I Saw America Today...

What in the hell is going on in America? With the recent turmoil of mass shootings, gun control attempts, the IRS Scandal, and racially charged incidents like the Zimmerman/Martin Tragedy, one could easily think America is as squared away and effective as a football bat.

I, along with many other patriots, still believe we are the greatest nation on earth.  We are the melting pot, a conglomerate of numerous cultures all residing in one FREE land. All of this nonsense and hate between races is ignorant. With all the anti-American focused hate, we need not be fighting amongst ourselves, we have plenty of others to target. If you pay any attention to the mainstream media, they saturate the airwaves and other venues with all the bad going on in the world and very seldom focus on the good. I'm here to tell you that in spite of all this BS, America is still America and I saw her today.

The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) Chapter 27-2 out of Virginia hosted their annual fundraiser ride called Bull Run III. Proceeds from the event will be donated to The Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. The ride began at Whitt's Harley-Davidson in Manassas and traveled through the Virginia countryside, ending at VFW Post 8613 in Shenandoah. I was fortunate enough to attend this ride with my brothers from the Strength & Honor Motorcycle Club (SHMC). Our club consists of current and former law enforcement, military, and emergency services personnel. What I witnessed when we rolled into the small town of Shenandoah was noteworthy and amazing. First of all, I must call out that a couple hundred motorcycles rolling into anywhere is an event. Well Shenandoah was ready and many of their residents lined the streets waving American flags welcoming us to their town. As we made the left off of the highway and headed toward the VFW, the local fire department had positioned two ladder trucks, and with their ladders extended and crossed, they created the perfect platform to suspend a huge American flag... Wow! Now, don't get me wrong, I have not been living under a rock and have seen celebrations of this nature before. What was so awe inspiring to me was all of the ages represented and seeing folks standing at the ends of their driveways, etc. waving and welcoming us into their town. Thanks to CVMA 27-2 for hosting this event and thank you Shenandoah, VA and VFW Post 8613 for your hospitality. This my friends is America. She is alive and well and I saw her today.

A CALL TO ACTION... ENOUGH ALREADY!!! EVERYTHING IS NOT A RACE ISSUE!!!

I don't know about you but I am sick and freaking tired of hearing about the Treyvon Martin and George Zimmerman tragedy that occurred in Sanford, Florida. I am absolutely appalled at the behavior of folks protesting this unfortunate event and making it a racial situation. There are elected officials, professional athletes, and other media hungry zealots jumping on the race/hate crime bandwagon and wearing their hoodies in protest... What a bunch of ignorant morons.

This incident is NOT about race people, it's about poor judgement and quite frankly, it isn't real clear exactly who had the worse judgement, Martin or Zimmerman. Either way, the one thing we do know is a human life was lost. A "colorless" spirit  was taken from his family too soon and that is unfortunate. What's worse is the likes of Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Jesse Jackson getting involved and making it into something it never was. You can bet your sweet ass anytime these two knuckleheads get involved it's going to be a circus.

We now have the family of Treyvon Martin in DC meeting with Democrats to share their experience and help further legislation on racial profiling. The "white" police chief in Sanford resigned and has been replaced by an appointed "African American"... Oh, that's sure to solve the problem. My head is spinning from this insanity.

Color should be irrelevant here. America is RED, WHITE, and BLUE. It's not black, white, or any other color of the rainbow. Slavery ended decades ago and most folks who complain about their persecution because of race really have no idea what that really looks like. In fact it's much more likely that any persecution they have suffered is because of their ignorance or misplaced sense of entitlement. I spent many years as a law enforcement officer working the streets and I can tell you without any doubt that stupid comes in all colors and is present in all levels of society.
 
It's time we, the American public comprised of all colors and ethnic backgrounds stood up and put an end to this nonsense. We cannot stand by and allow our judicial and political systems to be influenced by the squeaky wheel.

Enjoy the Ride...

Business is About People First, Numbers Second!

Wow, it's been too long since I sat down to write an entry in this blog. The topic people focus vs. numbers focus in business and my somewhat strong opinion on the subject combined with some recent transactions compelled me to write this... Enjoy and practice it! PEOPLE ARE YOUR BUSINESS.

I am a firm believer in the fact that leaders who focus on the numbers in business more than they focus on the people will ALWAYS be chasing the numbers. Conversely, those focusing on the people while still paying attention to the numbers will find hitting those numbers is a little easier.

