Your profitable quote: Peter Drucker on leadership

"Leadership is not magnetic personality — that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not "making friends and influencing people" — that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations."

-- Peter F. Drucker

Your profitable quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson on leadership

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path at all and leave a trail."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The importance of storming

Communities need to form, storm and norm to be able to perform.

What makes a team successful is the coming together of various viewpoints, experiences, values and ideas. Throw these elements together in the crucible that is a project, add the pressure of having to deliver, the heat of emotion and the stirring of changing parameters and of course there will be a violent reaction. It is this "storming" of the team that transforms the original idea into a result that is powerful, enduring and remarkable.

Seth Godin, in a recent post called "Righteous Indignation", discusses how people sometimes get emotional or dramatic as a default response for when one is irritated, disappointed, or otherwise angry. He observes that getting upset rarely works to anyone's advantage, then asks "What if you took it out of your toolbox of responses?"

I see displays of passion as a good thing. I disagree somewhat with Seth. If someone feels indignation, it's because from their point of view some standard has been broken or some boundary has been violated. What I disagree with is the idea of simply "eliminating [righteous indignation] as an option" - good luck trying to do so, unless you're a Vulcan. Actually let's celebrate the fact that people are speaking up instead of bottling-up the emotions.

If I value the relationship with the person, be it a client, a colleague, or a team member or simply another person, it is up to me to figure out what has happened to trigger the emotion and to repair it. The relationship between a leader and another person is never symmetrical - it is almost always up to the leader to take responsibility first, and by taking responsibility first, one becomes a leader.

Indeed, if there is no conflict, the quality of the result could be questionable. The key is to know what is the right combination of pressure and heat to turn black carbon into a diamond.

Are you taking one giant leap?

"That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind"
- Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969

Forty years ago today, a human set foot on lunar soil. Whatever the motivation for the whole enterprise, it was a leap of faith given that even though the goal was clear, the means were far from certain when the goal was made. Take a look at your goals: are you setting targets beyond the scope of your experience? If not, how do you expect to grow beyond your zone of everyday results?

See video of the first steps on the moon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4

It's our duty to obsess about our own vision

“I believe we’ve evolved as a species BECAUSE of the collective obsessiveness of individuals.”
- June Cohen

I don't understand people who don't like what they do for a living, or worse, who are indifferent. I can't stand those who are simply "killing time" until their pension.

Passion is the force that results from being obsessed with my vision. Passion powers me to overcome my fears, break through my "zone of everyday results" and change the status quo around me. And that is the prime directive of leadership, to change the status quo so that the present evolves into the vision we want.

Is what you're doing now creating the future you really want? Is that focus the full expression of "Who You Really Are?"

This spring, for a while, I lost my passion - actually, no. I lost my obsession with my vision. The vision was there all the time, but I no longer was focusing on it. What happened? The momentum of my project slowed and my problems became bigger than me. I got lost in the forest and my income came to a halt.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, thanks to surrounding myself with people who are thinking bigger and taking action, my obsession with my vision has been reignited. And with it, new opportunities are appearing that are totally in line with the Big Impact I want to create.

I now realize that I cannot see my business project as just a job... it must be a crusade. I can never let myself put my dream on cruise control. The intensity of my obsession with my vision must be so strong that it becomes like a black hole, drawing towards me all of the resources, ideas, tools and people to make it happen. My obsession must be so strong that anyone who comes in contact with me thinks that either my vision is inevitable (I want those people around me) or that I'm crazy (goodbye to those losers).

Life without passion is a life of mediocrity. If we all settled for mediocrity, we would still be sitting in cold, damp caves, munching on roots and berries. I'm so thankful for that first caveman (or cavewoman?) who decided it was time to heat things up a bit and figured out how to make a fire. That started a whole chain of changes that lead to the wonders of technology and society we enjoy today.

Every step we make in our evolution, is due to someone who is obsessed with changing the status quo, the way things are at the moment. The obsessed person burns the boats, cuts the bridges, blows up any possibility of a Plan B that could compromise progress.

Forget balance, forget being satisfied with what I have. I want to change the world. And by choosing to focus all my energies on one vision, I can break through the barriers of mediocrity and create the future I really want.




