Introducing The Write Goal

How to Finally Get Your Writing Project Written

I wanted to make sure readers of the Reflections on Leadership blog were among the first to know about a new offering I'm adding to my consultancy.

The program is titled; The Write Goal; How to Finally Get Your Writing Project Written.

I've come across so many people filled with desire to start their writing project. Nearly everyone I come across has a book in them but few can get it out.

With The Write Goal you'll explore the why of your project. You'll be able to discern what's keeping you from your writing goal and what will pull you closer to it.

Using similar goal getting principles that have helped executive leaders get things done and high performing teams stay focused on their goal, The Write Goal replaces the disappointment you've been enduring with productive insights you can put to work immediately.

Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry or Prose, nearly everyone has a book in them, but very few can get it out.  This self study course helps you get it done at your own pace. Click here to learn More about The Write Goal.

Solve the Damn Problem

I admit it, I can be as politically correct in my language as the some of the most ardent liberals. To me it can show sensitivity or at least tolerance if not compassion in an increasingly intolerant country.  As a writer, words matter. That’s why I believe we shouldn’t sugarcoat the things that we face as a nation and by extension as individuals.  Let’s not waste time calling things “formidable challenges” when they’re “big problems.  America used to be able to solve big problems.  As a nation we routinely lived our values.

It’s easy to be a bit romantic and forget about how horrible this nation used to be for women before suffrage or African Americans before civil rights.  How poorly we treated our elderly, the mentally ill, and non-land owners. History’s canvas is sometimes painted with a lighter touch. Recall that hangings were common in my beloved city of Boston, the carcasses of criminals left out to publicly rot.  The Son’s of Liberty tarred and feathered other human beings. A blind eye was cast in the slave trade.

We forget we were founded as a violent nation.  We picked off British Regulars while hiding in the woods.  At the time we were thought of as savages. We took pride in it as patriotic and character building. Yet when used against us in quagmires like Iraq and Afghanistan we consider it barbaric.

The American spirit will always be divided between those who look at us being here as a matter of Divine Providence and those who consider it the melting pot.  That our greatest strength is taking the best ideas from everyone.

Winston Churchill once said, “Americans will always do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the alternatives.” It’s in that vein of faith I remain hopeful for America, but today a large portion of our population is apathetic.  They might be angry, but they’re also lazy.  Or they’re active without a sense of purpose.  I’m not so sure Americans are trying everything with the spirit we are expected to.  It can be taxing, but civil debate and disagreement coupled with pragmatism and searching for common ground is what has served this nation well in the past.  The problem today is, our tries seem to be halfhearted, or we save the passion for the detestability of our opponents; political or imagined.

We are not trying hard enough.  We are thinking less, worrying more and outsourcing our leadership to other nations, or corporations. As individuals we are all responsible for the eroding spirt and grit because we are complacently letting it happen.  We celebrate the First Amendment by giving the microphones to crackpots then undermine the gesture by reporting the fear and hate they spout as fact rather than opinion. We are focused on symptoms and finding ways to coat, soothe, and relieve them rather than solving the problems that are making us ill.  We moan and complain.  We spend a lot of energy doing very little and here’s some of our results so far:

• 30% of Americans are obese


• 1 Million American High School students drop out each year


• We carry a $13.5 Trillion Debt


• We are #1 in Oil Consumption, #2 in Coal Consumption and #1 in Cocaine Consumption


• 2.3 Million of our citizens are incarcerated, giving us the largest prison population on the planet

We can do better. We must do better.  We can begin by teaching our children and each other how to dream big, think profoundly, decide pragmatically and lead courageously.

There are no shortages of serious problems yearning to be solved. Pick one.

Below is a system designed to help you begin solving the problems that are in your purview to solve.  If it looks like too much work, have someone help you.  Being defeated from within helps no one. Find a problem that’s within your power to solve and begin solving it.  Here’s how.

1. Write down the problem or challenge that you need to solve.


2. Describe the Desired State that could exist without the problem.


3. Describe WHY it’s desired.


4. Create a S.M.A.R.T. Goal to make your intention specific and real.


5. Set the Criteria on how to find solutions to the problem.


6. Generate a brainstorm list of alternative solutions.


7. Narrow the list and pick the “best few” options.


8. Assess each option’s feasibility and potential risks versus gains.


9. Reach a tentative agreement with stakeholders of the problem.


10. Put some resources on a “fall back” plan.


11. Firm up the final decision and announce it to those affected.


12. Develop an Action Plan to go forward.


13. Implement the Action Plan with confidence and passion.


14. Review, assess and celebrate progress.

Problems are often very complex. Their solutions seldom have to be.

Toasts, Blessings and Proverbs to Help Celebrate

The One Year Anniversary continues with another FREE eBook for you.