This seems like a really simple process yet countless leaders, or should I say, people in senior positions who are supposed to be leaders, continue to miss the boat on this. Wake up folks and smell the damn coffee. If you keep focusing on only the numbers, those people responsible for helping to make the numbers are going to get fed up with your BS and dial it back or go somewhere else. Seriously, how are you caring for your strongest asset, your people? How about the person or persons responsible for closing the last "big deal", how did you thank them, did you thank them? If you are thinking to yourself, "they were paid a commission, or they got a paycheck", you are exactly the knucklehead I am addressing by writing this. It's time for you to step up and pay attention to what actually matters to people. Beyond making enough to survive, monetary compensation doesn't even make the top three on the list of what is important to employees. Strangely enough, when management is asked to list what they think matters most to employees, money is usually at the top of the list.

Don't misinterpret what I'm saying here, numbers are important, we are in business to make money. My point is they aren't as important as the PEOPLE. Focus on the PEOPLE and the numbers will follow.

Now get out there and LEAD and remember to ENJOY THE RIDE!

Life Is Like Riding A Motorcycle... You Are Either In Control & Charting Your Own Course Or You Are Riding Bitch!

Before you get your panties in a bunch because I used the term "riding bitch", please understand this is a common term used in the biker community. Simply put... If you are a passenger on a motorcycle, you are "riding bitch" and you have no direct control over where the bike goes, how fast, etc.

Life can be like that if you let it. How many of you have let go of the handlebars and are letting someone else chart your course? Are you working on your goals and making progress toward fulfilling your dreams? If you aren't working on yours, then whose are you working on?

I hope my use of the term "riding bitch" did ruffle your feathers a bit. Why? Because maybe that will be enough to get you to realize it's time for you to take charge of your life and live it the way you want to!

It's time to grab the controls and take your life in the direction you choose, are you up for the challenge?

Enjoy the Ride...

Integrity... Don't Compromise Yours and Don't Tolerate Other Who Have None!

Integrity is yours and it is something nobody can ever take from you. In fact, the only person able to compromise your integrity is you. So what is integrity anyway? Wikipedia defines integrity as a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness that is a verb or accuracy of one's actions.

In life and in business, integrity means doing what you say you'll do, delivering on your commitments. It means standing by your values and not compromising them for anyone. Living a life of integrity has it's challenges. You'll find that not everyone has high integrity and you may even find it necessary to sever ties with others who do not have the level of integrity you expect. In my experience I have found that when people with low integrity are found out and confronted, they run, so you might not actually have to do the severing of ties, just call them out on their lies and they will run.

Say what you mean and mean what you say!

Enjoy the ride...

Slow Your Roll... Don't Get Spun Up About Things Beyond Your Control

On a recent trip to MCB Camp Lejeune, I was reminded of how little regard Mother Nature has for our schedule. My flight departed Jacksonville, NC bound for Charlotte at approximately 3:00 PM. Due to the weather in Charlotte, our planned flight path was south along the coast with plans to change course at Charleston, SC and head back around the storm and arrive in Charlotte after it had passed. I must add that this was the Friday prior to Memorial Day weekend and the 70 passenger plane I was on had me, a couple of other "older guys" and 60 some young Marines VERY anxious to get home for the holiday weekend.

Approximately an hour or so into the flight, the captain informed us that the Charlotte Airport was now closed to all arrivals and we were landing in Charleston, SC to refuel and wait out the storm. The response from my fellow passengers to this news was less than joyful. Many of them began to voice their disapproval with the plan and place blame on the airline, etc. The next 2+ hours of sitting on the tarmac with the 30 minute update intervals was no more enjoyable and did nothing to reduce their discontent. Fortunately, I had a good book and was making good use of my "extra" travel time. We did get to deplane for about 20 minutes and I ran into an old friend Jack Daniels and we got a few minutes of "quality" time together prior to getting the call to re-board.

We did eventually get to Charlotte and my planned 7:00 PM arrival into DC turned into a 12:30 AM arrival. Good news is there was no traffic to deal with on the ride home!

The point of sharing this experience is to call out the fact that we often get caught in situations such as this that are well beyond our control and we get all spun up about it. My question is why? There is literally nothing that you can do so why fall victim to the spin? This is all about mindset and your ability to control how you respond. Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup book series, uses the formula E + R = O to explain what I am talking about.  Events are going to happen in your life. How you choose to Respond will determine the Outcome. It's that simple. You are in charge of you and how you deal with what occurs in your life. Don't waste your valuable time and energy getting spun up about things that you have no control over!

