf of your team at Bill Poett Performance Group, slow down, breath, find your balance and keep moving...and oh yeah, whenever possible have fun!

Yours in-Joy,

Bill Poett, America's Coach

Access to Bill's coaching is as easy as 1.2.3!

1. To inquire about one-on-one coaching, e-mail Bill at Bill@billpoett.com. 
2. To listen to Bill's most current radio show click on the icon below, to go to Blog Talk Radio... available 24/7. You can also get a free I-tunes subscription and listen to show while on-the-go!
3. Click to get a signed copy of Bill's recent book, the ABCs of Peak Performers.

 Please click the photo/logo above to go to Bills site, hear his radio broadcasts and sign up for his classes!

TRUST and Culture Matter

From the book The TRUST Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, by Robert Whipple.
Available on http://www.leadergrow.com/.





Two Rules to Improve Team Culture

Robert T. Whipple, MBA CPLP







The culture of a team governs its effectiveness. Most teams have a culture that allows adequate performance despite many unfortunate outbreaks of tension and sometimes childish behavior. It is unfortunate that more teams do not experience the exhilaration of working in a supportive culture that produces excellent results. The methods of building teams into high performing units are well documented, but most teams do not go through the rigor required to get to that level. This paper blends well known processes with horse sense born of experience that will allow any team to perform better.



In 1965, Bruce Tuckman described four stages that every team goes through. They are Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. A critical time for any team is when it is forming. This is when the team is trying to figure out its role and goals. Members are not sure of their status or contribution at this point, and personal bonding is a key element to the eventual success of the team. It is advisable for the group to go offsite for some initial teambuilding activities. Many leaders avoid this step because often team building activities involve a kind of game atmosphere that does not feel like “work.” In fact, team building is real work that may be fun at the moment, but it is deadly serious business that can result in millions of dollars of profit if done well or millions of dollars in damage control if not done at all.



During the storming phase, there is some kind of power struggle where members vie for position and influence. It is up to the team leader to help the team move quickly through this awkward time. Usually the storming stage is short simply because it is painful. People want to get out of the rut of consternation and move on to getting the work done.



It is in the norming phase that the team decides the degree of effectiveness it will ultimately enjoy. If individual and team behaviors are agreed upon with conviction, the team will immediately begin to perform with excellence. Included in this phase is identifying the individual skills brought to the team by the diversity of talent in the group, the goals of the team, the ground rules of expected behavior, and the consequences of failing to comply with team expectations.



The two most basic things required for any team to become a high performing unit are
 1. A common goal
 2. Trust

 If these building blocks are in place, all of the rest of the team dynamics (like excellent communication) will sort themselves out. If either of these is missing, the team will sputter and struggle to meet expectations. A key rule fostered by most teams that is most often compromised is to treat each member with respect. There is a kind of disease that sets in most teams where members subtly undermine each other.



People often make jokes in team meetings. Keep your antenna up and you will discover that, for most groups, the majority of jokes are sarcastic digs about other people in the room. Everyone knows they are only jokes, and they laugh, but deep down some damage is done.



Smart groups have a conscious norm that they will enjoy humor in meetings but never make a joke at someone else's expense. It may seem like a small thing, but over time this practice can really help improve the function of any team. It is easy to accomplish. The leader just needs to set the expectation and remind people when they slip up. In coaching some groups with a particularly bad habit on this, I have suggested that any time a person makes a joke that is a dig, he or she has to put $5 in a kitty. The money is used later by the group for a party. This small change can actually change the entire culture of a team.



Now that you are sensitized to this, just keep track in a few meetings with some hash marks on a piece of paper. You will be astonished how pervasive this problem is and also how certain people are addicted to the practice. Then, solve the problem and begin enjoying the benefits of better teamwork.



I have coached hundreds of teams, and find that there are patterns that lead to success and other patterns that lead to extreme frustration and failure. There is one condition that rises above all the others when it comes to dysfunctional teams. When some members of the team believe other members are not pulling their fair share, the team is going to have major problems. Unfortunately, this situation is so common, it is almost universal, yet there is a simple cure that is about 95% successful at preventing this condition or stopping it if it happens. The cure is to have an agreed upon Charter for the team upfront before behavior problems surface.



During the forming stage of a team, there is an opportunity to document several critical parameters of how the team will operate. These include:



1. A list of the talents and skills each member of the team can contribute


2. A set of solid, measurable performance goals for the team


3. A set of agreed upon behaviors that the members agree to follow


4. A statement of the consequences that will occur if a member fails to live up to the behaviors.



When teams take the time at the start to document these four items, the chances of success are much higher than if this step is omitted. The most powerful item is #4, and it is the one that is most often omitted from a charter. The reason it has power is that when the team is forming, usually all members have good intentions to pull their weight for the good of the team. If they agree that letting the team down by slacking off and having others pick up the slack will result in some unhappy consequence (like being voted off the team, or having no points on an assignment, or having to do extra clean up work, or some other penalty) they are far less likely to practice “social loafing.” If they are tempted to goof off, then the penalty they have already agreed to is quickly applied, and the bad behavior is quickly extinguished.



Most teams without a good charter end up in the frustration of having one or more people believing they are unfairly doing more than their fair share of the work. When a good charter spells out the expected behaviors and the penalty for non-compliance before the team experiences a problem, it greatly reduces this most common of all team maladies.