The quote is from Tara Hunt's blog, see the full text here:
http://www.horsepigcow.com/2009/02/06/summary-of-amazing-ted-quotes/

My Amazon.com review of "Think Big Manifesto"

The right book for right now
April 18, 2009

If you are looking for a step-by-step how-to book, or a feel-good, reassuring motivational book, look elsewhere. Michael Port says it like it is, and I am so grateful for that.

This book has appeared for me at just the right time. In the past weeks I have taken on some big challenges, and I was feeling bogged down and questioning whether I made the right decisions. His point about "Overthrow The Judge", to "control-alt-delete" my inner critic, was the kick in the rear-end I needed.

I really like that Michael presents Big Thinking as something accessible to all. The examples he uses are short, punchy vignettes that directly relate to my own experience and encourage me to move to action. No mystical guru-talk or quantum mechanics here (Okay a spiel about Fibonacci numbers but that's it).

This book is too valuable to be stored on my bookshelf. I am keeping it in full view on my desk as a constant reminder to "control-alt-delete" my internal critic, and to think and act bigger about who I am and what I offer the world.

"The Think Big Manifesto" is a bold, no-nonsense and heartfelt call to action. Don't just read it, join the Revolution and live it!


Amazon.com link (no affiliate):
http://www.amazon.com/Think-Big-Manifesto-Change-World/dp/0470432373/

Amazon.ca link (no affiliate):
http://www.amazon.ca/Think-Big-Manifesto-Change-World/dp/0470432373/

Main site: http://thinkbigmanifesto.com

This is Think Big Week!

"To be free, is to be bound by something bigger than yourself."
-- Michael Port

Another crisis is looming on the horizon, the morning headlines are screaming at me: Disease! Economic Collapse! Water shortages! Environmental Disaster!

It could be so easy for me to let my dreams and desires be drowned out by the persistant shouting of the doomsayers. It makes me wonder sometimes if it is even worth getting out of bed...

I'm not saying that we don't face challenges, even ones that threaten the future of humanity and the planet. But where are the solutions going to come from?

The true shortage in the world today is of people who can Think Big, who have ideas, projects, goals and dreams that are bigger than the problems around us. Of people who are taking daily action towards building solutions, rather than being paralyzed by problems.

This is why the book being launched today by my coach, mentor and friend Michael Port: "The Think Big Manifesto", is so important. I really like the subtitle: "Think you can't change your life (or the world)? Think again!"

I invite you this week to get the book and to participate in activities to help you think bigger about who you are and what you offer the world...

Now is the time to THINK BIG!

Read my latest newsletter here:
http://www.davender.com/newsletter/20090427.html

Check out my latest YouTube video: "What if you were Ten Times Bolder?"



YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRRlWW5Gl2Q

SoloSuccess Discussion: The Think Big Manifesto

Rise up! The biggest "shortage" in the world right now is people who dare to Think Big and change the status-quo! You have what it takes to change the present moment...are you ready?

In this discussion we will take a look at some key ideas from Michael Port's latest book: The Think Big Manifesto.

These are all questions that we will discuss on the next SoloSuccess discussion, Tuesday April 28 at 8:30PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific.

This call is free, simply dial
(218) 339-4600 Access Code: 191192#
You pay the long-distance to the teleconference server. When prompted, enter the assigned access code, followed by the pound (#) sign and you're in!

As a test, this discussion will also be streamed live on USTREAM.tv
See me live by clicking
http://www.ustream.tv/coachdavender
(I recommend that you use the audio of the teleconference bridge to join the discussion)

***GREAT OFFER*** Go right now to http://www.thinkbigmanifesto.com to get your copy of the book and lots of great extras! Also check out the Think Big community at http://www.thinkbigrevolution.com

Looking forward to having you join the conversation!

Are you a Rainmaker?

"Pessimists complain about the noise when opportunity knocks."
- Chuck Gallozzi

In sales, a "rainmaker" is someone who is able to generate lots of sales really fast, usually because they have a very good network of contacts. In the way I use the term, "Rainmaker" is someone who is the go-to person within a network to find a resource or to get something done. A Rainmaker is someone who makes it rain opportunity for everyone around them.