Toasts should be offered during times of celebration. The words spoken can be solemn, sentimental, humorous, bawdy or insulting.  Blessings and proverbs help show gratitude for the guest of honor, and the company, companions or country you keep. They also give others insight your personality. A few simple words sincerely offered can hold great wisdom, humor or both. Most importantly, making a toast illustrates the respect you have for another.

This short compendium will ensure you’re not left speechless.

Click here to receive your FREE "Toasts, Blessings and Proverbs to Help Celebrate" eBook

Stop Whining Start Winning in 21 Days or Less

Here's a FREE ebook for people who have been caught whining lately.  Read it and you can stop whining and start winning (in 21 days or less if you're an overachiever).

Click Here to Stop Whining and Start Winning

A Month of Gratitude

“If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

My friends, one year ago I cited the words above from Henry David Thoreau to proudly announce the founding of my independent consultancy, Karl Bimshas Consulting.  Can you think of a better time to start a new firm than in the midst of one of the most difficult economies since the great depression?  Recessions are easier to weather when you consciously choose not to participate in them.  One year later, 25% of the businesses that started at the same time have failed.  Not this one!  Karl Bimshas Consulting is celebrating the inspiring results my inaugural clients achieved in year one.  A sample of what they’ve accomplished:

Businesses

• Set and maintained internal and external email marketing campaigns.


• Engaged latent clients through relevant communication campaigns.


• Developed simplified Performance Dashboards.


• Improved Sales process, correspondence and simplified proposal writing.


• Received Executive Level Overviews of Social Media Trends, Project Management, Time Management, and Change Management.


• Improved internal and external corporate communication with employee and client satisfaction surveys and Response Management Improvements.

Individuals

• Started new businesses.


• Received sought after job promotions.


• Gained clarity on career direction.


• Earned sought after degrees and certifications.


• Improved relationships with supervisors and direct reports.


• Achieved targeted work/life balance.


• Pursued meaningful charitable contributions.

As long as people have the capacity to think beyond the status quo, there will be problems aching to be solved.  By providing accountability, a fresh perspective and confidence, Karl Bimshas Consulting’s clients are guaranteed to find the a-ha within.

I’m grateful to be among the elite group of first year survivors and I’m going to share my gratitude with you throughout the month of May.  Be on the lookout for free gifts of appreciation, opportunities to save on consulting services, and the announcement of new programs designed to help leaders and artists find, set and get their goals.

On a personal note, if you would like to keep abreast of my creative pursuits, checkout Twitter and Facebook, where I often share my goals and progress on my first novel, poetry and other creative writings as well as opinionated political commentary that may pique your interest or ire, depending on your point of view.

It’s going to be a great month, brimming with celebrations made possible by your ongoing support, thoughtful feedback and continual referrals to other leaders and artists who want to achieve more.

Thank you!

Are You Lost?

Let’s pretend you’re running late and suddenly realize you’re lost in a strange city and the street signs don’t make sense to you.  You’ve got your mobile devices and your Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare friends are only a few keystrokes away, but your satellite connection is spotty.  You approach a passerby and ask them how to get where you’re going.  There are a multitude of possible responses:

1. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand you.”


2. They ignore you and keep walking.


3. They give you colorful but convoluted directions.


4. They offer to sell you a map.


5. They walk with you and safely get you to where you want to go.

Which would you prefer?  Which do you provide to your coworkers, customers or family? Change and uncertainty can be exhilarating or scary or both.   The answer you prefer is not all that important.  Depending on the stakes, you might be willing to shell out some money for information.  You might not feel secure walking with a stranger.  Depending on the circumstances, that might be exactly what you want.

The point is, people you care about are thrust into situations similar to this metaphor everyday, sometimes multiple times a day.   As a leader and an artist, take note of the people around you.  Some of them are lost and could use your help.  If they ask you for it, don’t ignore them.  If you don’t understand them, try harder because they’re at a bigger disadvantage than you.  Be on the lookout for those who are lost and be the friendly face that helps them reach their goal.

Pick Me! Pick Me!

[caption id="attachment_498" align="alignleft" width="186" caption="A Line of Suitors"][/caption]

The NAME ME Qualifying Checklist

“Pick me, Pick me” is a common refrain you might recall from your school days when team captains were tasked with choosing sides for a game of flag football or baseball, or bombardment, a terrifyingly thrilling game played on rainy days in elementary schools across New England.  Some kids in the line shifted uncomfortably with heads down and hands in their pockets, dreading being the last one called.  There were those who verbally pressured the captains, shouting, “Pick, me!  You wanna win don’t you?”  Others just waited their turn, ambivalent about their fate.