Robert Whipple is a regular contributor to Patty DeDominic's free resources for leaders and professionals seeing career advice.    We appreciate his wisdom and the way he shares his expertise with so many people so generously.    If you know of someone who can use more direct support, we encourage you to do business with him!    Contact Bob at bwhipple@leadergrow.com





Robert Whipple is also the author of Leading with Trust is like Sailing Downwind and, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online. Bob consults and speaks on these and other leadership topics. He is CEO of Leadergrow Inc. a company dedicated to growing leaders.

Jeanne Erikson, PhD, PCC on Optimism

ARE WE

HARD-WIRED

 for OPTIMISM ?






A June 6, 2011 TIME magazine article on brain wiring and optimism caught my attention. To quote the article,

“On average, [people] expect things to turn out better than they wind up being. People hugely underestimate their chances of getting divorced, losing their job, or being diagnosed with cancer; expect their children to be extraordinarily gifted; envision themselves achieving more than their peers; and overestimate their likely life span (sometimes by 20 years or more.)”

I find this amazing in our day of “real” instant news overload. The article, by Tali Sharot who has written “The Optimism Bias” (2011), goes on to claim that although we might expect young people to be optimistic, even adults over 60 show this “optimism bias”. The TIME article points out that collectively we develop pessimism about wars, violence, the environment, and the euro, but individually we tend to be resilient. For example, a 2007 study found that 76% of persons were optimistic about the future of their own family—while over 70% simultaneously believed families in general had poor futures. This is partly credited to our unique brain wiring that allows humans to travel back and forth in our heads from the present to the imagined future. Our brains likely evolved with the ability to be positive side by side with the assurance/ imagining of our own death. This makes sense. Without the ability to imagine a life worth sticking around for, why bother?

When researchers took functional MRI images of brain activity in persons imagining positive futures, two areas lit up. These areas were most active in persons who were rated as most optimistic. The researchers were able to stimulate people to be more optimistic and lessen negative thinking when they gave them the task of choosing between two negative future events (i.e. a broken leg and a job firing). As they got to select their own fate, their brains were scanned for activity. Later, the volunteers re-rated the negative fates; the one they chose had become more positive The brain structures hard at work to create this magical feat were the frontal cortex and sub-cortical regions. These researchers found it is very likely we are hard-wired with the natural brain ability to mitigate negative thinking. I am reminded of the common directive “choose your poison.” Maybe there is some verifiable science behind this tactic.

An opposite experiment reported by Ms. Sharot had volunteers rate 80 destinations for their top vacation preference. They were then forced to select the “best” between two choices they had rated exactly the same. Interestingly, following more active brain regional interplay, the volunteers later also rated the rejected choice as less desirable . Sound familiar when you had two job offers, or you were at the Humane Society and made a choice between two puppies or kittens? Our brains seem to do magic, and assist us to become satisfied.

I am fascinated as to how I can help my own brain and that of my clients exploit this new scientific information. I am wrestling with the following questions, and would love your feedback and thoughts about the whole notion of how optimism is experienced and created.

Please respond back adding a comment  or to my twitter @serenesuccess.

 What is YOUR response to these questions?

1) When I feel discouraged, would constructing a choice between two options be a useful way to change my brain activity and change my mood?

2) When I help clients envision what they want as a coaching exercise, would it help them reach their outcome to also understand their own brain hard wiring and activity? If you were my client, would it help you or just confuse you?

3) Could one reason I feel happier when I exercise be that rhythmic exercise stimulates the inter- regional activity in the brain and make these type of optimism tasks easier?
I wish you active brain drama this month that leads you to more optimism!

Warmly,

Jeanne Erikson, PhD, PCC

on twitter at Serenesuccess

Jeanne@collaborativelifecoaching.com

The NEW New World of Work, Help Wanted!: LAND IT, Job Tips for Prime of Lifers by DeDominic...

The NEW New World of Work, Help Wanted!: LAND IT, Job Tips for Prime of Lifers by DeDominic...: "I'm so pleased to share the great news with you! Our book is just available in electronic form but it is already changing lives and I am so..."

LAND IT, Job Tips for Prime of Lifers by DeDominic Wins 4 Stars from Readers Favorite Awards!

I'm so pleased to share the great news with you!  Our book is just available in electronic form but it is already changing lives and I am so grateful!  Thanks for your support and for your wonderful testimonials!


      

•              Click  on this book to read it  now! Available from Amazon in August 2011.

Trouble? please try pasting this into your browser:    http://www.blurb.com/books/2292250



"Whether you have just been laid off, have been spending months slugging through the seemingly over-whelming task of securing your next position, or trying to get more consulting clients, “Land It… Job Hunt Tips For Prime of Lifers” is a “must have” resource.

Sometimes all it takes is making minor corrections to what you’re already doing or just getting a specific piece of information that makes the difference between landing the job or not. Author, Patty De Dominic, the founder and former owner of two multi-million dollar placement firms, is an expert in this field -- providing a “no nonsense”, quick read, easy-to-implement plan for success that is sure to shorten either your time out of work, or add more clients to your business.

On the same day I read her book, I used one of her tips and secured a consulting client. In my opinion, this is one book you can’t afford not to buy!"

Suzanne Stanford, President, MISC, Inc.