Enjoy the ride...

Employee Engagement... Put the GAS in Your Own Tank!

Employee engagement... What the heck is that anyway? Sounds like some catch phrase conjured up in the world of academia. Are we talking about how committed or involved in something people are? Maybe whether or not they "Give A Shit?"

I think that's exactly what we are talking about... the "GAS" factor, just how much do you Give A Shit about what you do and how well you perform? I am a biker and as you well know motorcycles run on gas. I am responsible for putting the GAS in my own tank, yes even in New Jersey! So what do I mean by that? Well it's pretty simple. Whether or not an employee is engaged our committed to their work is on the employee. Many people want to place the responsibility of this on the organization they work for and while they surely play a part, the ultimate responsibility is on the employee. You are responsible for your own happiness, stop looking to others and external things to make you happy.

If you work for a jerk or an organization that doesn't appreciate you, go somewhere else! Don't waste your precious time and energy on people and organizations that don't value it! Don't let people and situations spoil the GAS in your tank.

Enjoy the ride...

Ship... Shipmate... Self... Get Your Priorities Straight!

Ship... Shipmate... Self... A Navy Chief friend of mine offered these three words pertaining to priorities. WOW!!! Very profound and it speaks volumes about the priorities of an organization and how they should be. In this example, it's obviously a Naval vessel that is the subject, though this same methodology can be applied to other organizations and parts of our lives. Here are a few examples:

God, Country, Corps... (Sound familiar my fellow Jarheads?)
God, Family, Work
Mission, Team, Self

I'm sure you could think of a few more. The bottom line here is that in most cases, the preservation of the organization and the welfare of others needs to be a higher priority than self-satisfaction. It's not just about you and your agenda. To truly be effective, all leaders must know this and live by it!

Enjoy the Ride...

The Foundation of Leadership... Lead Yourself First!

Leadership of others begins with leadership of self. In other words; You must first make sure that you are a squared away, living, breathing, walking, talking example of what others strive to be. This is a philosophy that I learned as a young Marine and have seen the importance and practicality of it play out time and time again. You can't be a walking contradiction and expect others to follow and respect you. The old saying, "do as I say not as I do" doesn't bode well for leaders.

Now, here's the part that might ruffle a few feathers. Relationships are hugely important in leadership and in life for that matter. If you are on your second, third, or fourth marriage, you might suck at the relationship thing and if that is the case, your leadership abilities are hindered as a result. Yes, I said it! Seriously, how can you argue that? Ok, so maybe it's not the relationship thing. Maybe you suck at judging people, well that too is a problem that is negatively impacting your ability to lead. No wait, I get it... It's not your fault, it's the "other" person in the relationship that is the problem. Hmmm.... Accountability for your actions? Sound familiar? Another huge part of being a successful leader is being accountable to yourself and to others. When you screw up, own it and then fix it!

Here are 5 areas to focus on in order to make improvements in the "Lead Yourself" category:

1) Know what fuels your machine and share it with others...

You have to know what makes you tick, what drives you, what you are passionate about. It's also important to know this about your people but first you must know it about yourself.


2) Have a personal vision and a plan for achieving it...

You have to know where you are headed, what you want to achieve and how you plan to do so. We ask people in their "work lives" to do this all the time however, we don't often use these very effective tools to achieve or our dreams... Start today!!!

3) Update your operating system...

Computers have operating systems that need updating on a regular basis. They often get viruses that begin to negatively impact their performance. Our brain, which is our operating system and the programming that it has received which is our belief system is much like that of a computer's operating system. The human operating system needs to be updated and the viruses that show up as self-limiting beliefs must be removed an replaced with new, possibility focused beliefs.
   
4) Focus on building strong relationships...

Life, business, leadership, it's all about people. Focus on connecting with those around you. People need to be connected, we are herd animals and feel comfort around others like us. 


5) Have your S*#T together...

Make sure that you are setting the right example for your people. Trust me when I say THEY ARE PAYING ATTENTION!!! You can't expect them to do or be something you are not. Hold yourself to a high standard and expect the same of your people. Be accountable to them and hold yourself and them accountable.

And last but not least... ENJOY THE RIDE!!!