It’s not all that different in today’s world of business proposals.  I’ve been on all sides of sales proposals.  I’ve put them together alone and with teams of experts, sometimes “guessing” what the prospect wanted to hear. (Not a good strategy.)  I’ve been shoulder to shoulder with clients, acting as their consultant helping to choose a vendor.  That’s a great perspective to see how pathetic some sales tactics come across.  I’ve seen desperation, trickery, disinterest and unwelcome pressure.  All the kid stuff that gives professional sales a bad name.

When it’s your business, or you care as if it were, your time becomes increasingly more valuable.  You separate the good versus troublesome suppliers and customers fairly quickly.  When you’re a customer looking at a new business relationship, you undoubtedly have a set of criteria that’s important to you.  When you are trying to sell someone on your idea, you want to do the same.  Unfortunately, I’ve seen too many desperate organizations skip this step.  They never took the time to qualify the serious from the lookyloos.  A fatal flaw when pursuing any relationship.

Inspired by the “Pick Me” cries of yesteryear, I’ve developed the NAME ME Qualifying Checklist you should run all of your prospects and customers through.

N is for Need. Is there a need you can meet?  Hint, if you sell potatoes and your customer is looking for red crayons they have a need you probably cannot meet.

A is for Ability.  Do they have the ability to make a decision?  You may be having a great conversation with someone and they may tell you wonderful things, but unless they have the ability and authority to make a decision on purchasing your goods or services, all you can really count on is a great conversation.  Always talk with the decision maker to get a decision.

M is for Money.  Do they have money to pay for your solution?  People like to shop; nothing wrong with that.  You need to be able to define when someone is browsing and when someone is ready to buy.  If they can’t pay for your solution to their problem or need, continue to be pleasant to them, but move on, regardless of how nice they are to you.  Nice prospects have a way of spending your money by consuming your time.

E is for Enthusiasm.  Do they want a solution to their need?  Lots of people have lots of problems.  Just because you’ve discovered a need doesn’t mean they want to solve it.  It may be an issue of priorities, political pressures, or apathy.  It doesn’t really matter.  If they’re not excited about solving one of their problems, how excited are you going to be working with them?

M is for Match.  Is there a match between you and them?  This is the je ne sais quoi, that certain something.  The rapport or chemistry that signals you both get along and can work together to get your solution or service implemented to solve their problem.

E is for Essential.  Is it essential to get started?  This introduces the element of urgency.  You want to get to work on solving a problem or providing a solution right away.  It’s good for you and them.  Closely related to enthusiasm, if it’s not essential for them, it means delays for you.  Delays for you means delays in growing your business.

Use the NAME ME Qualifying Checklist to honestly assess all the prospects in your pipeline.  (All the people you know who may be interested in doing business with you.)  Making excuses will not help you in the long run.  For example, a prospect may have a need you can solve perfectly; they could be the final decision maker; they could show you a pile of cash, be enthusiastic about all that you offer and have great rapport with you.  So what.  If what you have isn’t essential for them, you lose.  Maybe it’s a temporary delay, but temporary delays have a way of becoming permanent indecisions.  No amount of honorable sales effort changes a buyer’s essential criteria.

Always go five for five.  You can stack rank your four for fives so you remember to pay attention to them.  Keep your three for fives only if there is some compelling reason and you’re able to nurture them along.  Everyone else, send a nice card once in awhile so you stay top of mind - but don’t invest any significant resources on them until they show more interest in you.  Use the NAME ME Qualifying Checklist to ensure your spending your time wisely.

Enjoy a companion video: VIDEO: The NAME ME Qualifying Checklist

Ten Ways Modern Leaders and Artists Become Findable

The Pony Express would be celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, were it still in existence, but it’s not.  It lasted for 18 months before being replaced by the telegraph.  Now, when did you last send a telegraph?

Successful leaders and artists know that the world has changed and more change is inevitable.  Hopefully you’re doing things differently today than you were five years ago.  It’s certain you will be doing things dramatically different three years from now.  We live in a tumultuous time.  Many choose to be excited by it, while for others, particularly those who hold on to their old ways, fear is the predominate emotion.

We’ve seen it before from those who were in the horse and buggy business, or the American railroads, and recently, the music, newspaper and publishing industries.  Technology has again given way to innovation, opening new worlds, helping level the playing field and leaving those unable or unwilling to adjust to fade and fail.  We are living through a high level of change today.  Compounding that are the generational, philosophical and ideological shifts taking place.  I completely understand and empathize with the fear many feel.  Not confronting that fear or simply denying the reality of the changes is what pisses me off.