Betsy Meyers, former Chief Operating Officer,  OBAMA for America Campaign

Former Executive Director, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government said  

  " Land It, Job Hunting Tips for Prime of Lifers is the little black book of confidence.  it is your friendly reminder of all the skills, assets and networks you have gained during your life that will help you land the job of your dreams at this stage in your life.   We never stop needing mentors and this is one you can carry around in your pocket."


READERS FAVORIE Reviewers said:
Reviewed by Rita V for ReadersFavorite.com


Land It! is a valuable book with essential tools in helping people of all ages find quality higher job placements. Patty DeDominic has helped place over 250,000 people into the job market, and through her experience, she has written a very helpful book on how to find those jobs quickly and easily. Her book talks about job hunting tips for prime-of-lifers, not just the younger people! Let’s face it, people of all ages need jobs in today’s society, as everything has changed drastically in finding employment.

DeDominic talks about how to get the ‘good’ job offers and provides a job hunting checklist that everyone should refer to when seeking jobs. This checklist is unique and gives invaluable tips for readiness and tips for a successful job hunt. She also shows how a person can learn to find Government Grants and other resources that people do not know about but will aid in finding and financing job opportunities. One's resume is a calling card, and every action and interview is a learning opportunity. Companies look for people who add value to their company, and they also look for special qualities that people bring with them to the table. Also provided are examples of three different types of resumes depending on what best fits each individual. DeDominic shows the reader how to build a Skills Based Resume, a Chronological Resume and a Keyword Resume. The reader will learn the differences between the three and see which one is right for him or her. The reader also learns the differences between recruiters, headhunters and staffing agencies.

Who doesn’t need a little help in finding job placement in today’s changing world? I found this book to be very educational and helpful for all people including the ‘prime-of-lifers’ that need to find jobs just as badly as everyone else today. I had no clue as to how many resources are really available to aid people in finding the right job for them. There isn’t a person out there looking for a job who couldn’t benefit from using these valuable tools. This was a very easy and detailed book to read. If I were looking for a job at the moment, this is definitely a book that I would invest in!"

Joke or No Joke by Robert Whipple MBA, CPLP

I was having an online conversation in a class I am teaching about teams at work. The discussion was relative to having online messages misinterpreted. Clearly we have all experienced this uncomfortable situation more than once. I got so fascinated about this topic that I wrote a book on it a few years ago.



One student brought up a situation that is common in person as well as online, but the damage done online is usually much larger. This is when a person tries to rib another person with a joke, but the meaning on the part of the receiver is taken literally. The writer is astonished when the reader takes umbrage at the barb. The writer says, “but I was only joking.”



When people say things in jest, there is usually an element of truth in them. Jokes are often just distortions of reality; that is what makes them humorous. The problem occurs when we make a joke where the punch line puts down another person. This is so common you probably witness it a dozen times a day or more, and it hardly registers because it is ubiquitous. If you are listening for it, you will hear it often.



Unfortunately, when the joke is documented in online exchanges, there isn’t the opportunity for the writer to let the other person know through body language that the barb is totally in jest. Actually, even in person there is usually a part of the barb that is for real. Online, the danger is magnified for two reasons, 1) the person cannot see the facial expression and emoticons often are misinterpreted as well, and 2) e-mails are permanent, so the person can read and re-read the joke. It becomes more menacing with each iteration.



The antidote for this common problem is to establish five behavioral norms in your work group as follows:



1. We will not make jokes in any forum at another person’s expense.

2. We will praise in public or online but offer constructive criticism face to face in private.

3. When there is a disconnect in communication, we will always assume the best intent and check it out.

4. If something in an e-mail seems upsetting, it is up to the person who is upset to meet face to face with the other person as soon as possible.

5. We will call each other out politely if we see violations of these rules.



These five rules are not difficult, but it does take some training and resolve to get all people in a population to comply with them. It helps to get firm agreement among the entire group and to post the rules in the team meeting area. If you can get people to actually follow the five rules above, it will change the entire complexion of the work group. This is not rocket science; it is much more important than rocket science.



The preceding information was adapted from the book Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, by Robert Whipple. It is available on www.leadergrow.com.



Robert Whipple is also the author of The TRUST Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals and, Leading with Trust is like Sailing Downwind. Bob consults and speaks on these and other leadership topics. He is CEO of Leadergrow Inc. a company dedicated to growing leaders.

 Contact Bob at bwhipple@leadergrow.com or

585-392-7763.

Bloggers Wanted! Patty DeDominic's new Best Selling Job Hunting Book for Prime of Lifers!

My newest book has just been released in hard copy and for a limited time you can read it on line for free.  It will be for sale on Amazon after July 15th!  Please tell your friends!

 LAND IT!  Job Hunting Tips for Prime of Lifers
  by Patty DeDominic

http://tinyurl.com/3rh4s3v


Click the book or the link to read the entire book on line for free for a limited time only!
 
 
Also, bloggers wanted:     Requirements:


1. Newsworthy, tell us about your job success or share job hunting leads!

2. Quality writing... short or long, we want to hear from YOU!

3. Basic rules of journalism apply (substantiated quotes, stats, and links to outside sourcing)

4. 1000 words or less
 An image or your photo will be used with the article.   thank you!  Comment below or write to me directly at coach@dedominic.com   

6. A short bio about the contributor

7. List of contributor's core areas of expertise (marketing, branding, finance, taxes, etc.)
Thank you.....

Do What YOU LOVE! Let your passion drive your career.

