Merry Christmas, Remember the real reason of the season

My hope for you, and me, is that the spirit of the Christ Child, Jesus, makes the Holiday season special. We can spend every week talking about being better.  Better performance, better marketing, better managers, however without the foundation of Jesus in our heart, we can never be the best.

Some will say that I should not say that in my blog.  Some will say that it is too personal.  Yes, it is personal.  For me, I believe that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. 

We will take a break until Monday, January 3rd.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

PS, relax a little this year.  This will be the first Christmas without my dad, if I had known that last year was going to be my last with him, there would have been a lot more visiting and a lot less rushing.  Merry Christmas!

The next time you need a speaker, make it easy on yourself and call me. I will inspire, motivate, and entertain your group. Check out my speaking demo then call (417) 339-6568 for availability. The only way I look good is making you look good for booking me.

Do you know the answer?

 Lack of reality is dangerous.  The lack of reality is responsible for a number of problems, ranging from poor sales performance to the sale of too many stretch pants.  How in touch with reality are you?

As the year comes to a close, lets take a look at reality.  Why is reality so important?  Without reality, real change can never occur.  Until you are honest with yourself, the ability to lose weight, become a better employee, spouse, parent, or leader will remain the responsibility of others.  Make reality your friend and you will be able to answer the question, what do I need to do to improve my performance?

I know it is an overused, cliche of sorts statement, at the same time it is very important to remember that the most important conversation you will have is the one with the person in the mirror.  For example, do you know the answer to these questions:


What is my goal?  I am not talking about making a lot of money....being famous, etc.  Exactly, what is your goal?

What is stopping you from your goal?  Here is a hint.  It is not another person or the fact that you do not have the money, etc.  If your goal is based on reality, then the ball is in your court to make that happen.  Hard work, determination, and sacrifice will help you get that goal.

How can I improve my performance?  You might need some help with this one.  Find someone you can trust, tell them your goals, and ask for their input.  Your response and reaction to that find will determine whether they will want to help you next time.

Reality keeps the focus on you and not others.  If you are in sales, be real with yourself, how much of your time do you spend in front of your clients with customer focused presentations that will help their business? How much time are you just safely "building relationships."  If you are a manager, do you lead your people and create systems that will allow them to grow or do you micromanage them?

Spend some time in reality thinking this week.  Take the blinders off, throw away the magic mirror, and have a reality based conversation with yourself.  Have a great week, I will see you later.

The next time you need a speaker, make it easy on yourself and call me. I will inspire, motivate, and entertain your group. Check out my speaking demo then call (417) 339-6568 for availability. The only way I look good is making you look good for booking me.

Right is Right

We live in a technological age.  Communication is instantaneous, a small companies website can put them on the same stage as a major company.  YouTube can create a "celebrity" in a matter of minutes.  Even in a technological age, right is still right.

As a Christian, I want to be clear that my source is Jesus  Christ.  The Biblical phrase would be "Do unto others"  I like the phrase What goes around, comes around.  I have some examples -- some small, some big.

Take care of the earth:  On three separate occasions this week, I have watched people litter.  From cans, to sacks, to cigarette packs.  There is no bigger example of laziness and lack of self discipline than littering.

Be polite:  Technology will never replace the need to say Please and Thank you.  The inability to be polite is a sign of weakness and fear.

Take responsibility for yourself and your job.  The most important earthly conversation you will have is with yourself.  You have to be in charge of yourself.  You have to understand that you need to make things happen.

Honor your mother and father.  Parents make mistakes, parents are not perfect.  If, like me,  you are blessed with loving parents who have sacrificed for you, loved you and given you opportunity, and you can't honor them, you can not be trusted.

We can read the books, take the classes, work out, and do all the things that we need to do for success.  Bottom line, right is still right.  Have a great week, I will you later.

The next time you need a speaker, make it easy on yourself and call me. I will inspire, motivate, and entertain your group. Check out my speaking demo then call (417) 339-6568 for availability. The only way I look good is making you look good for booking me.

Eliminate Failure as an option

There are 33 days left in 2010.  Have you allowed the fear of failure to hold you back this year?  Get busy changing that right now.

 1.  If failure was not an option what would you do?  (I know not exactly an original question)  But here is why it is such a great question.  If you immediately have an answer, you have probably found your passion. When you are alone with your thoughts, you are probably dreaming about accomplishing this goal.  Why not take it further?  Why not eliminate the option of failure.  Here are some suggestions.

 A.  Don't worry about failing.  Don't worry about looking bad.  As Nike would tell you, "Just Do It."  Remember, there was a time that the concept of going to the bathroom was very confusing.  But with experience, you have it under control.  If you are truly passionate about something, you have to be willing to do it badly.

B.  Don't worry about getting paid right now.  I understand that everyone needs money.  A few sacrifices in your schedule will provide you time to gain your experience.  Jim Schwartz is the head coach of The Detroit Lions.  He got his start in the NFL by accepting a jack of all trades, non paying job with Bill Belichick, then head coach at Cleveland.  He worked hard, completed his assignments, and impressed his bosses.  You can do the same thing.

C.  Re-define failure.  The movie "Back Draft" has a great line that says, "If you have a bad day here, someone dies."  For most of our jobs that is not true.  Failure is much worse in our minds than in reality.  Never let the fear of failure deny you  the sweet taste of success.  Feel the fear and do it anyway.