Today, as always, leaders and artists like you need to be findable to provide whatever it is you offer to others who are looking for you.  If you’re not findable you won’t be found; there’s just too much competing noise.  If you’re still of the mindset that you are in control of the message your customers hear, get some fresh batteries for your pager in case last century tries to get in touch with you. If you know that the basics of forming a relationship haven’t changed, but the expectations and findability needs have, then there’s hope for you.  There are a few things you can do to catch up while there’s still time.  Your primary role in communications as a leader and artist is to educate people about what you have available so they can tell others.

Here are a few things that leaders and artists ought to have to help become findable.

1. A clear and concise one sentence explanation of who you are, what you do and why you do it.


2. An easily repeatable mission, vision or mantra.


3. A persuasive reason why someone should invest their time, treasure or talent with you.


4. A list of the primary keywords other people use to find you and people like you.


5. An ability to use analytic tools to look at the effectiveness of your web presence.


6. A well-managed email mailing list with an easy way for people to sign-up.


7. An ability to use search engine optimization audit tools to fix potential problems.


8. An ability to easily accept online transactions.


9. An array of action-oriented letters and marketing materials that describe what you do.


10. Active accounts on the major and relevant social networks with a username reflecting the name of your organization or a meaningful domain name with links back to your website.

Get rid of the barriers between you and prospective clients who want to find you.  Contact Karl Bimshas Consulting to help you build an action plan, organize your web marketing efforts and make  you and your company more findable.

What's so FAB about you?

Everything in life has features, advantages and benefits.

Features are sometimes called technical specs.  These are the things the product or service has.  A washing machine with five speeds.  The nightclub that provides only A-list performers, the airline that offers warm towels to passengers on red eye flights.

Advantages are the things that the product or service has that others don’t or they provide exceptionally better than anyone else.  The washing machine that’s available in four jewel toned colors, the nightclub that has a frequent guest VIP program, the airline that doesn’t charge you for the niceties.

Benefits are the things that people consider valuable.  It may not be unique to you, but it’s very personal and it’s how people make their decisions.  What’s the benefit?  You’re a designer and need a stylish red washing machine, or you collect autographs of top musicians for your ailing mother or you like to go straight to work after an overnight flight and want to feel refreshed and ready to go.  It’s easier to make a decision when you know the benefits.

That’s how it works in business everyday.  Now, what about you personally?  You have to “sell” yourself everyday to prospective employers, customers, maître d's, loan officers.  The list goes on.   So, what’s FAB about you?  Give it some thought.

What are your Features?
What do you know?  What are your core values and beliefs?  What do you stand for?

What are your Advantages?
What do you offer your world that others can’t do nearly as well as you can?  What skills make others think of you first?

What Benefits do you bring?
What value will the people who are looking for you gain?  This takes self confidence.  You need to know yourself well, and you’ll need to discover what your audience needs.

Lead with your benefits, this is what people base their decisions on.  Then shore up your advantages and features, because if people feel the need to justify their decision about you, that’s where they will look.  If you don’t have anything there, they will quickly change their mind.  They will look there for validation, so keep them happy.  Do the work and you’ll feel FAB.

Seven Simple Truths

Here are a collection of my original a-ha’s I first penned fourteen years ago during a cross-county flight.  I called them the Seven Simple Truths.

1. It’s better to be good. I don’t mean pious, I mean knowing ethical behavior and common sense manners. Knowing you’re values and acting in accordance to them.

2. Cause and effect works in every event whether we choose to believe it or not. Everything happens for a reason and the reason is a reaction to what has already occurred.

3. We all need to give more. We need to give more of our time, our energy our thoughts, our ideas, our talents, ourselves -- more of everything imaginable.

4. Anything is possible. Everything that exists today that was created by man was once a foolish idea that most people thought would never work. The truth of the matter is everything is possible. Every problem is solvable. Every epidemic is curable and every thirst quenchable. We have the power and the ability to abolish poverty, to end starvation, to resolve conflict without bloodshed. With patience, perseverance and focused thinking we can accomplish any goal. It may not be easy, but it can be done.

5. The body and mind must be exercised. The body must guard our mind and our mind must inspire our body. While in this form they rely on each other.

6. Being happy is better than being sad.  Both are emotions, and emotions are not right or wrong.  They are the by-products of an action. Therefore it’s better to do things that make you positive and upbeat. Always smile, laugh and inquire like a child.

7. Know what you want. It is simply that easy. Just knowing what it is you want to accomplish sends you way ahead of the indecisive pack.

Think more.  Do more.  Give more.  See more.  Be more.  Laugh more.  And know that anything is possible.