Follow Your Passion,

 Let Your Passions Drive your Career

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achievers
Santa Barbara, California
http://www.dedominic.com/   



Want to Do More of What YOU LOVE?
Need more energy toward your career?

You can easily learn the Secrets of Talented Professionals and Celebrities.  Really!



Celebrities and Star CEOs and Investors make  money because they focus in areas where money grows AND they prioritize their engagements to the things that they love to do that will pay off bigger for their brains and their bank accounts.

Celebrities, smart executives and investors  do their homework and they build teams of helpers to leverage their expertise, their success and their return on investment. Then they repeat, and repeat and repeat.  They also have mentors, coaches and advisors and they learn from them. You CAN do this too.

Malcolm Gladwell in his book, The Outliers, talks about the 10,000 Hour Rule. Gladwell contends that it takes more than 10,000 hours of doing something with passion to become an expert.  I content that is how much time it used to take in MY generation.... but it does not have to take 50 years to become famous, or even 10,000 hours of practicing your craft to develop a commercial expertise and reputation of being great at what you do and what you love to do.  It can be done faster and with more effectiveness than ever before with todays tools of technology and the resources available to you on line today.       Yes, today, and starting this very hour if you choose to make it happen!        How?   read more......

How do you become a pro? An expert?

Practice, practice and more practice.

 It takes focus and commitment and you can't do it easily. Not too many shortcuts but thanks to technology we can speed up the 10,000 hour rule. With time and determination to continue growing and getting better, you will almost always net a deeper expertise. When you combine this with modern technology and Moore's law of exponential knowledge, we'll soon be able to become expert at most things in less than one year of intense study!

Imagine one year to your dream job!  This is possible, if you focus and decided what you want and work diligently to make it real!     Not too much to ask is it? For a dream job?

Focus Matters
So does talent, time investment and connections.

Financial and career success usually starts with a clue about your own personal "gifts," your natural talents and life's desires and sometimes even a bucket list!

Too young to make a bucket list? I think everyone can use ONE!
What's a bucket list? (+ see below for help)

Everyone can make a bucket list
Take a Personal Inventory.

What do you have to offer?

 What dreams do you have for yourself and your family that can be accomplished in the next year? Before the end of your life?

What is holding you back?   Don't let a need for perfection stop you from getting started on a more passionate life and career success.     This is not a magic bullet....success does take work but there is no ceiling on your personal success potential and their is no term limit on how much you can learn when you are driving your own career.

Everyone can benefit from taking stock of their goals in life and their personal assets in this economy.

Write Down Your Career Wishes and Goals right now.
Make a list of the things you want in your next job.    Perhaps it will include a new job or simply things you want to do to make the next job better.   Ill talk more about your goal list in a future blog....leave me some comments about your own list.  What more would you like to know or say about this topic?    I appreciate your input!

Who Benefits by Making a Goal list?      Then the Action Plan and People Needed to help make it happen?
Everyone can benefit by making a goal list and an action plan.


Is anything too big to ask for?   Maybe not....... ask Jane Goodall.   Once a child who dreamed of traveling to Africa.

One of my favorite icons is Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall dreamed of moving from England to Africa to study the animals. To hear her tell it, she used to read and watch about Tarzan and Jane while a young person, and she fantasized about being THE Jane..... she loved the animals from her earliest memories. When Jane was a young woman, she had the opportunity to travel to Africa with her mother under the research program of Dr. Louis Leakey.  She was not an expert then. 

  Jane was a young woman with passion and over the years she developed deep expertise, she practiced her craft and now more than fifty years later she is known around the world as not only one of the world's great primatologists, animal and environmental experts but also a the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Peace.          For Jane this took a life time and a contract with National Geographic to "tell the world" about Africa, the chimps and her passion for empowering local people to protect their environments.     



I had the privledge of serving on the board of the Jane Goodall Institute board of directors for six years and I learned so much about economic development in Africa and in igniting youth around the world.  Jane illuminated these areas for me and her board and frankly for millions of other people via her youth programs at  http://www.rootsandshoots.org/   and her work for microfinance and sustainable farming and economic development via eco tourism.     If you are not familiarl with her work in this area, please visit the website of  http://www.janegoodall.org/   

If  you have an extra minute,  you can watch Dr. Jane greet audiences...... chimpanzee style at her website.    Is there any doubt that she is passionate about her work?

I am humbled by a recent endorsement that Dr. Jane Goodall gave me about my work with her board and about me:

"Patty definitely shares many of my ideas for a better fairer world. She joined the board of the Jane Goodall Institute USA in 2003 and soon became a valuable member, embracing and advocating our mission. She helped to develop TACARE (our community conservation program in Tanzania) and Roots & Shoots (our conservation and humanitarian education program for young people of all ages), now active in over 125 countries.


A few years ago, when JGI was in a transitional period between CEOs, we counted on Patty’s professional help. I know that we will have Patty’s support in the years ahead for her interest in our work is undimmed.

Thank you Patty."
  Jane Goodall PhD, DBE
Founder – the Jane Goodall institute & UN Messenger of Peace http://www.janegoodall.org/

Thank you Jane!   








+ What's a Bucket List?What do you want to do before you 'kick the bucket'?
Why not make a list of your life goals and get help from friends and the BucketList (see bucketlist.net) community in fulfilling your goals?
1. Make a list of your life goals.
2. Bring joy to others by helping.
3. Live your dream and find joy in your life.
4. Give credit to those who have helped you.