332 days ago, everything was new.  A new year, a new month, a new beginning.  Maybe you had a new goal.  I encourage you to examine your mindset, your habits, and your desire.  If you allow your mindset to see yourself hitting your goal, you have a direction.  If you change your habits to mirror the habits of the people who have obtained what you are trying to obtain, you are moving in the right direction.  If you increase your desire, you will push through those days when you don't feel like keeping the habits you need to keep to be successful.

You do not have to wait 33 days to get started, do it now.  Have a great week, I will see you later. 

The next time you need a speaker, make it easy on yourself and call me. I will inspire, motivate, and entertain your group. Check out my speaking demo then call (417) 339-6568 for availability. The only way I look good is making you look good for booking me.

Thankful? Really??

This week is Thanksgiving, a time set aside for us to take time and celebrate all our blessings.  So are you thankful?

 I know, you answered yes.  Very few people, if any, will say no.  Allow me a second to challenge you. 

 When someone talks about blessings, what comes to your mind?  Money, house, car, health?

 This is the week of Thanksgiving, spend some time focusing on your (credit to Zig Ziglar) "Attitude of Gratitude"

If you are reading this, you have access to a computer and the ability to read.  To the illiterate, you are blessed.

If after reading this, you plan on going for a walk or run, you are blessed.  To the lame, you are blessed.

If after readying this, you can come and go as you please, you are blessed. To the prisoner, you are blessed.

This thanksgiving is going to be different for my family, and a lot of families, who have lost family members this year.  Take some time this week and truly count your blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving, have a great week.  See you later.

The next time you need a speaker, make it easy on yourself and call me. I will inspire, motivate, and entertain your group. Check out my speaking demo then call (417) 339-6568 for availability. The only way I look good is making you look good for booking me.

Sparky Anderson

Sparky Anderson was a baseball man.  He was the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, a team called the Big Red Machine.  Later, he became the first manager to win a World Series in both the National and American Leagues.  A feat that was later repeated by Tony La Russa.  He passed away 11/4/2010.

Anderson was know for a number of  great quotes. One of my favorites is "Baseball is a simple game. If you have good players and if you keep them in the right frame of mind then the manager is a success."  In honor of Sparky, that will be the bases of this week's blog.

A few years ago, I became a much better manager.  We hired two new sales people that instantly made me better.  So the players really do make a huge difference in your ability.  As you look at 2011, what improvements do you need to make in your personnell?

If the answer is, "nothing, my team is the kind of caliber to hit our goals and complete our mission."  Then how can you improve your performance of keeping them in the right frame of mind.  Here are some suggestions:

1.  Understand that as manager, it is your job to adjust to your team, not the other way around.  Find out what your team needs and do your best to give it to them.

2.  Lead by example.  If you are constantly having to remind people that you are the manager, you need to do a better job of leading.

3.  Find out what drives your people and use that to motivate them. Phrases like "Have you made me any money today?" or "As manager, I need you to do...."  Instead, show them how doing this activity will help them achieve their goals.

So this week, spend some time with Sparky's quote and see how you can help your team stay in the right frame of mind.

Have a great week, see you later. 

The next time you need a speaker, make it easy on yourself and call me. I will inspire, motivate, and entertain your group. Check out my speaking demo then call (417) 339-6568 for availability. The only way I look good is making you look good for booking me.

Edgar Renteria

It has been quite a couple of weeks for Edgar Renteria.  Renteria is the 35 year shortstop for the world champions, San Fransisco Giants.  He was hurt most of the year, he knew this was probably his last year in the league, but he had no idea that he would hit the game winning home run to clinch the series.  Then, a few days after the series, his contract was bought out.

This week is about his attitude and work ethic.

Renteria was benched because he was hurt and non productive during the season.  His response, to keep working and stay focused.  During post game interviews, teammate after teammate talked about Renteria's work ethic.  They talked about his professionalism and dedication to the team.  In fact, during a late September team meeting, Renteria tearfully told the team that this may be his last opportunity to play and he was going to do everything possible to help them win it all. He then went out and did it.

So what can we learn?

1.  If you stay focused on your goal, you don't have time to feel sorry for yourself.  Renteria could have said, I am a veteran ball player, how dare they bench me?  As a veteran ball player, he went back to the basics and continued to do his work and be ready for the next opportunity.  When that opportunity presented itself, he was ready.

What about you?  When you are presented with an unfair situation, do you just do your work? Or do you feel sorry for yourself and focus on the negative?

2.  You never know when opportunity will present itself.  Always be prepared.  There is a formula for luck it is, O + P  = L.  Opportunity and preparedness equals luck.  If you are going to be prepared, you don't have time to complain and feel sorry for yourself.

 3.  Know what your work is.  Renterias' teammates talked about how he kept doing his work.  What is your work?  Are you working out?  Reading?  Preparing for your next opportunity takes work on your part.

Spend some time this week thinking about your attitude and how you can be prepared when opportunity presents itself. 

The next time you need a speaker, make it easy on yourself and call me. I will inspire, motivate, and entertain your group. Check out my speaking demo then call (417) 339-6568 for availability. The only way I look good is making you look good for booking me.