Making Effective Decisions

Knowing why, who and what makes your decision making easier

Decision making is often full of confusion when it comes to who, what, where and when it takes place.  To be effective at making decisions there are a few things to keep in mind.  It’s important to listen to your intuition however, base your decisions on the facts and available data whenever possible.  Gathering the facts shouldn’t unnecessarily delay or hindering your progress.  Consider all your decision making criteria and if needed, make a tentative or pilot decision before full commitment.  Once you’ve reached a decision, support it whole heartedly until new critical information becomes available which could alter the conditions.

With decision making think about; why the decision is important, who will make the decision, and what criteria will they use?  Below is a checklist to help keep focus on the vital elements of a significant decision.

Decision Making Checklist

• Determine the decision or goal to be achieved.


• Establish the criteria to be considered.


• Generate then narrow alternative solutions.


• Evaluate the alternative solutions against your criteria.


• Select the top ranking solutions.


• Assess the feasibility, risks and gains of each solution.


• Make a tentative decision and explore intended and unintended consequences.


• Make the decision and develop an action plan.

Decision Making Options (Who Decides)

• You decide with no input from others.


• You decide with input from others.


• You let a group decide with less than half the group making the decision.


• You let a group decide with more than half the group making the decision.


• You let a group decide with consensus or unanimity.

Factors or Criteria to test Decisions

• The Quality Impact of the decision.


• The Acceptability of the decision by stakeholders.


• The Time to make and implement the decision.


• The Capability to implement the decision.


• The Level of Accountability for the results of the decision.

Some decisions are not particularly significant so observe the 80/20 rule and ensure you put time and resources around the things that will have the greatest impact.

5 Perspectives in Decision Making

We make hundreds of decisions everyday, often based solely on habit or personal preference.  That’s fine for the little things in life, like what soup to have or which dressing to pour over our salad.  When facing complex issues, you need an approach that is worthy of more attention.

When making a decision, it is best to make it fast and change it slowly. Fast decision making does not mean rushing.  It involves thoughtful debate, running through your options and then proceeding with self assuredness.

Decision making is not merely picking yes or no, left or right.  Thoughtful decisions take into account the implications of your actions.  Once you know you’re comfortable with the possible ramifications, you act.

How can you determine all the possible outcomes of your decision?  You can’t, though you can increase your likelihood of being prepared by quickly looking at it from five different perspectives.

1. A Factual Point of View: Spread out all the facts you know before you.  Opinions and beliefs aren’t allowed here.  Be ruthlessly fact based.

2. An Intuitive Point of View: What's your gut telling you?  What are your feelings?  Being rational does not serve this perspective.

3. A Pessimistic Point of View: Be a Negative Nelly.  What’s the worst thing that could actually happen?

4. An Optimistic Point of View: Okay Pollyanna, your turn.  What’s the best possible result of your decision?

5. A Creative Point of View: Now for something completely different.  What’s an entirely new outcome you could create with a creative perspective?

Actively running possible scenarios through these different points of view gives your mind the opportunity to weigh your options so you can be best prepared for the implications of your decision.  First decide.  Then act.

The Modern Haberdasher

I am a rare breed of man who is as comfortable in suits as others are in a well-worn pair of jeans. As a result, I tend to burn through them quicker than most. An unfortunate realization, I generally buy them from stores that have “depot”, “wearhouse”, or “factory” in their names. One day I may evolve to purchasing suits from the array of stores that end in apostrophe “s”, but for now, I’m still a bit of a skinflint.

One time, my wife went to one of our neighborhood haberdashers and had four suits held aside for me to peruse later. That evening, the two of us returned to the store where I was greeted by one of the clerks who asked if I needed any help. Out of habit I immediately dismissed him but my wife thankfully stepped forward to tell him we had several suits on hold. He fetched them and we met near the dressing rooms. I tried on each of the suits, subjecting myself to the three-way mirror while my wife editorialized about cut and color. We whittled the selection down to two. Throughout this, the sales person hung back quietly. I voiced some concern over the particular cut of one of the jackets when he finally chimed in with some nonsense about it being very popular now because all the newscasters are wearing them. The extent of his influence on my buying decision was infinitesimal.

As the cashier rung up the final choices I noticed three of the sales staff coagulating near one of the bargain racks, eerily reminiscent of a used car lot. From across the store another sales associate, probably a supervisor, called out, “No clumping. Remember the meeting. Circulate. Circulate.” They quickly scattered with laughter. The gentleman who had “helped” me earlier walked passed the supervisor with a smile and remarked, “Of all the places I’ve worked over the years, this is the only place I’ve been that the sales people actually work.” Pathetic. What sales “work” actually occurred? It was nothing more than demand fulfillment. Now, I may be guilty of turning suits into a commodity, after all my buying criteria tend to be price and overall look and feel. Still, how successful was the sale? I had four suits in my hand but left with two. How could this have been a more effective experience for the store?