Are you a Rainmaker? Here are some practices of successful Rainmakers:

1 - Rainmakers love people.

Rainmakers are passionate students of people. They know what questions to ask to determine what makes people special. You can either get to know someone deep, like Harvey Mackay's "66 Questions" (http://www.harveymackay.com/tools/mackay66.cfm ) or start with the "Coach Davender Three":

- What is your highest priority at the moment?
- How do you envision success at achieving this priority?
- What are you looking for to help you move forward towards success with this priority? (contacts, resources, assistance)

2 - Rainmakers are connectors.

Creating value goes beyond providing our products and services in a commercial way. Rainmakers understand that the highest value we can provide someone is connecting them with someone who can help them win at what's important to them. Rainmakers look for patterns in the information they collect, and from those patterns determine who in their networks would benefit from mutually connecting. They master the art of giving good referrals.

3 - Rainmakers make friends first.

Rainmakers are master trust builders, because they know that trust is the ultimate currency. They do what is right for the other person, not just what is profitable financially, acting first and foremost from a place of love. By first ensuring that a connection of personal trust is in place, they create loyalty that lasts a long time.

4 - Rainmakers are open.

Rainmakers keep their eyes open and their ear to the ground, alert to opportunities that can benefit their network. Rainmakers are comfortable in a sea of information, and know how to recognize the nuggets that can be valuable to people around them.

5 - Rainmakers make opportunities

Rainmakers don't wait for things to happen, they make them happen. They understand that to become prosperous, you need to be the one that puts the wheel of prosperity into motion, by giving without expectation of return. It takes faith, in the future, in others, in oneself, to be a successful Rainmaker.

When I first arrived in a new city (Quebec) and a new language (French) back in 2005, with no connections or friends, the first thing I did was to become a Rainmaker. I made connections with many people that I met, finding out about their priorities, their vision of success and what they wanted. As I met more and more people, I started connecting them together, a practice I continue even today. And the effort I've put into this has come back to me many times over, as trust, respect, and opportunities.

How can you start becoming a Rainmaker? Meet someone today for the sheer pleasure of meeting them. Get to know who they are, their needs, desires, their projects and priorities, then help them to win at what's important to them. The more you give, the more you eventually gain!

So, for whom will you make it rain opportunities today?

AuthorTeleseminars: Roy Spence on "It's Not What You Sell" (LiveTweet)

I participated in a fantastic AuthorTeleseminars.com call led by Liz Marshall, as she interviewed Roy Spence, author of "It's Not What You Sell, It's What You Stand For". Also on the call were Andy Wibbels and Suzanne Falter-Barns . You can still grab the audo through this link to AT.com page: http://sn.im/buffz

Here are some thoughts I live-tweeted during the call (last ones first)


This is the ideal time for a passion-driven entrepreneur to bring value to people's lives. Wallets are shut to the old ways." Roy Spence
View Tweet

"Don't delegate the purpose of your company to someone else"(to marketing dept.) Roy Spence
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Roy Spence: "I realized many years ago that I don't want to be right if I'm wrong" - courage to face truth
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Much "grunt work" of rsching competitors&customers is much easier today b/c of internet. It can be inspiring!
View Tweet


"You gotta pay the price -hard work- to be exceptional." Roy Spence
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Know yourself, know your competitors, know your terrain (customers) Roy Spence
View Tweet

Are you bringing your passion to life? 2. Position yourself differently (Google=Help ppl find what they're looking4)
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Are you bringing your passion to life? 1.Articulate your purpose (don't become an imitator) Roy Spence
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"I'll bet on passion every time" Roy Spence
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Passion doesn't have to be a Mother Teresa moment. It is simply what YOU feel strongly about. @andymatic
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Roy Spence mentions Jim Collins' Three Circles (my blog post: http://tinyurl.com/afmjy9
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A "higher calling" biz drives everything within the company so people have more fun (leads to more profits!) Roy Spence
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Brands that succeed have purpose beyond making money (example: Pampers=child development) Roy Spence
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Purpose must start from the top. Are bank CEOs purpose-based leaders? (Look where it has led them) Roy Spence
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Johnson&Johnson: huge company,simple purpose ="To alleviate pain and suffering" Become purpose-based Roy Spence
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"The only ppl who 'make money' is the fed govt coz they print it.The rest of us have to first make a difference
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"People don't wake up in the morning and say I want a cup of coffee and another ad." Roy Spence
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Hey DC:"To save the big, we need to stand tall for small". Past 10 yrs, 80% of jobs r created by biz less than 500employees
View Tweet

What is your One Big Thing?