Reduce Your Christmas Card Budget... Be Authentic

Got too many friends? Or let's say "acquaintances" and you want to find out who your real friends are?

Here's a sure-fire way to thin the herd... Start being completely honest with them. Call them on their BS and hold them accountable for their actions. That alone will be a new concept for many and they will tuck tail and run because they are unable to deal with the truth! Now, it must also be said that in order for you to be authentic with your friends and give them open and honest feedback, you too must be able to receive the same from them.

If you want to have some fun and shake things up a bit... Try this at work too. It's espcially fun to do this with your boss. Make sure you get permission first or they "open the door" and then seize the moment. I wrote about one of these experiences in a book entitled "My Boss Sucks... A Story Book and Survival Guide". Check it out @ www.bossfixers.com

If You Are Not Part Of The Solution... You Are Part Of The Problem!

Bitching, pissing & moaning, whining, and complaining is easy and all too commonplace. Seriously, start listening to conversations at work, maybe even your own, and see just how much of this negative behavior goes on. What are you doing about the events and circumstances that cause you or others to complain? Nothing? Shame on you! If you are unwilling to take steps to change whatever the situation is that you are complaining about then STFU! In case you are unfamiliar with that acronym, here's a clue... Shut The... You can figure out the rest. If you can't offer a solution or are unwilling to be involved in an effort to create change then you have forfeited your right to complain.

How about this... Step up and be a part of the solution!

Enjoy The Ride...

Pain/Pleasure Factor

In my experience as a law enforcement dive team commander, I was often tasked with evaluating the benefit of a given mission versus the risk it would pose to team members executing the mission. This is referred to as the Risk/Benefit Factor.

It's my opinion that we should evaluate our personal and professional relationships in a similar way. Let's call it the Pain/Pleasure Factor. We all have a finite amount of time each day, year, etc. and you get to choose how you spend that time. My advice is that you choose wisely and don't waste time with people who are more of a pain/frustration than they are a pleasure to be around. Make sense? Sure it does.

So look at your interactions through that lens and place a high value on your time. Plain and simple... Don't spend time with people that suck the joy out of life.

Enjoy The Ride...

Back in the Saddle

Wow.... It's been waaay tooo long! Time to get back in the saddle!

Let's talk about responsiveness...

I am amazed by how many comments I get from people for calling them back so quickly... WTF? Seriously, I thought it was a "no brainer" when someone calls you and you know that you have a hot lead or someone who is ready to buy, you are like "Quick Draw McGraw" grabbing the phone to call them back? Apparently that doesn't always happen, so here's your chance to stand out among your competition.... Be responsive, return those calls ASAP and see what a difference it can make.

Ride on...

Two Simple Rules for Success in Sales

I was on a coaching call with my good friend James Malinchak a few days ago and we were talking about selling. He shared the following two simple rules for success in sales that he learned from Larry Winget.

1) Have a great product or service
2) Offer to sell it to a bunch of people

Now... This seems very simple and you might even be having the "well duh" response to these rules.

The real deal is that selling is that simple. If you are not generating the sales that you want, evaluate step one. If you believe step one is covered and you still are not hitting your mark, evaluate step two. If step two is covered, them maybe you were wrong about step one.

Utilize these two simple rules in your business and watch the sales improve.

Just Believe...

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!!!

Say what you mean and mean what you say.... We'll all have a much better day!

Here's a little experiment that I suggest you try:

-Pay close attention to the conversations that you have with people today. Make a mental note every time you hold back and don't say what you are really thinking or say something that you don't mean because it's the "politically correct" thing to say.

When people communicate with each other in an authentic way, business gets better, and so does life.

Try it.... You'll like it.

Just Believe

Exposure = Opportunity

Exposure = Opportunity.....

Does your target market know who you are and what product and/or service you have to offer?

Turns out people can't buy from you unless they know you exist. What are you doing to make sure that people know what you do? Here are a few ideas that might help you improve your exposure and create more opportunities for sales.

1) RADAR ON - In sales/business development you are always on duty. Yes, your primary work day might end at 5 or so and I know work/life balance s important. If you are a business owner, or responsible for sales or business development, you must always be aware of an opportunity to create "exposure" for your business.... RADAR ON!

2) REFERRALS - Ask your current clients/customers for referrals. This does two things.... It let's you know that they are happy with your product/service and gives you another "opportunity".