At another establishment, where price is commensurate with value, they also value team. The sales person measures me, asks what I’m looking for, gushes over how wonderful I look and what a smart choice I’ve made. He then introduces me to a charming sales associate who suggests a new shirt that can make the interwoven threads of the suit “pop”. She’s right, of course, and what’s the point of a new shirt without a new tie? She offers two, taking the guesswork out of it. Can’t decide? Buy them both and bring one back later. (Like that would ever happen.) What about cuff links, or brass stays to keep those bothersome collars from winging up? In this establishment I am cared for as an intelligent and powerful man, capable of making scores of decisions which are repeatedly validated through the sale. Do I value that? Yes, who wouldn’t? Yet the money I spend on that value-added white glove treatment never fails to make me feel a little worked. Is it all worth the price of an additional suit? Not to me, right now.  This is still old school, because value-add is generally for the benefit of the seller. There’s not much sales work to be done. It’s like an ineffective real estate agent taking a grown man and woman through a house and proudly beaming, “and this is the kitchen.” No kidding, a five-year-old child could figure that out.

Business development is about demand creation. How could a suit sales person be an effective business developer? They would canvas a particular geography, or demographic. Study what is being worn. Know the industry well enough to accurately tell someone his or her size and complementary color scheme. Know the customer’s preference of form or function. Then address the target market with custom tailoring. Perhaps offering cuffing and minor repairs onsite or within an hour. They would know if prospective customers needed suits or casual sports coats. They would know when their clients needed to look especially sharp and respond accordingly.

The sales profession is often maligned. Unfortunately, as happens with the practice of law, faulty practitioners create the perception. Mediocrity disguised as effort. The professional who makes the time to know their client, to truly care about their well being and success, who feels the compulsion to serve, rather than an attitude that they deserve, will far exceed the results of those who still think shepherding customers to their already researched and decide conclusion is hard work.

4 Steps to Improvement

Why make things more complicated than they have to be?

Here are four simple steps to take in order to make improvements in virtually anything you pursue.

1. Know your desired outcome.


2. Take action.


3. Notice if it’s working.


4. If it’s not working, try something else.

Oversimplified?

Not really.

Stick to it and accomplish things.

Fight it and risk wallowing in mediocrity.

Find What's Right Day

It’s easy to find things that are not going well.  Alarms go off too early, cars don’t start, busses are missed, toast is burned, lines are too long, reports are missed, on and on.

We get what we look for thanks in part to the the brain’s gatekeeper, the Reticular Activating System  (RAS), the part of the brain that filters out noise and stimuli so we can function.  It’s why you notice things in the world that are important to you.  The parent who hears a baby gurgle in the next room, how you hear your name in a crowded room, or see your dream car on the highway.

Why don’t you spend the day testing your RAS and be on the lookout for everything that’s going right in your world.  From green lights, to unexpected checks in the mail, finding a good deal on a new suit, or accepting gracious complements on your hair.  Instead of being convinced you’ll be a victim of Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong", be determined to be a recipient of its opposite, “Anything that can go right will go right.”

Challenge yourself to find everything right in yourself and others.  This may be odd at first, because you may not do it very often.  Tomorrow, do it all day long.  Within a few hours you will notice things you never noticed before and it will lift your spirits and awareness.  Share what happens.

Snakebite and Venom

Two friends are walking along a path when they happen across a rattlesnake. One of the men, pompous and careless, severs the snake with an ax, but not before it bites the foolish man on the wrist. The man wails and flails his arm all about in pain while his companion is immobilized with panic. There is a third man, an experienced hiker several hundred feet away who has witnessed the events. Which one is you and what do you do next?



Perhaps you are the foolish man, filled with bravado who acts violently in the face of latent danger and who is paying the painful price of his folly.

Maybe you are the other man, made powerless with indecision and panic, whirling about uselessly.

Or perhaps you are the experienced hiker, equipped with the knowledge that, although painful, snakebites don’t kill people, it’s their venom. Venom that if not removed, courses through the veins, accelerated by the constant movement and shaking of an ignorant and fearful victim.



This scene is repeated in people’s lives nearly everyday. We’ve all experienced painful situations. We may have antagonized someone who then lashes out at us, or we may have come across trouble unexpectedly and been the victim of a painful blow. Our first inclination is to lash back, to bellow accusations of unfairness and to blame our trespassers. If only we recognized that energy would have been better spent by removing the venom and repairing the damage. How often are we the experienced hiker, witnessing these events yet instead choosing to keep walking rather than help those who are angry, confused or hurting? Even though we have the skills or knowledge that could solve the problem, bring about calmness, alleviate pain, or perhaps even save a life, we decide not to get involved.