Today I was coaching a client when she mentioned hearing about the "Three Questions" posed by Jim Collins. A quick Google revealed what he calls a "Hedgehog Concept" in his book "Good to Great".

The name "Hedgehog" comes from Isaiah Berlin's essay "The Hedgehog and the Fox", the title is based upon an ancient Greek parable: "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." And to build a business that lasts, you need to be the best at One Big Thing.

So what is it, your One Big Thing?

Jim Collins gets us to answer three questions, which I will rephrase and reorder to align with how I coach this concept:

1. What is the One Big Thing you most passionate about?

What is the change that you most want to see in the world, something that you are willing to commit your resources, your time, your life to making happen? Then the second part of this is: Why is this important to you *and* to others? The answer to this question becomes your manifesto, the declaration of who you are and the legacy you are creating. (Read how to write a manifesto here: http://is.gd/jUYo )

You will know that you have a great answer to this first question when you share your manifesto with others and they see you as a leader instead of a mere service provider.

2. What is the One Big Thing you are best in the world at doing?

How I coach this question, is to focus on describing the compelling, lasting impact that you make with your clients, an impact that is memorable and important for the client. And you should be the best in the world at doing this (or at least the best in your world of people who know you!). Remember that the real question behind this question is not "what do you do", but rather "what do you do for them" (your clients).

To really nail the answer to this question, talk to your clients. Get them to describe, in their words, their impressions of the impact you have created for them. Focus on the qualitative (emotions, feelings) as well as the quantitative.

When you have completed this step, you should have a short, compelling "tag line" that encapsulates the most significant impact your create for your client.

3. "What drives your economic engine"?

Your answer to this specific question that Jim Collins asks, provides the bridge between the results you promise and the results your clients get. Here you describe the activities, products and services. Check to make sure each offer you make focuses on expressing the first two questions: that every product and service builds towards the compelling change you wish to see in the world (question 1) by helping clients experience the impact you are best in the world at creating (question 2).

The more you focus your products and services to align with your answers to questions 1 and 2, the more valuable your offers become to your clients, and the more time, effort and money they will be ready to commit to what you offer.


What is Davender's One Big Thing?
(question 1): I believe that entrepreneurship is the key to creating and implementing the positive change that humanity needs in order to get out of the economic, environmental and spiritual mess we find ourselves in at the moment. This is necessary to build a strong foundation for a prosperous and successful 21st Century

(question 2): I Guide People With Big Dreams To Power Their Vision From Passion to Profit. I build 21st Century Leaders.

(question 3): And I do this by offering coaching and learning opportunities that push my clients to go beyond their comfort zone and What I do is to help people make the transition from a dependent "employee" mindset to a confident "entrepreneur" way of thinking, acting and being.

Imagine having this level of clarity - what kind of clients would you attract, and results could you create with them?



Note: This article published under Creative Commons 3.0 licence:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Thots from a twit (3)

More nuggets of my wisdom that I broadcast through Twitter (@coachdavender):

Thot: Irrational optimism - To see the potential of the future in the chaos of the moment. Essential for biz success.
·View Tweet

·Thot: If your biz depends on advertising to get clients (or even worse, cash flow), then you don't have a business.
·View Tweet

Thot: Don't say "good luck", say "success!". Success is not luck, it's the result of clear intention and hard work.
· View Tweet

Thot: The necessary and sufficient condition for freedom, is that we give ourself permission
to act.
· View Tweet

Thot: Winners help their clients beyond just selling products and services: they connect their clients to their network.
· View Tweet

Thot: Problems are usually the result of faulty assumptions compounded by poor communication (inspired by Thomas Leonard)
· View Tweet