This blog is not affiliated nor does it receive compensation from bucketlist.net, we just thought it was a useful resource and wanted to let you know about this on line service.


It does not matter if you are a CEO coming out of retirement after a home run or a business setback or if you are a new college graduate, you are likely to be more effective and land in happier places if you are clear about your passions and your life's goals.int, they mostly do what they love and they allow their passions to drive their education, their network and their commitments.  They try to stear clear of treadmills, balls and chains and mills of any type. They try to stear clear of treadmills, balls and chains and mills of any type. Why do they make so much money?  Not all of them do, but the folks who earn six and seven figures have discovered the cash flows and how to tap into them for recurring revenue streams.

Katie White on Networking for Introverts, Advice for Lawyers

Networking for Introverts

kwhite@law.gwu.edu

Question: I am basically a shy person, so networking does not come naturally to me. What do you advise?

Answer: A large percentage of lawyers are uncomfortable with networking, and might classify themselves as “introverts.” However, they have been able to learn to tackle networking and to make it work for them. Here are some ideas for coming out of your shell:

Join an organization – As you have read in this blog, a great way to meet lawyers is to join a bar association. The good news is that the meetings these groups hold often have agendas, and are not merely open networking receptions. Find a way to talk to people at the meetings. If there is seating, talk to the person sitting next to you. Talk to people while you are waiting in line to get name tags. Talk to people standing next to you waiting for the program to begin, or in the food or drink line. The more meetings you attend, the more comfortable you will become, and the more people you will meet.

Follow up with people you have met, and arrange for face to face meetings over coffee or lunch – Set a goal of reaching out to your friends and colleagues and friends of friends to build your network one person at a time. When you meet, be prepared to ask a lot of questions, solicit advice about your career, find out what is going on at their company or law firm, and see if they can refer you to at least one new person who might be a useful contact for you.

Email is your friend! — As an introvert, you may prefer to email people instead of talking on the phone. This is a great way to make the initial contacts with the people you want to meet. But ultimately you are going to want to meet face to face, to get to know them.

Manage your contacts:
Note the date of your meeting, the event name, and a note about what you talked to this contact about on each business card you receive.
Send an email to the people you would like to keep in touch with the day after the event.
File business cards in a file box, or enter the information into a spreadsheet or an address book database on your computer.

Schedule a time each week to go through the cards of the people you have met, and decide who to follow up with, and how you will do so.
Prioritize your contacts, and determine which people you want to follow up with first. Who can be the most useful to you in your job search, or as a future contact for business?
Reach out to the people you most want to meet to set up a time for an informational interview.

Follow Up – After you meet with a contact, make a note on your spreadsheet about following up and what you talked about. Act on the advice they gave you about who else to contact and other actions.

Be sure to send a thank you note (email is fine) to the people who have helped you.

Finally, don’t be discouraged if you reach out to a contact and they don’t respond. Keep trying to reach them, and if it doesn’t work out, move on. Not everyone will be responsive or available to help you. But this will work if you keep at it. Persevere! Good luck!!


Katie White is an advisor to law firms, lawyers and educational institutions. She has helped hundreds of the nations top attorneys launch and refine their careers.

From her website: www.ktwhitelawcareers.com


My consulting business is growing, thanks to the great people in my network, and referrals from my clients. The following is a snapshot of the work I have been doing of late:

* Preparing senior in-house counsel for job search moves, with mock interviews and consults about job search strategy
* Coaching an on-track associate about his pathway to partnership, time management, and building his network of contacts for future business development
* Coaching law firm partners transitioning out of law firms and in to new careers ventures
* Consulting with clients about cover letters, resumes, and all phases of job application
* Blogging about "Networking for Introverts" and other topics, on www.legaljob.com

I have also had the opportunity to speak about networking skills and how to use LinkedIn as a business development and job search tool. Most recently I offered a webinar called "Why Everyone Keeps Telling You LinkedIn is So Great" to Harvard Law School alumni.

I hope all is well with you! Please keep me in mind, if you know anyone who can use my services. My blog post about "Networking for Introverts" is copied above.

Regards,

Katie White

Update and Free Seminar Offer from Bernadette Doyle

One of my favorite new-economy international entrepreneurs is Bernadette Doyle.   Her value is always obvious, right out front and she blends enough free advice and good tips with her marketing message that I never seem to mind.   Prayers were answered when her son showed enough progress on his recent illness to come home from the hospital.         

Here's her update and a great free seminar she is offering next Tuesday.   Check the times, since she is located in Ireland and the seminar airs in Los Angeles at noon.
Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achievers
http://www.dedominic.com/  
a proud member of the RBC network
http://www.realitybasedcertification.com/     

After 3 long weeks in hospital, my son JJ is finally home!

We still have daily trips to the hospital for foreseeable future. That smile on my face is happiness and relief at finally having my whole family back under one roof. (My elder son Benan spent the 3 weeks with one of my
aunts who lives 250 miles away.)

I feel like I've had mastery level tuition in balancing work and family over the past month, and as you'd expect, this experience will have a profound impact on how I conduct my business and what I teach from now on.

As a result of this experience I am redesigning my entire business. I've got plenty of juicy insights to share with you over the coming months, but to start with I'm kicking things off with a special Masterclass on one of my favourite business strategies.