Therein sits one of the differences between a leader and a follower. Leaders get involved. They act. They do not shrug their shoulder and sigh, “Oh, well.” They give of themselves, protect people and remove the venom from the veins of others, and teach others to do the same.



When trouble looms before you, what role will you play?

Tigers are Not Always Ferocious

Americans are well conditioned on seeing a public figure apologize for their infidelity or crimes.  Its frequency is almost seasonal.  We are an unforgiving lot as you work your way to success; and take a morbid joy in seeing people stumble.  Inevitably, those who have a passion for what they do, brush themselves off and work on atonement, either with self deprecation or extra ambition to “do-good” in the world.  And as a culture, we love a comeback story.

Because we’re experienced in these matters we’ve become a bit more discerning.  For example, we no longer like it when a straying politician has his wife standing next to him in the limelight.  We prefer our tarnished stars take their lumps quickly and alone.

I’ve often felt public figures should hold themselves to slightly higher standards.  They have to manage their image, which is their brand; but they don’t NEED to be role models.  We just like it when they are because it takes the pressure off ourselves.

At some point in our lives, we are all role model for someone.  The question is, are me making a positive or negative difference?  Taking responsibility to be a role model builds in a level of accountability.  There’s that word again.  It’s okay, we know accountability keeps us focused.

Our responsibility pie has three slices, professional, personal and private.  The professional slice is how we pursue our career.  The personal slice contains the things that are unique to us as individuals; our opinions and beliefs.  The private slice is private; the things the world does not have a right nor a need to know.  When you’re a public figure, that slice of you life can get very thin.

Tiger Woods shared his remorse for his professional and personal transgressions during his press statement today.  His privacy, his relationship with his family, his rehabilitation and all that goes along with his own healing and redemption are private matters.  The public does not need to hear about them, and most don’t care.

As a sample of poor crisis and brand management the Tiger Woods matter is exemplary.  Anyone in customer service will tell you when there’s a problem, fix it and fix it fast.  Lay blame later.  Work on quality improvement initiatives on your own time.  Firs, solve the problem.

Some fans are calling Tiger Wood brave for his statement earlier in the day.  There was nothing brave about it.  It was the opening salvo of a rehabilitation campaign too long in coming.  His words may have been nice, and his delivery over coached and we may not know his sincerity for months to come.  We do know, addressing a group of friends, family, fans and the media like a sorrowful politician didn’t do him any favors.  Bravery is a press conference not an address.  Bravery is answering your critiques until you have exhausted their questions.

His words rang of him being selfish and apologizing for that.  Critics note his actions don't support this.  Choosing this medium on this day to speak was contrived.  Fans say it was the only opening on his schedule.  Selfish people never make room on their scedule.  Tiger Woods did not take the media spotlight today, it was given to him.  Supposed professionals continue to call his event a press conference, even though no questions were asked.  Networks continued to run his remarks in their entirely, “In case you missed it.  Just how important was it?

From a brand perspective, the goal is to get your unflattering stories out of the public light.  Tiger Woods, and those managing the personal and professional slices of his image have continued to keep the story alive.

A brand for a company is a promise.  A brand for an individual is called your reputation.  The reality is you cannot control your reputation, after all it’s noting more than other people’s perception of what you do.  The best you can do is know your values and beliefs and practice them everyday.  If you fail to, you will eventually fail.

Angry People Are Boring

There's anger in our nation and there's plenty to be angry about, however we should stop acting as though this is a new phenomena.  As a nation, we were angry ten years ago and ten years before that.  Take five random people and ask what they're angry about and at least four will tell you everything that's wrong with the world.  Of those four, two will agree and two will think the other two are to blame.  Be the fifth person.  It’s okay to get ticked off from time to time yet remain reasonable.

Have you spent time with angry people? They make a lot of noise, even when they pout and give the silent treatment you can hear the doors slamming and feet pounding and music blaring. They may incite some passive aggressive behaviors from you, either because you support them, or you disagree with them. Eventually though, all angry people become boring and boring people ultimately get ignored.

Anger isn't bad. It's a clue that something is assaulting our core beliefs and values.  If we don't respond to the feeling of anger we run the risk of letting our beliefs and values atrophy.  That is our nation’s biggest threat.

When we’re angry we make trigger reactions and are fueled by instinct.  That's good, it's a survival mechanism.  A quick vehicle to check our gut. However, it's not meant to be our primary modus operandi.  At some point if you want to affect change you need to shift from a reactive stance to a position of “respond-ability.”

Ever witness two people quarreling?  When we're not directly involved in the dispute it’s often times very amusing to watch and listen to the irrational  arguments and assertions they make and huge leaps of logic they take.  You can tell they're not hearing each other. They just want to be more right than their opponent.