Thot: Something's always impossible until someone does it.
· View Tweet

Thot: As you aim for the stars, don't get distracted by the clouds.
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Thot: Key to winning sales - your confidence must be greater than their doubt (Coach Dave Buck - Coachville)
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Thot: Making money is simple: Create something of value that makes a person's life better. Simple, not easy.
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Thot: Extraordinary goals make for an extraordinary life.
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Thot: Stop pitching your offers! First connect w ppl to help them win with their goals. They'll become your most loyal fans.
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Thot: The essentials of life - food, shelter, air, water, love, dreams
· View Tweet

Thot: In marketing, if you try to fit in, you'll be quickly forgotten.
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Thot: You may be the best at what you do, but if you can't communicate and connect, you'll be the poorest.
· View Tweet

Thot: The speed you get results depends on 2 factors: the intensity of your work and velocity of your actions.
· View Tweet

It's how you say it

Instead of saying "Good Luck" to people, I say "Success!". Life is not a lottery, succeeding in your goals is the result of clear intention and hard work.

Plug into the hottest ideas in Business and Marketing - AuthorTeleseminars for Feb

As an Ambassador for Liz Marshall's AuthorTeleseminars.com, I invite you to plug into the hottest ideas in Business, Marketing and Leadership, directly "from the author's mouth"!

CALL #1: Wednesday, Feb 11 at 3PM ET (Get Content Get Customers Book)

This is the 2nd call in the Get Content Get Customers book tour featuring Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett and experts Brian Clark (copyblogger) and Rohit Bhargava (big following on twitter). Content-based marketing is a remarkable opportunity for you to connect with customers like never before. (Hint: there's much more to it than just writing articles and blog posts.) They will discuss the key shifts and steps you must take in order to effectively reach customers and to leverage this powerful way of marketing. Their first call was a BIG hit, so I know this one will be great as well. (Hint - their first call has me re-thinking some basic assumptions about how I'm marketing myself!)
- Free registration and access to past calls:
http://www.authorteleseminars.com/getcontent2.html

CALL #2: Mon, Feb 16 at 12pm/Noon ET (It's Not What You Sell Book)

This book is big, with endorsements by Bill Clinton, Herb Kelleher, and Jim Collins. It's the first call for Roy Spence and his book, It's Not What You Sell, It's What You Stand For. In a nut shell, Roy talks about how remarkable companies always sell based on what they stand for and how having an authentic brand actually helps you sell more, not less. He gives a blueprint for discovering what you stand for and leveraging that with sales/customers. Roy's company is the GENIUS behind all the successful Southwest Airlines ads over the last 30 yrs - brilliant! (registration link to come)

CALL #3: Thurs, Feb 19 at 2pm ET (Rubies in the Orchard)

Lynda Resnick is a brilliant business woman - one that you have seen the evidence of her work. She's the genius behind POMwonderful, the pomegranate juice that created an entirely new industry that had Oprah raving about her product. She's also the reason that Fiji water is the number #1 bottled water company, with an 300% increase in sales since 2004. On the call, we wil talk about her key marketing secrets that have made her into one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country. By the way, she rubs shoulders with some of the most well-known CEOs and celebrities, so she's someone you want to get to know! (registration link to come)

CALL #4: Thurs, Feb 26 at 1pm ET (Where's My Fifteen Minutes)

This is a single call for PR expert, Howard Bragman. His book is called, Where's My Fifteen Minutes: Getting Your Company, Your Cause or Yourself the Recognition You Deserve. He's the top PR firm in Los Angeles and the PR expert that many many celebrities have relied on for good PR. He's going to talk about how to position yourself for good publicity, how to leverage the PR outlets that are still working and mistakes to avoid. His book is very didactical and practical with lots of good tips. You will actually have a chance to ask live Q&A on this call - a great chance to pick his brain about the future of PR. (registration link to come)


If you want to succeed, you need to plug into these calls! Got questions? Contact me!

Newsletter: Selling is the highest form of leadership

Here is your thought of the moment:

"Selling is the art of influencing the actions of another person so that they willingly engage with you towards a shared, win-win outcome. Sales is the highest form of leadership."
- Coach Davender

I meet so many solopreneurs who have great talents and cool ideas – but what holds them back is that they believe “selling” is beneath them.