3) SOCIAL MEDIA - If you have resisted Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Plaxo, etc. It's time to get in the game. Google yourself.... How many times does your name show up? Don't you think your potential clients do this? Social media is a great way to get your information out there and create a network of people that are interested in what you do.

4) PHONE A FRIEND - Pick a friend that you have lost contact with. Reconnect with them and rekindle the friendship..... See what they are up to and how you can help each other.

5) SELF-IMPROVEMENT - Turn off the TV, stop watching the trash people call the NEWS, and start reading personal and professional development material that will help you improve.

These are just a few random ideas that you can use to improve you and your business.

....Just Believe

Building A Winning Team

Leadership is all about getting people to work together towards a common goal because they are inspired and want to.

To build a winning team, you must focus on these five key elements:

1) Trust
2) Effective Communication
3) Skill
4) Accountability
5) Leadership

If any of these are missing on your team, you will not reach your potential and will likely fail.

The role of the leader is to work on building all of these and make sure that you are providing everything for the team that they need. It is also essential that you provide enough support and oversight and not too much. You are there for direction and resources, not to do their jobs for them. Give them what they need and stay out of their way and let them get it done.

Teams win where individuals fail this is especially true when you have the five key elements listed above present on your team.

Just believe...

Winning the Sales Game.... Is Your Organization Set Up to Win?

Sales is about relationships, period! It amazes me how managers and organizations cripple the effectiveness of their sales force by hindering their ability to get out there and build the very relationships that generate sales.

Without sales, your business goes away! Are you holding back your sales people by having them spend hours answering phones, responding to unnecessary emails, tracking activity, etc.? There is value in documenting contacts and activity and it must be done in a streamlined and very efficient way. Sales people make money for the organization and themselves when they are selling, not when they are creating spreadsheets, completing expense reports, and all sorts of other non-revenue generating activities.

Make sure that you and your organization are set up for success. Don't over burden people with reports, etc. that take too much time away from their most important function... SELLING!

Take the handcuffs off of your sales force and let them SELL!

Just believe...

Dallas police chief apologizes for conduct of officer who drew gun on NFL player outside hospital

OMG!!! I am not a big news fan because it's mostly a bunch of negative fear creating nonsense however, this story caught my attention due to my law enforcement background.

A Dallas police officer, Robert Powell detained an NFL player in the hospital parking lot when he was trying to get to the bedside of a family member to say goodbye prior to their passing. The fact that this involved a professional athlete is irrelevant. Nobody should ever be treated this way. Yes, the guy ran a red light and under the circumstances, it seems totally reasonable. The problem is that this cop is a moron and has zero common sense and compassion!

I am totally pissed off and outraged that anyone who wears a badge and carries a gun could ever treat someone like this is such a situation! Someone needs to rip the badge off of his chest and send him packing and make sure he is NEVER allowed to serve in this capacity ever!!!

I feel like flying to Dallas and doing it myself, this is disgusting! My heart hurts for this individual who did not get to say goodbye to a loved one due to the ignorance and lack of compassion shown by Officer Powell.

Leadership, Personal Development, and Success

I had the honor of presenting at The University of Mary Washington's Annual Leadership Conference yesterday. What a great learning experience for me and the attendees.

The presentation was entitled Leadership & You - What They Don't Teach You in College About Bosses in The Real World That EVERY Student Must Know!

This presentation covers the fact that over 70% of the American workforce is disengaged and how this is due to the serious void in leadership! Fact is, there are a bunch of bad bosses out there that could not lead their way out of a paper bag! The problem with this is that it's costing everyone lots of money and causing a lot of unnecessary stress. Many of these bad bosses would get better if they were taught the right way! The tactics of success and great leadership can be learned. There are ways to improve your response to the events in your life and how to do that. How you can understand the source of self-limiting beliefs and move beyond them. The importance of having clearly defined targets or goals that you are aiming for.

All of these points seemed to resonate with this audience and might have been the first time that many of them had ever heard a message like that. This caused me to wonder.... What the heck are they teaching kids in college anyway? Are they getting an education or just a degree? Are they being provided with information that will really help them deal with what's in the real world after college?

I'm sure some are and I'm also sure many are not! If you want information about how to be successful in the real world and what they don't teach you in college about surviving while working for and idiot.... Visit www.bryanthalstead.com and get a copy of My Boss Sucks - A Story Book and Survival Guide. This practical resource is full of stories about leadership gone wrong and how to deal with it along with plenty of personal success messages.