This is my way of saying 'thank you' to all my clients and subscribers for your love and support over the past few weeks.


Featured Article:

Are You Making Tough Decisions Out of Fear or In Faith?

Given all the upheaval over the past few weeks, with JJ being hospitalised over 100 miles from home, there were plenty of stress and challenges to deal with, but one thing I didn't have to worry about during all that time was money. That's largely because of one important strategy that I implemented in my business 4 years ago.

It helped me triple my business then, and is still a strategy I use today that plays a vital part in the overall health of my business. I love to teach this strategy to new business owners because it can literally catapult them into the 'big league' overnight. I've also successfully taught this strategy to experienced business owners to help them take their business to the next level. So whether you are just getting started or have been in business for some time, this strategy will work for you.


It's my most informative AND FUNNY, yes funny video yet! Join me on this private interview with best selling author, Steven Sonsino. I promise you, you'll learn and laugh with Steven as I guide him to his £500,000 goal. We talk challenges, "scaredness", reams, possibilities and results. It's all about creating a profitable online business.

Watch here:

After our session Steven says "this has helped me in more ways than you can imagine" ... AND it's going to help you too.
http://clientmagnets.tv/stevensonsinoprofitableonlinebusiness/

>>> P.S. Also, please send me a comment - do you think I'm being gentle with Steven Sonsino or am I being BRUTAL as he claims! Love to know your thoughts on that.





Client Success Stories


Zero to a £100k within 12 months!

My new business, Bombshell Academy only started in January and I help Wedding Suppliers with their marketing. Up until then I was a Wedding Planner and I used Bernadette’s tools and inspiration to grow that business from virtually nothing to a £100k a year business within about 12 months. Since January (I sold my Wedding planning business in October 2010) I've been helping other Wedding people do the same.

Before using Bernadette’s strategies, I was struggling to get new clients, converting them and was not making much money at all. I introduced a sign up procedure and was able to start converting people to paying clients. My subscribers went from about 12 to over 500 within a few months and from those I was converting about one every 10 days into a client, with an average spend of about £2500! Within 12 months I went from having 6 weddings booked for the following year to 27 ! Another strategy I introduced was the “high-end package”. My standard wedding planning packages started at £3000 and I introduced a super deluxe package for £9000, yes, three times my usual rate ! It was scarey stuff and I was convinced no one would go for the package but when I introduced it in the June I sold 2 of these packages within the first months! Just 2 sales brought me the revenue the work of my usual 6 sales!!!

The biggest benefit is that it made the whole thing of getting new clients much easier - it was no longer an arduous task of chasing customers, it became an automated system that got me clients with no effort at all. The changes I implemented turned my business around from 20k a year to over £100k and also enabled me to sell that business last year (for a nice sum I can't disclose! lol) to spend more time at home working ever more effortlessly!

The biggest personal change is that I'm expecting my first child in October and I know I won’t have to be working all hours around it, my business will still be bringing in money and ticking over while I'm caring for my new baby. My biggest discovery is that business doesn't have to be really hard work - it can effortless if you set it up right. My advice to others - do it and follow it to the letter and it can't fail!


Claire Dobinson

http://www.bombshellacademy.com/





Have you ever had the feeling that you need to do something, and you need to do something now!
That is an example of a pressing need. Too often a pressing need drives a desperation that can cloud your judgment when making decisions. When it is a desperate need that drives and guides you when making a decision, instead of a desire of your heart, you could be making a big mistake. What you think is taking a leap of faith, may actually be a leap of fear. But a leap is always scary, so how do you know the difference?

1. Start by Being Honest With Yourself …

Taking a leap of faith is putting your trust in something that you believe in. You take action because you have a level of confidence that it will work out. Yes, there maybe some fear mixed in there because there is no guarantee that it will work out. But it is faith mixed with fear, it is not panic and fear. This is something that you cannot fake and you need to really be honest with yourself. If you examine your motives you should quickly be able to figure out if you are making the decision in faith or out of fear. The problem with taking a leap out of fear is that your heart is not really in it. It is something you feel you MUST do rather than something you have a desire to do.

Acting out of fear also shows desperation. When you are desperate you won’t be thinking clearly. You will have this huge problem hanging over your head making you worry. So any decisions you make at that point will be clouded by the problem you are facing. You will be thinking of the consequences of not taking the leap rather than the benefits of taking the leap.

Get the rest of my tips when you read the whole article here. And please remember to post me a comment. I’d love to hear how you plan to use these tips in your own business.











To read more about it, not to mention lots of success stories, go here: www.clientmagnets.com/steppingup2011





About Bernadette



Bernadette Doyle created Client Magnets Ltd to help self-employed people solve one of their biggest business problems: attract a steady stream of clients.

Formerly a full-time training consultant, Bernadette built an impressive corporate client list and delivered sales training all over the world. But she soon became disillusioned with trading her time for money and wanted to seek out new ways to profit from her expertise.

Since then she has made the transition from full time consultant to information marketer, relocated to Ireland and now runs her business part time so she can devote more time to raising her two sons.