I effectively killed my first business, a technology consultancy, because of this attitude. I took the money that I borrowed from the bank thanks to my "brilliant" business plan, leased a class A office in a prestigious technology centre right by the airport, put up a brass nameplate on the door, and sat behind my desk waiting for the phone to ring. Which it did not.

Without clients to benefit from what we do in providing our products and services, we have nothing. Those who believe that they can "hire someone" to get clients for them are deluding themselves. If you outsource your sales, the trust connection is made between the client and the agent. And if the agent walks, so will your best clients. (Been there, got the t-shirt.)

What distinguishes a self-employed person from a solopreneur, is that a self-employed person is at the mercy of the client. Self-employed people surf from project to project, taking what they can get, just to survive to the next payday. Solopreneurs do the opposite: they first focus on building a network of contacts and positioning themselves in that network so the right and best clients come to them in a continuous flow.

I love it that now the phone rings a couple of times a week with people who say "Coach, help me!" They recognize the value of who I am and what I offer, and are ready to commit to action. No tirekickers or comparison shoppers here!

Sales takes time and effort. Expect to spend a third of your time in networking, prospecting, promotion and positioning activities. (Make sure you cover this time in your billable rates!). The effort you invest in building a stream of clients who appreciate the value you bring to them, and who are ready to commit to what you offer, will pay off big time.

Personally, I love the sales aspect of my project. I feel a freedom in going out and connecting with people. As I get more and better clients, I can improve how I deliver a result that makes my clients happier, while giving me the opportunity to live my passion. And my best clients become good friends!

Master the ultimate leadership skill of sales, and you will successfully make the transition from "self-employed" to "solopreneur". Life is so much better when opportunities come to you, rather than you having to chase them!

So, who will you bless today with a sales conversation?

Success!

-davender

p.s. An awesome resource that helped me love selling is http://www.justsell.com
They have a great free newsletter and informative downloads. Highly recommended.


Read the full newsletter - http://is.gd/ioMz
Subscribe here - http://is.gd/hubJ

Deep thots from 90 days of twittering

I am active on Twitter (@coachdavender), using it as a place to record thoughts and to interact with other cool thinkers. Twitter is a "micro-blog" where entries are limited to 140 characters. Here are some original "thots" that I've blogged on Twitter during the last 90 days (date of search: 31-Jan-2009)


coachdavender: Thot: Resources may be finite, but resourcefulness is infinite. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: The only SEO that counts is the one that optimises the power of word of mouth. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Once you stop talking like a salesbot and start communicating like a human, the world will beat a path to your door. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Money is the measure of your client's commitment to the impact you promise them through your offer. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: if "free" is the new Internet (eg. Facebook, Twitter, Google etc), are these the first steps to a Star Trek economy? · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: We cling to money as if it was finite and waste time as if was infinite-should it be the other way around? · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Luck means settling for what fate decides to give me. I don't want to settle! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Success doesn't come from achieving a goal, it is what you learn and how you grow by reaching for it. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: To succeed with a goal, first define a Big Compelling Project that gets you there, then let go of the goal and focus on execution. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: The world needs more creators and less speculators. Our core values need to shift from consumption to consciousness.· View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Always underpromise and overdeliver.If you think you've given too much, give even more.There's no such thing as too much chocolate. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: The best way to create positive cashflow is to first create positive change. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: If you don't have a dream, you can't spot opportunity. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: What business needs is not a bailout of cash, but an infusion of cause - to rediscover a purpose beyond just making money. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: The danger of a to-do list is that it becomes infinite. Once a week, take a moment to dump 20% of it, then you can add. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: In committees, talking about politics makes you feel important. Focusing on getting things done makes you important. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Don't be scared by structures, systems and discipline: the crucible from which you can create great things. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Real, sustainable profit only comes from making a positive difference in people's lives. http://is.gd/eEwL · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Urgent vs important? Important tasks move me towards my priorities, urgent is responding to other's priorities. Choose wisely. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: I judge the competence of someone not on the answers they give but on the quality of the questions they ask. http://bit.ly/TDw9 · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: In whatever you do, start the way you want to finish. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Courage is a muscle that requires exercise, just like weight training, by pushing to the point of failure. Repeat to build strength. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Take time on this last day of 2008 to live a Perfect Day - and set the tone for the next 365! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: A successful entrepreneur is more than an optimist. Who cares if the glass is half-full, there's a whole ocean out there! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Goals are simply excuses to move into action now.Set a goal that excites you, then act "as if". Success is a choice. Dream big! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Roadmap to Success in '09: 1.Define the change you want. 2.Launch a Big Hairy Gutsy Project to produce that change 3.Execute-execute! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: The best gifts are the ones that change people's lives... · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot (VISION09): If a goal does not energize you to act NOW, then toss it and find a new one. Great goals stimulate massive action! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot (VISION09): As you take stock of '08, it's not the results that count, but the lessons learned and emotions lived in creating them. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: People DO NOT want your products or services. What they really want are the benefits. Stop talking features and focus on benefits! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Champions know it takes many years of disciplined action to achieve overnight success. The sooner you start, the sooner you win. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Before making your offer,know 3 things about prospect: greatest need or desire,success criteria to satisfy it & readiness to act now · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: If you had one opportunity to reinvent yourself, what would you change? Actually, don't wait until Jan 1 to change it...start now! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Difference between pessimists and optimists? Pessimists want everyone else to change, optimists know change starts with self. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: To create a new result, make space by destroying a current situation. If it works, break it! Creative Destruction Rules! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: You are doing your best work with the right people when past clients become current colleagues. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Adrenaline makes us feel alive. Two ways to create it: destructively thru drama, or constructively through purpose. Which way for u? · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: When you let people talk, they come around to your point of view so much faster! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Entrepreneurs-Ordinary people doing heroic things by relentless focus on getting the right things done @guykawasaki http://is.gd/5gcn · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Overcome the inertia of fear with bold goals and massive action. Ignore the chatter. Value creators win. NOW is the time to act! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Master networkers ask "What can I do for you to make YOU more successful?" ( @lizmarshall w/ @guykawasaki http://snipr.com/61f78 ) · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Financial freedom is a mirage. True abundance is the freedom to act, a mindset. It's what you do, not what you have that counts. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: The road from competence to excellence passes thru mastery of the art of personal relationships. Nice people really finish first. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Brevity communicates clarity. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Setting a goal? Make it one foot within comfort zone, one foot out. Check how it feels. Winnable goals inspire, energize. Go for it! · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Leadership: the alchemy of transforming goals into gold. Time is the crucible and passion the catalyst. What will u create today? · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Effective communication is about shortening the distance between what I am thinking and what you understand about my thinking. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: Effective communication is about shortening the distance between what I think and what you understand. · View Tweet

coachdavender: Thot: "Instead of defining success as the size of your empire, define it as the size of your impact." http://snipr.com/4y7u3 · View Tweet

Join me in the Great Conversation! http://twitter.com/coachdavender

Pump it! Pump it good!

Here is your thought of the moment:

"Courage is a muscle that requires exercise. Just as weight training builds muscle by pushing it to the point of failure, build your courage by pushing yourself to the edge of your comfort zone. It's there you will find your true strength."
- Coach Davender

I read recently that most people "live their lives like they are in endgame. They think they know everything they need to know, they don't have the time nor inclination to learn anything new, and are quite happy about it". (Peggy Dolane, http://is.gd/htDd ).

Sticking your head in the sand and refusing to be open to new ideas, techniques or data may work if you are in a secure job, but in the world of the entrepreneur, it is a recipe for disaster. (And, as recent news demonstrates, it's not so great for the wage-earner either.)

I'm living my 15th year as a solopreneur, and I've lost count of the number of times I've changed my direction, my mind or my focus because of new information or new opportunities. And I'm so glad I did. It is a fiction that when you create a plan, you need to be a slave to it. Look where the famous five-year plans led the old Soviet Union. The moment you set a goal and act on a plan, you challenge the status-quo as you knew it. Move one step forward, your perspective changes, eventually you can see around that tree or over that hill to discover something new that you hadn't counted on. So continuously re-evaluate where you are and where you are going. Be open to new ideas, people and situations.

Challenge and discovery are vitamins for the entrepreneurial soul. It is our nature to create something that did not exist before: which means we need to be continously testing the edges of our comfort zone. The fun part about this adventure is finding that our walls are not made of hard brick, but rather of sweet, soft, gooey marshmallow!

How will you live at the edge of your comfort zone today?

Greatness is never a given - it must be earned

Much has been said and written today about how President Obama's oratory "inspires" and "moves", how what he says and how he says it encourages us to be better people.

But what about you? If you spoke to inspire the people around you, how would your world change? Would others take you seriously? If not, why not?

As entrepreneurs and solopreneurs, we must first focus on making sure we are an example for others to follow. By "being the change we want to see" in the world, we start to build our tribe, our community of people who value what we have to offer and who are ready to commit to it, with their time, their energy, and their hard-earned money.

We are in the situation we are in, because too many tried to take shortcuts, a fast-track to riches. Instead of doing the hard work, they discovered that growth by steroids leads to a cancer of the soul.

I have no doubt that being elected President of the United States, of course, involves lots of power-play, money and back-room politics. However, I do believe that at his core, the 44th President has always stayed true to his values and his vision. This is what gives the power to his words - it is clear that he speaks from integrity, that he truly means what he says, that he walks his talk. I hope and pray that he can continue to be grounded, even in the bubble that is the White House.

How can you and I aspire to have as much impact in our little worlds as President Obama has in his?

Walk your talk. Speak from integrity. Be the model of the kind of person you yourself would look up to. Be generous. Demand excellence from yourself. Explore your full potential. Under-promise and over-deliver. Be the kind of person who is the reference, the standard, the example for what being a good citizen is all about.

I especially was moved by this part of President Obama's inaugural address (emphasis mine):

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less.

It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.

Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died in places Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

Full text of President Obama's inaugural address (NYTimes.com): http://is.gd/gCpm

The Physics of Trust

Trust is a hot topic these days: I believe the main problem with the economy is not a shortage of money, but rather that trust between people and trust in the process has completely collapsed.

What is "trust", exactly? In December I explored the subject of "Trust" in a couple of different formats:

Article: "Some Thoughts about Trust"
link: http://is.gd/cSFF

Audio Podcast: Beyond Lip Service with Sharon Saylor on the topic "The Physics of Trust" (9 December 2008)
podcast download (mp3, 6.9MB Running Time 30 mins): http://is.gd/cSKH
BlogTalkRadio page: http://is.gd/aHuV (audio plays automatically)

Video: Toastmasters speech "The Physics of Trust" (12 December 2008)
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbhsXE_s1Sg

If everyone was listening, what would you say?

Susan Scott, on her FierceBlog, asks this intriguing question:

"Imagine that you had the complete, avid attention of every person on this planet for thirty seconds. What would you say?"

Do you know what your message is? Are you integrating it into everything that you do, that you offer, that you say, that you make, who you are?

Leaders know with an unswerving certainty what their message is. Leaders also are clear about their Mission (who they are), their Vision (the impact they are meant to create in the world) and their Permission (their strengths, talents and abilities that enable them to execute).

Leadership is about creating a positive impact around oneself that changes the status-quo, in alignment with one's Mission, Vision and Permission. Gandhi said it so well: "Be the change you wish to see in the world".

Somewhere, out there, someone is listening with "complete, avid attention" for the message you were born to communicate, for the lesson you were born to teach, for the change you wish to see. Is your message loud and clear, so they can hear it, feel it, experience it?

We each have a message to bring to the world, an important piece of the puzzle that is life. You get one chance to state your case, this one chance being your lifetime. Once you're gone, that's it, the song is lost.

Get clear about your Life Message. Build a Big Project around it: that is your real business. People don't just buy your products and services, they want to create a personal connection with you... to experience the change you wish to create in the world.

Now that I am getting clear on my message, what drives me forward each day is this realization that time is ticking and there is so much to do to make sure my message is heard by as many people as possible...

Think Big, my friends... and act even Bigger...