Contrast that to an angry customer pitted against a well trained customer service professional. The professional may mirror the irate customer but they also empathize.  They’re not using the primitive brain to react and counter react, they are responding by being thoughtful and creating a setting where cooler heads can arrive at a mutually satisfying solution.

Anger is fine, but at some point, you need to act responsible and lower your irrational, venomous rhetoric so you can get to work on fixing what's making you angry to begin with.

If you just stay mad, the adrenaline rush may be fun for you, but you quickly degenerate into a whiner, and no one likes a whiner. Whiners make crappy leaders.  That’s the fundamental problem with the current political climate.  We have a bunch of angry whiners who love to make a lot of noise and get attention because they equate that with leadership.  It's not, it’s gimmickry.  People can’t resist a freak show, they’ll even spend money on it, but they quickly moved on.

Leaders do things.  Sometimes they make noise, sometimes they make mistakes; but they always do things.  Are you part of the angry mass, upset about something within your control?  Grab a mop and start cleaning up the mess instead of being angry about the size of the mop, or the floor, or the cleaning solution. Offer alternatives and lead people or shut up and get over yourself, you’re boring.

Snooze and Lose?

Do you use an alarm clock to wake up?  Author, Ken Blanchard, a perennial optimist gifted with a positive attitude suggests it be renamed an Opportunity Clock.  Wouldn’t you prefer to be awakened by opportunity rather than an alarm?

Granted, some people like to sleep.   Just like a new vegetarian’s willpower prevents them from indulging in an artery hardening but delicious prime rib, there are those who relish their slumber.  They deeply value it.  It rejuvenates them.  They would never agree with statement, “There will be plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead.”  (To be clear where I stand, I have no problem eating a steak at 11pm, but that’s another story).

Have you seen the sobering advertisements the state of Michigan tourist board have put out, that remind us, “25,000 mornings, give or take is all the average person gets.”

What percentage of those mornings have you hit the snooze button and decided to put off the day for a little while longer?  I asked 235 people how often they hit the snooze button in the morning and here’s the results:

29% - Once

22%  - 2-3 times

9%  - More than 3 time

40% - Before it goes off

When you are living on purpose, you tend to wake up enthusiastically with the alarm, or one minute before it goes off.  Have you ever experienced that?  It’s amazing how you can program your mind that way.  Unfortunately many do not.  People who are not thrilled by the prospects of the day choose to snooze.  Inevitably they then run late and compound their stress.

ACTION: Live on purpose and find your passion.  Passion is easy to identify.  It keeps you up late at night and wakes you up in the morning.  It causes your heart to race, not with anxiety, but with anticipation.  As Wayne Dyer has often said, “You can decide to wake up and get out of bed, open the shades and mumble, good lord, it’s morning.  Or, you can wake up, get out f bed open the shades and declare, Good Morning, Lord.”  The choice is always yours.

How Much and By When?

Some people make achieving goals sound like a mysterious science.  They complicate things.  I’m not saying achieving your goals is easy, infact, often it’s easier not too.  Which is why so many don’t.  It’s easy to stay with the status quo.  It’s even relatively easier to go back the way things were.  That’s hardly progress though.

Have you even been stymied after a long meeting that didn’t seem to produce any actions?  Or received instructions from your manager or even a customer that weren’t clear?  There are two questions that will help. How Much?  and By When?

Yes, there are other elements to effective goal setting, however these two questions cut through much of the clutter. “How Much?” is your volume measurement.  It can be anything; dollars, units, customers, votes, legislation. “By When?” gives you a timeframe; a day, week, month, year.  Put the two question together and you have the immediate basis for accountably.  Which is why it’s hard for some people to answer those questions.  They want wiggle room.  They don’t want the accountability.

No one “likes” accountability yet we all thrive when it’s there.  We’re at our best when we’re accountable to ourselves, our family, customer or constituents, and ultimately a higher calling.  Accountability creates movement.  How much and by why is the lever to get things moving.  Get in the habit of asking those questions and providing the answers to projects that are important to you.

It’s hard to predict the future, so sometimes your answers will be off.  Maybe your how much was too much or too little.  Your by when too near or too far.  It’s okay.  Revise the answer and keep going.  If we can hold ourselves accountable to those two progress inducing questions we can achieve more.

As an exercise, listen to your favorite or least favorite politician speak and see how often they offer answers to those questions.  It will give you insight to the breadth of their vision.  If they have no vision, by no means follow them.

Action: Ask, How Much and By When at least once a day for a week then share your results here or on the Karl Bimshas Consulting Facebook fan page. Did your quest for accountability tick people off?  Did you feel like you moved something forward?  Were you satisfied with the answers?  A caveat: make sure you provide your own How Much and by when answers to anyone who asks you.