Bernadette has attracted a loyal following who rave about her down to earth yet inspiring approach. If you liked today's issue, you'll love Bernadette's marketing and success training products and programmes to help you develop a business that suits YOUR preferred lifestyle. http://www.clientmagnets.com/products.asp



Bernadette Doyle publishes her weekly Client Magnets newsletter for trainers, coaches, consultants, complementary therapists and solo professionals. If you want to get clients calling you instead of you calling them, then get your free tips now at http://www.clientmagnets.com/




© Copyright 2010 Client Magnets Ltd, 23 Fortwailliam Hall, Belfast, BT15 4EB

Dr. Jeanne Erikson, PCC on Surviving Complexity

This is from Dr. Erikson's June newsletter.   

Surviving Complexity
By Jeanne Erikson, PhD

“Complex.”
 Do you cringe when you read that word?
 To be complex is to be intricate, knotty, elaborate, sophisticated, and complicated according to Webster. Does this sound like your world?

 With the exception of WWII with its huge complexity, fifty years ago we did not know about melt-downs in Japan, exact and updated death tolls from tornadoes and hurricanes and floods, changing weather patterns, the Medicare donut hole, or everyone’s sexual indiscretions. We would have known about our own job progress, our overt health status, our children’s grades, and the neighbor’s business we could hear from our porch.

I have been reading “The Practical Neuroscience of Buddha’s Brain” by Rick Hanson, PhD, a book about how to actually cope with complexity. It reminded me that our brain has evolved slowly over time, but retains the reptilian basic structures, as well as the squirrel ones of the mid-brain, and the monkey ones of the complex brain. All three methods of coping can get triggered when we face complexity. The author points out that when we allow brain overstimulation for hours a day, our brain copes by lighting up various systems. Resources shift away from building a strong immune system and preserving good mood to managing chaos. The end of this complexity cycle has two bad outcomes. We can eventually quit/ get fired from the things we love to stop the anxiety, depression, and discouragement, or we are forced to stop when we flame out with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, immune disorders, and back pain.

I have these suggestions for you to try in the next 30 days:

1) Decide how much noise and “input” is too much for you.
 How many hours a day can you have background sound before you feel stressed and overloaded?
 If you pay attention, you will find this happens fairly rapidly. We have gotten so used to input overload that we ignore the discomfort. How often do you try to increasing coping by reminding yourselves to focus? How often do you begin inattentive multi-tasking?
Plan for the quiet time each day that you need.
Could it be that introverts need more than extroverts partly because of how their brain operates?

2) Substitute soothing nature noises for electronic noises part of each day.
 Nature noises like bird songs and wind through trees can help, as there is a predictable pattern for your brain to process. Part of combating complexity is discerning organizing patterns. Our brain makes one adjustment, then stabilizes. When we bombard it with continuously variety, it eventually fails. It reminds me of the Eastern U.S. electrical grid during Summer peak use.

3) Do intentional brain-calming activities.
 Pair passionate motivation with deliberate, reasoned activity. For example, when you bowl or play golf, set your “I will be satisfied when..” goal in the mid-range of your skill. That way you do not over-stimulate your brain, and the amygdala does not send you into a tirade when you miss a spare or a par. When you begin work on a project for work or home, break it down into sequential pieces you can celebrate finishing.

4) Actively notice good news in your life to let your brain systems experience pleasure.
 Pay attention to when someone is nice to you. Enjoy the smell of a peach. Praise yourself for making it through a trip to the swimming pool or lake without yelling at or trying to control your kids. Enjoy minor successes at work. Dr. Hanson suggests continuing to focus on each happy thought for as long as 20 seconds to assist brain function. Try it!

We can’t choose our brain, but we can choose how to challenge and soothe it.

                                         How do you want yours to work?

I want mine to be on that poster that says “This is your brain at peace.”

To your wellness,

Jeanne Erikson, PCC

Jeanne@collaborativelifecoaching.com
On twitter@serenesuccess



usafestival.net- The Event Collector Site of the USA!

College Opportunity Knocks....... Yes, there is money to help with your college education!

Q:  I want to go back to school.   Is there any money to help California residents with college tuition?

A:    Yes!    There have never been more, and there are federal programs for Military and Military spouses too.    Anyone can apply and you should be proactive to get help with your costs!

Federal Work Study

If a student is offered Federal Work Study as part of his/her financial aid package, the College or University Financial Aid Office can usually  help students find a part-time job on or off campus. If possible, students will be placed in work related to his/her studies or career plans, or in community service. A student will generally earn between $8.50 and $14.50 per hour and be paid once per month.



Federal Pell Grants


Pell Grants are awarded solely on demonstrated financial need to every eligible undergraduate student who hasn't already earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree. Pell Grants don't need to be repaid. They can be used for tuition, fees, and living expenses. A student can even receive a Pell Grant if he/she is attending college less than half time.


Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)



Your college Financial Aid Office awards these grants to undergraduate students who have exceptional financial need, with priority given to Pell Grant recipients. Unlike Pell Grants, there's no guarantee every eligible student will receive one. In addition, funds are limited. These grants don't need to be paid back.


Cal Grants

Cal Grants are awarded on demonstrated financial need and academic achievement as measured by a GPA to undergraduate students who haven't already earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree. Cal Grants don't need to be repaid. They can be used for tuition, fees, and living expenses. Contact the California Student Aid Commission at 1-888-224-7268 or visit their web site at http://www.csac.ca.gov/ for more information regarding deadlines and availability of funds.



Federal Stafford Loans

There are two types of Stafford loans: subsidized, for which the government pays the interest while the student is in college; and unsubsidized, for which the student is responsible for paying all the interest on the loan, during college and after. A student can receive both types of loans at the same time.


The interest rate is currently 3.4 percent for subsidized loans and fixed at 6.8 percent for unsubsidized loans . After graduating, leaving school, or enrolling less than half time, a student will have a six month "grace period" before the first loan payment is due. All student loans must be paid back with interest. Typically a student will have 10 years to repay the loan.



Federal PLUS Loans for Parents

With PLUS Loans, a student's parents or stepparents may borrow up to the total cost of a student's education, minus any other aid that the student receives. PLUS loans are not based on a student's family's income or assets and are only for undergraduate study.

The current interest rate is fixed at 7.9 percent. Interest is charged from the date loan funds are first disbursed until the loan is repaid in full. Generally repayment starts within 60 days of the loan's final disbursement for the school year, so a student's parents may be repaying both the loan and the interest while the student is still in college.
 
Check with your employer too.  Many offer tuition reimbursement and some offer generous scholarships!
Best of luck as you continue to grow your options!   Patty DeDominic,  Coach to High Achievers

Ali Asadi, MBA, MA(IT) An Active Business Consultant from Aprofitmaker.com

Ali Asadi, MBA, MA(IT) Offers some advice for entrepreneurs who want to improve their businesses that is alos useful for job hunters too!    Edits and additions by Patty DeDominic


The following are some rules to improve your business:



1) You should never stop thinking how to improve your business.  (Or your skill set!)



2) Go through every single cost of your business to see if you can do it more cost efficiently.  (Let employers know that this is one of the ways you want to be of service to them too,  not just in making money which is very important, but in saving money too.   A dollar not spent sometimes means that $20.00 of revenue burden is reduced.)



3) Network instead of paying for advertising. (Actually, I feel that you should do both, but along with the thoughts above about saving money, networking is an activity that can really boost your effectiveness and your reach if you do it professionally and strategically.  Networking is not simply handing out business cards or asking people for theirs.)



4) Sometimes, outsourcing is much cheaper and efficient than doing the job by yourself.  (Know that it is an option to outsource, so your department must be highly effective and efficient to keep the work in house.     In order to survive today, companies must look for ways to maximize productivity and return on investment.)



5) Treat your employees like your best customers. (Treat your colleagues as if they were your best boss!)



6) Keep promises. (Under Promising and over delivering assures you will get called back much more often than your competition.)



7) Provide learning procedure for your employees. (People who keep all the information to themselves create a false dependency that will not be sustainable.  Smart people leave user friendly trails!)



8) If you are wrong, apologize.



9) Ask for feedback.



10) Please let me know this one based on your own experience



Ali Asadi, MBA, MA(IT)

Business Consultant

www.aprofitmaker.com

The Helping Professions Could Use Some Help Now! Patty DeDominic

Helping professionals like nurses, teachers, clergy, firefighters and law enforcement  give a triple bottom line to our society and we continue to cut, cut, cut away at them.  It's time to give them a break and a boost!


 I wanted to spend some time today writing about the Helping Professionals and their devotion to their craft, to their "consumers" and their important role in our community. They are essential to a healthy nation and have been under represented when it comes to getting support or perks! I noticed that former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich even has a new book (Aftershock:The Next Economy and America's Future).



Hopefully this important segment of our society will soak up  all the advice and resources we can send their way since they are the ones who give back so much to our very foundation of society, safety, wellness and care and education.



I am a career coach, I consult with high achievers in a variety of professions, including medicine, education and clergy.  I have noticed that this group, which does not seem to be represented by powerful lobbyists in Washington,  (except some of the unions which seem to have lost their way) and their pensions and wages have continually been cut.    I know college professors who are trying to piece a living together.  I know police officers and even chiefs who don't make enough money to support a family.      Where are our priorities?


MY advice to all professionals striving to do better:



1. Continue to build your networks, inside and in parallel to your chosen field.



2. Your investment in your continued education can pay off exponentially if you combine it with colleagues in a and outside of your profession.



3. Make friends with those who are also committed to professional growth and are alert for opportunities in their network. MAKE REFERRALS.



4. Act like a leader not like a follower: you don't have to become an extrovert or salesperson to get better at making referrals or taking action beyond noticing what's wrong with a workplace or community situation.



5. Mere mortals have changed the world, and when people who are selfless, who are committed to better law enforcement, medicine, care or education combine their passion with a few networking and business education skills magic CAN and does happen. Two colossal examples of this come to mind, math teacher Marion Davison who wanted to help her students have a better time learning math, so she invested MathBlaster which she and her husband eventually sold for hundreds of millions of dollars (rumored to be the first billion dollar education deal) almost twenty years ago, and today's Lynda Weinman, of Lynda.com who has revolutionized computer learning and teaching, by breaking stuff down into bite sized chucks that anyone can learn from.


There are countless stories of passionate helping professionals who are able to make a triple bottom line contribution......earn a paycheck, make a difference to their patients and or students and provide our communities with such a cushion of support that many take it for granted. However, a safe, educated or healthy society can't be taken for granted and we must do all we can to encourage the helping professions!


Call or write if you want more. I'd love to brag about my son, a community college professor who is also working in the prison system in New Orleans as a creative writing instructor. He tells me it is the most rewarding of all his teaching work!

To Your Continued Success,

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals