Are You "In Sales," or Do You SELL?

In my over three decades of training literally thousands of individuals to become better, more proficient and more effective salespersons, I have come to realize that one of the greatest challenges is often that the person himself merely sees himself as being in sales, rather than someone who is selling. Isn't that somewhat strange since each of us sells regardless of what our field of endeavor or occupation may be? We either SELL a product, a service or ourselves. The key differential in how we perceive this is that being in sales acknowledges that something might be sold but tries to separate ourselves from what we perceive as a somewhat perhaps savory endeavor, which far too many people consider selling. However, the reality has little to do with one's negative perception but rather relates to how professionally we perform our duties and whether our attitude is one of being value oriented, or rather is merely self serving. Whether you are in business for yourself, or work for an organization or company, your mindset, and your realization that selling must be proactive, will often determine, your effectiveness and results? Wouldn't you prefer to work with a Real Estate professional, who seeks to sell your home (through marketing effectiveness, negotiating, etc), than one who merely represented and presented your property?

1. Are you expressed attitude in sync with your actual behavior? Is your focus about service to your customers and clients, or is all about you and what's in your personal self interest? Do your actions and whatever you sell geared to best satisfy what is best helps others?

2. How empathetic, energetic and enriching are both your proposals and intents? Do you truly believe in whatever you are selling, be it either a product or a service, and do you honestly believe what you are telling others is what you really believe? Are you committed to earning the trust of others over and over again, and will you proactively be involved in enhancing some aspect of other people's lives?

3. Do you just hear, or do you effectively listen to what others are telling you, both with words as well as in non verbal manners? It is far easier to feel good about being in a selling frame of mind when you do all you can to fit their needs to whatever you sell.

4. Learn all you can about all relevant aspects. That includes the product or service you provide, as well as what others want and need. It is somewhat a simple and common sense concept, yet nevertheless an essential and true one, that when you better understand what's going on, you become far more capable of finding the hot button that creates that crucial common ground that is often the inevitable deciding factor.

Those who feel good about selling, for whatever reasons, invariably become the most successful doing it. It is nearly always a red flag warning when someone creates a personal mindset of referring to themselves as being in sales rather than selling!

Understanding, & Getting to the Crux of the Matter

Very often, organizations become distracted by unessential extraneous issues rather than getting to the crux of the matter. Generally, this is because many leaders lack the training and skills to adequately identify and separate major from minor issues. This scenario occurs in organizations, all forms of business entities, service - based industries (such as Real Estate professionals, etc), and, as well, in our personal lives! 

This is normally a rather simple issue to address if an organization creates a well thought- out, properly structured, professionally designed leadership training program. This program should teach leaders how to effectively listen to first understand what someone is not only saying, but what they mean. It should also teach leaders not to let their own opinions, prejudices, or biases impact their interpretation of any proposal or issue.

Organizations often assume that their leadership is capable of decision making, but if leaders are not adequately trained, they often do not have the structure or format needed to carefully review, evaluate and decide the merits of an issue. However, even the best leadership training cannot teach a leader to "stand up for his beliefs," have courage, and avoid procrastination.

In my review and work with not-for-profit organizations over the last three decades, I have noticed that it's far more common for leaders to make costly errors by lack of action, than by action. That is not to say that erroneous and ill-designed actions cannot and are not potentially catastrophic, but that when a leader avoids confronting an issue, and tells me he was "adopting a wait-and-see" attitude, or "didn't want to micromanage," or "couldn't change what happened anyway," etc., then that individual was extremely neglectful in his duties.

Please understand that I am not saying that leaders should act rashly, or take action merely to take action, but rather that leaders need to evaluate an issue thoroughly, and come up with a timely decision based on the facts available, while doing whatever due diligence is possible. Leaders must realize that everyone makes mistakes, but that to just "go along with the crowd" when you disagree, exhibits anything but leadership skills.

Organizations must teach their leaders to get to the crux of issues, and not get bogged down in discussions about less important extraneous issues. Leaders must be trained in the techniques of prioritizing and must "stay on track" if they are to accomplish their mission. Human nature often causes people to lose focus, because of emotionalizing a particular issue or getting "hung up' on one issue without keeping one's focus. That is one of the major reasons that many organizations often do not accomplish what they set out to. Getting something accomplished requires creating a well thought- out action plan, defining and delegating duties, creating a timetable, staying on task, and constant review and follow-up. It often requires some tweaking along the way to assure success. Leaders must truly lead!

Is Inflation, A Good or Bad Thing for the Economy? And Other Lies, Half - Truths & Distortions

Economics, economic theories, and political realities often cross paths, and make many people wonder what's going on. We have offered heard about the dangers of inflation, the dangers of recession, and other similar terminology, yet most of us will hear the media, and especially the business media, one day warn of the risk of inflation, and another day cite the lower than anticipated inflation rate as something to be concerned about. There are even different sets of indexes, one that includes core items (whatever that really means) and another that measures the inflation rate including energy costs.

The only thing that most American consumers concern themselves about from day to day, is how these costs impact them. Is their cost of living going up, staying the same, or going down. I have not met anyone recently that has told me that he feels that things are costing him less. At the supermarket, manufacturers continuing their clever "game" of effectively raising prices by keeping prices the same but reducing the package size. Shouldn't pricing be considered for these cost of living indexes the way the unit pricing is required by a lot of states, that is, by showing the cost per ounce, or per serving? Most of us have observed increased costs in milk, most meats, fowl, fish, cans of soda, bottles of soda, etc. Yet, we are being told that there is no or little inflation. While there might be temporary adjustments downward in certain categories, such as gas prices, or a specific item, the longer - term, overall scenario, is generally increasingly expensive!

Gas prices are constantly fluctuating, yet the pattern is that prices go up (despite the current situation of the past year or so, where supply and demand brought prices down, but note they always go up faster than they decrease! You think, maybe it's manipulated!) About the only thing that has not kept pace with these increases is average wages. Many workers are being paid for fewer hours, while others have been laid off. The unemployment rate statistically is under 5%, but realistically is more than 9%. While fewer people are unemployed, wages have been somewhat stagnant! Many Americans are either under-employed or unemployed, and this has been going on for so long, that, for many, unemployment benefits expired. When these people's benefits run out, the statistics show a lower unemployment rate, because the official statistics does not count people not collecting benefits. It also does not count individuals who owned small businesses, that had to go out of business, because owners of these types of businesses are generally not eligible for unemployment.

In Nassau County, New York, confusion occurs because of the difference between capped taxes and how it translates to individuals (overall taxes collected dictate the cap, but each individual may be impacted differently), and there may be few things as confusing as what assessed value actually means!)

The bottom line is that statistics are misleading. There is an old saying that the difference between a recession and a depression is, that it's a recession when it happens to someone else, and a depression when it happens to you. It is time for the American public to demand that our government officials stop partisan politics, and realistically address the economy and the joblessness issues, making those the overwhelming top priorities.

Remind your Representatives: Social Security Is NOT An Unfunded Entitlement!!

Most of us would agree that the continued deficit that the United States government is an unhealthy situation. Unfortunately, when topics such as this are discussed, they usually become a battle of distortions and political rhetoric, as well as people on opposite sides of the political spectrum blaming each other for the cause of the problem. We all know that this deficit should and must be addressed, and the process must begin immediately. However, the rhetoric of blaming Social Security and Medicare for this problem is at best unfair, and at worst, demagoguery.

1. Unlike most government spending which are financed out of the General Fund, and ideally come from taxes, fees, etc. received by the government, Social Security and Medicare both charge individual taxes, and every employee, business and self employed individual with earnings pays taxes supposedly to pay for this. Isn't it funny that just a short time ago, Senator Harry Reid stated that these programs did not contribute to the federal deficit, yet now we are constantly hearing chatter about how much they cost. In case you do not realize it, every self employed person pays approximately fifteen percent (15%) of his net before tax earnings for these two programs, in addition to all his other taxes. Employed individuals and their employers split this cost, also based on their before tax earnings. These earnings are actually taxed three times in most cases, once for the taxes (Social Security and Medicare) themselves, then for regular income tax (Federal, State and local, if applicable), and then, for most people, once again when they are distributed at retirement. How is that an entitlement? Isn't that a rather stiff tax?

2. Let us not confuse making these two systems better and more efficient, with this deficit issue. While efficiencies and improvements should be made, how dare politicians discuss them and lump them in with the overall debt.

3. In 2001, when President Bush assumed office, he inherited a surplus budget. Predominantly because of a combination of factors that took place in 2001, most notably the 9-11 tragedies, the United States embarked on a huge amount of spending to beef up security both here and abroad. In addition, an overall slowdown in the world economic situation, ever- increasing joblessness, etc., exacerbated the situation, and created a burgeoning federal deficit. Upon taking office in 2009, President Obama continued and expanded the bail out programs begun by President Bush, and the deficit kept expanding. This was the real cause! Back in the 2000 campaign, former Vice President Al Gore was scoffed at for speaking of a "lock box" to protect the Social Security system. This, of course, was never done, and the monies collected from Social Security and Medicare taxes have simply been commingled with the rest of the general fund revenue. Worse than being commingled, the government supposedly borrows from Social Security, and issues the equivalent of an IOU, which they have never made any attempt to repay. 
 
While people who have paid into these systems their entire lives are entitled to receive in their golden years what they were promised, that is far different from the usual definition of an entitlement, which is often an unfunded mandate. I implore each of you to think about fairness and integrity, and implore our elected officials to once and for all treat these two programs separately from the rest. In recent years, the age that someone can receive full benefits has gradually crept up, which is acceptable because of longer life expectancies, etc. I am not saying not to consider tweaks and improvements to these systems, but rather that we simply do not unfairly lump them into the overall deficit discussion.

You've paid into this system all your life, expecting to have it there for you, when you retire. Don't request, but demand Social Security be preserved, and these false accounting and rhetoric - driven methods are not acceptable! Have you ever wondered what happens when someone, without dependents dies younger, and therefore there are little to no disbursements made? This system is tax - driven, NOT a drain on the rest of the system. Merely because government representatives sometimes play games, rather than responsible budgeting, and it can print money, we, the people, cannot merely print money when we need it!

5 Components of Effectively Marketing Yourself

Most would agree that marketing is perhaps the most, if not one of the most essential ingredients for success in nearly every field of endeavor. Why do you think that the largest and most successful corporations spend so much time, effort and resources on marketing themselves, and attempting to create a specific and unique brand, that creates an attractive niche and compelling story? Since all of us, regardless of what we do, are involved in some sort of selling, it is important to understand what is needed to successfully market ourselves. Whether someone is a doctor, lawyer, salesperson, teacher, or stay - at - home mom, success requires selling every day. We either sell a product, a service, or ourselves, but we do sell! Since the advent and increased popularity of the internet, however, many people have abandoned the previous fundamentals of marketing, and begun to rely exclusively on the Web. However, success means using a broad - based, multi - media campaign, where we maintain a common focus throughout, in order to distinguish ourselves, thus creating a niche that develops our personal, quality, respected brand. While there are many possible components, those who seek to effectively market themselves should both understand and utilize these five components listed below.

1. Don't abandon direct mail and snail mail. There are still many individuals who prefer being contacted that way, and effective mailing pieces that enhance our brand, are key. However, cost containment requires doing this wisely, so make sure that you study the best and most effective way to use this, including your mailing list, types of piece, etc.

2. Use email and texts judicially and wisely. Under - utilization will have no impact, and overuse will strike many as a form of spam. Make sure that you use these forms when appropriate, but don't become overly reliant on them.

3. While a strong Social Media presence is wise and needed, don't fall into the trap of assuming that because you posted something here, there is widespread communication going on. The most effective usage is generally having links to compelling information, so that others will be interested. Don't either over or under - post, and remember that you must use these in coordination with the overall brand you wish to create and develop.

4. What is the feeling someone gets when they look at your Website? How easy is it to locate, and what does it say about you? Does it enhance your brand? Does the message being sent say what you are trying to communicate? Have you looked into SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? Yes, i did say, feeling. Are you communicating the same message through every modality you utilize?

5. Far too many individuals today build artificial walls by relying too heavily on these methods, while ignoring or nearly ignoring the all - essential methods of professionally using the telephone, and getting out and being face - to - face, with your potential constituents, stakeholders or desired audience. Therefore, it is very important to become professional in these methodologies.

Don't use one of these components, while overlooking others. Those that want to market themselves to their fullest potential, and thus get the best results, need to use the discipline to use all of these. Don't become one of those people who sits there, wondering why others are gathering more positive feedback, connections, etc, without addressing thoroughly, all 5 of these components!

Do You Effectively Budget Your Time?

Do you discover that you often have difficulty getting accomplished what you had hoped to achieve during the day? Are you often overwhelmed by the volume of things you feel you need to do, and then disappointed when you don't get them done? When introduced to a new idea or task, is one of your first thoughts that you don't have any time to do anything more? We must all take to heart the adage that both the wealthiest and most successful individuals each have the same 24 hours in their days, but the difference is how effectively they utilize their time. Isn't it interesting that so many people realize the need to manage their money and other aspects of their lives and careers, but neglect focusing on themselves and how they can achieve more and be far happier (and less stressed) simply by paying attention to how they manage and utilize their time. Whether this relates to optimizing your personal life and/ or efficiency, or becoming better in your field of endeavor, the better you manage your time, the better your chances, opportunities, options and possibilities! Time management means creating a time utilization action plan and adhering to certain specific disciplines:

1. Focus on you and what your true needs are: Are you as happy and content as you'd like to be? Do you feel fulfilled by the end results and what you can accomplish? Do you get done as much accomplished during the course of a day as you'd both like and need to?

2. Discipline: Are you willing to do what you need to do in order to develop more efficiency, and to do so habitually? Will you introspectively examine what process you are following, and commit to do things that enhance both your efficiency and effectiveness? Since we all know that some people are able to get more things done than others, doesn't it make sense to use a different approach or techniques?

3. Vision and goals: Time management begins with knowing and focusing on your priorities and what you wish to accomplish. Commit to following the adage of, "Don't sweat the small stuff," and focus on your goals.

4. Action plan with contingencies: Analyze what needs to be done, strategize, and create an action plan that you follow. This plan must pre - plan contingencies, or what is often known as having a backup plan or Plan B. By seamlessly do so, you become better able to manage your time efficiently.

5. Learn how to multi - task: Use even small intervals of downtime to begin to plan additional aspects or items you wish to get done.

6. No blame of others or yourself: Blame never achieves anything, is non - productive, and wastes time. Focus on what needs to be done from this point on, and on who might have done better in the past.

7. Can't change past, or even the present: So, pay attention to what you'll do from this point forward, and stop wasting time and effort on negative energies.

Nearly everyone can do a better job managing his time. Why shouldn't you do that for you?

Just Because It's New, Does Not Make It Better!

With all the new technology and technological advances, many people seem to believe that because it is newer, it must therefore be better, or more enhanced. While that is true when it comes to certain technologies, there are still certain examples when newer is not better. Examples mostly include industries where technology and service are either combined, or need to go hand in hand, such as telephone service and airline travel. While there certainly have been significant technological advances in both of these circumstances, it can be argued that the overall experience has not been improved significantly, if at all. Avoid the tendency to overly depend on newer technology, and ignore the more traditional, established approaches. This is especially true in service - centric businesses, such as Real Estate Professionals, and investment advisers! Remember, people like the personal attention, old - fashioned timely telephone conversations, etc, so don't merely text, email, or use Social Media. Also, be certain to avoid being the type of person whose best idea is the last "great" idea they heard!
 
1. Once upon a time, we had one telephone company which supplied our telephone equipment, maintained our internal and external wiring, and provided generally reliable service. Those classic black phones may not have been terribly stylish, but few of us even remember one of them not functioning. If we had any difficulty, we made one call to one company, and the problem was soon resolved. Today, land line telephone service is outnumbered by voice over internet services (VOIP), as well as by wireless/ cellular service. Our telephone equipment rarely lasts too many years, and it is next to impossible to find anyone to service it, and it is generally cost prohibitive to repair, so we simply purchase another telephone. It seems to me that there are far more dropped calls today, or some other static, interference, or trouble with our lines. Many people have abandoned land lines completely, depending entirely on their cell phone, but we all have experienced cell phone dead zones at one time or another. Relatively speaking, it is true that this competition and the enhancements has brought about lower pricing, but at what sacrifice. And, have you tried to get through to your telephone provider? How much of our time is wasted simply waiting to be connected with a real human being? With all the sophistications and enhancements, have you noticed better customer service, because I have certainly not? How often, at what cost, are you told, you should upgrade your Smartphone, etc, to newer technology? Apple "introduces" an IPHONE, using the smaller size of an older model, combined with most of the technology contained in their present model, and calls it new, and many millions, will purchase it!

2. In the latter part of the 1970's, the airline industry was deregulated, with the expressed intent of trying to provide more competition, and thus lower pricing for the consumer. While pricing was immediately lowered, have you flown recently? Spirit Air actually charges for carry on bags, while almost all domestic carriers have some sort of fee for checking bags. Meals on a domestic flight, forget about it! Legroom on most carriers is almost non -  existent. Customer service seems almost an anachronism! Most remarkedly, with all the technology, it actually takes longer on many routes today than it used to.

While technological enhancements are nice, they are not always that essential. Yes, many Smartphones have lots of applications, but many of those come at some cost, either for the app itself, the data used, the type of phone needed, etc. And, remember, the phone is only smart, when the user uses it smartly! And, no matter what cell phone or computer or tablet you have today, chances are it will be either outmoded or run of the mill pretty soon! Let's celebrate technology, but put these advancements into perspective!

Why It's Important To Respond To Emails Promptly?: How Long Does It Take?

One of the major drawbacks to e-mail as a communication methodology is the fact that, while some individuals promptly respond to e-mails, others do not. In fact, have you ever sent an e-mail to someone, and then wondered if it ever even arrived because you did not get a response in a timely manner.

Many businesses have studied this issue, and many require their people to carry Smartphones, so that response to e-mails is timely. Studies in the real estate industry indicate that the average response in that industry to e-mail is from 24 to 72 hours, while agents that are trained in properly using Smartphones, generally respond to e-mails in less than twenty minutes. Even 20 minutes is too long, because potential customers and clients often contact more than one agent simultaneously, and the first to respond effectively, is in an advantageous position! Obviously, the sooner someone gets a response, the more appreciated they feel, and thus it is particularly important for individuals who deal with the public, particularly in marketing, sales, or civic- type positions, to respond to e-mails quickly.

Studies have indicated that e-mails are often widely over-used, because many people are somewhat intimidated by telephone and personal communication. People can often feel more comfortable in written communication than oral. However, there are many times when e-mail does not speed up the process, because written communication is often misunderstood or incomplete. Oral communication is more personal, faster, and gives one the opportunity to have misunderstandings clarified.
Since face-to-face communication is considered the most effective, and phone calls are next, one must realize that e-mails are considered less effective than even text communication. Much of that is because of the less than timely response rate of much e-mail communication.

As I consult, I advise someone to always respond to all e-mails as soon as possible. If the answer to a question is not readily available, the response should be that you will check on it, and get back to the inquirer as soon as possible. Then, the receiver of the e-mail must follow through on his promise to respond.

If you are going to utilize e-mail for anything other than casual correspondence, it is essential to respond in a timely manner. Effective use of e-mail means that one cannot wait to respond until they get to their computer, but must use some sort of personal data device (PDA) to respond as soon as possible. You will be amazed how others will appreciate your effort and promptness. Remember that a Smartphone is only 'smart,' when the uses uses it smartly!

Natural Alternative for Stress Relief

For close to two decades, I was either in management, development, marketing or training of the use of natural health products as an alternative to conventional techniques. I have appeared on over 200 radio and television programs, and written a book published by Safe Goods Publishing in 1995, Natural Alternatives To Stress Relief.

Stress is a natural occurrence in everyday life. More prescription drugs are sold in the United States for stress and depression- related problems than for anything else. However, there is another approach for handling everyday stress, that does not require drugs. One of the definitions of stress offered by Dictionary.com is "physical, mental or emotional strain or tension." There are quite a number of "natural" approaches to stress that have been proven to be quite effective is assisting with coping, especially in mild to moderate cases. Some of these include:

(1) Relaxation exercises - - these exercises help to clear "stressed minds," relax stressed muscles, calm one's breathing, and slow down racing heartbeats.

(2) Music therapy - - for many individuals, there is nothing as relaxing as listening to music. Music can be calming in a number of ways. Music can serve as a "temporary escape," and help one to refocus away from whatever is the cause of the stress.

(3) Rest - - sometimes all that's needed. Very often, when someone has not slept well or had enough sleep (whatever is enough for them), it stresses them.

(4) Breathing exercises - - there are a variety of exercises that have been proven to be quite relaxing.

(5) Self- talk - - using techniques such as Affirmation Lists, Positive Mental Attitude, and other self-talk techniques, can often be extremely relaxing and stress- reducing. I have previously published articles on Affirmation Lists and Positive Mental Attitude.

(6) Natural remedies, including:

(a) Massage therapy- often reduces stress by reducing muscle tension, and slowing one down, thus relaxing them.

(b) Aromatherapy - many have found using this therapy to effectively reduce stress.

(c) Accupuncture/ accupressure - often removes negative "energies," or "chis," thus reducing aches, pain and anxiety.

(d) The Bach Flower Remedies - - I have extensively written about these in my book, Natural Alternatives for Stress Relief (published by Safe Goods in 1995), as well as in several published magazine articles. These remedies were discovered around 1930 by the British physician, Dr. Edward Bach, who found 38 wildflowers that, when made into essences, were extremely helpful in handling a variety of different emotional upsets. Dr. Bach also created a five- flower combination for stress relief that he called his Rescue Remedy. This five-flower combination is now manufactured under a variety of brand names. In my book, I go through a thorough discussion on the use of Dr. Bach's essences, as well as a variety of other natural stress relieving alternatives.

There is no one way to relieve stress. When the stress is acute enough, it is important to immediately contact a competent, trusted health professional. When stress is chronic, treatment should be dictated by degree of functionality or dysfunctionality. Each individual must determine for himself which approach is best for his situation. However, I feel it is important for people do realize that drugs are not always the only solution!

What Do You Do, When You Hear, "I Want To Think About It"?

Many of us have been in a scenario similar to this one. You have just given what you feel is a great presentation, and given numerous compelling reasons why someone should avail themselves of a particular service or product, and the person you are speaking to says to you, "I want to think about it."

One of the biggest errors that most presenters do at that point is "let the person off the hook," by responding that you'd like them to think about it, and you'll get back to them, or they should get back to you. In most sales- type situations, your greatest chance to "close the sale or deal" is when you are giving the presentation, because at that moment, you possess more control over the situation than at nearly any other point. How you react to their "I want to think about it" often makes all the difference.

A time-proven and effective technique is to calmly respond, "I can perfectly understand that, but what exactly is it that concerns you that you need to consider?" The next step, however, is the most crucial. Instead of anxiously continuously and trying to immediately respond, force yourself to "zip the lip" (Z.T.L.) The Z.T.L. method states that the next person to speak is in the weaker situation, and the one that keeps his lips zipped, generally ends up victorious.

Often, after a delay, the other person will respond something indistinct like, "I'm just not sure." If that, in fact, is the response, then your response should be a calm, "What may I clarify for you? What questions do you need answered?" Of course, it is then imperative to resume your Z.T.L. strategy.

Human nature, being what it is, makes this a far more difficult thing to do than it sounds like. We are all tempted to over-explain, and interrupt. Many of us fear questions, because we often lack confidence in our ability to explain an issue in detail.

Regardless of what the objection might be, one should always follow some variation of the following five steps:

(1) Repeat the objection to be sure you understand it. Say something like, "In other words, you're concerned about... "

(2) Then it is essential to empathize. Empathy is putting yourself in the other person's "shoes," as compared to sympathy which is feeling sorry. Never sympathize at this stage, but empathy is essential. The easiest way to do that is by stating, "I can perfectly understand the way you feel. I felt like that and most people I know felt the same way, until they realized a few things."

(3) Many people tend to try to skip this next step. You now must have listened effectively to the other person's concerns, so that you can now able to give the most compelling reasons why it should be the other person's priority.

(4) Once you've given your reasons, you must recreate the need, by stating, "In light of the reasons we've just discussed (and list them),"

(5) Finally, you must re-close the deal, by saying, "Doesn't it make sense to...?"

If all else fails, and you have done all the above steps, there is one additional thing to attempt. Calmly ask, "May I make a suggestion?" Again, Z.T.L., and Make a compelling, yet brief restatement of your case.

These are easy techniques to follow, but like all other things, requires practice and confidence, and then, finally, doing it.

Successful Negotiations Must Be Based on Mutual Trust, Respect & Understanding!

Having successfully negotiated many hundreds of contracts over more than the last three decades, I have often observed numerous negotiating techniques and philosophies. Perhaps the poorest model has always been the negotiator who overly exaggerates what he will deliver, and makes often outlandish demands of his adversary. While there are many reasons that behavior occurs, including lack of integrity, lack of expertise, character flaw, etc., the result is almost invariably an unsuccessful and unsatisfying negotiation. Successful professional negotiators understand and realize that negotiating using deceit may create initial positive results, but, over the course of the agreement, generally backfires. True negotiations professionals emphasize the development of a mutually beneficial relationship, based on trust, integrity, and solid business sense.

1. Since I have also spent the same period of time training and consulting to well over a thousand leaders, I have observed how little attention most organizations spend to the negotiating process. The reality is that negotiations are the second most neglected detail omitted by most in leadership, but perhaps nothing so essentially impacts an organization as the skill and results of their negotiations. Organizations and corporations must realize that effective negotiating is an acquired skill, and that many individuals can never become good negotiators. It takes a certain mindset, which includes a commitment to doing lots of homework, and truly understanding both needs, and what to ask for, as well as what the other side needs. A professional negotiator always approaches the art of negotiations as a relationship skill, which only strives optimally when approached on a win- win perspective.

2. Why is mutual trust and respect so essential for negotiating successfully? Firstly, when both sides communicate honestly and above board, it saves an enormous amount of time, and lets the negotiations concentrate on the main or core issues, and priorities. No one will win if both sides cannot walk away from the process feeling they got a fair and reasonable deal. Unprofessional negotiators, who make absurd demands, either end up sabotaging the talks, or eventually, the side that feels it was deceived and treated unfairly, finds some way to settle the score. In addition, professional negotiators today already are armed with a large majority of the facts and data, because of the shared nature of negotiations, especially in certain industries, in today's technological world. For example, when one negotiates with a hotel, it is important to realize that hotels share information in terms of the historical data that actually occurred. When a negotiator, then, makes claims that are unsupportable by the facts as the data points out, his credibility is suspect, and the ability to get meaningful concessions and agreements is often destroyed.

Most organizations, unless they employ a truly professional negotiator in- house (which in most cases, only the largest organizations, even if they do, have), are better served by utilizing the skilled services of a professional. However, they should beware, that like in most things, all negotiators are not created equal!

5 Components of Marketing Yourself

Most would agree that marketing is perhaps the most, if not one of the most essential ingredients for success in nearly every field of endeavor. Why do you think that the largest and most successful corporations spend so much time, effort and resources on marketing themselves, and attempting to create a specific and unique brand, that creates an attractive niche and compelling story? Since all of us, regardless of what we do, are involved in some sort of selling, it is important to understand what is needed to successfully market ourselves. Whether someone is a doctor, lawyer, salesperson, teacher, or stay - at - home mom, success requires selling every day. We either sell a product, a service, or ourselves, but we do sell! Since the advent and increased popularity of the internet, however, many people have abandoned the previous fundamentals of marketing, and begun to rely exclusively on the Web. However, success means using a broad - based, multi - media campaign, where we maintain a common focus throughout, in order to distinguish ourselves, thus creating a niche that develops our personal, quality, respected brand. While there are many possible components, those who seek to effectively market themselves should both understand and utilize these five components listed below.

1. Don't abandon direct mail and snail mail. There are still many individuals who prefer being contacted that way, and effective mailing pieces that enhance our brand, are key. However, cost containment requires doing this wisely, so make sure that you study the best and most effective way to use this, including your mailing list, types of piece, etc.

2. Use email and texts judicially and wisely. Under - utilization will have no impact, and overuse will strike many as a form of spam. Make sure that you use these forms when appropriate, but don't become overly reliant on them.

3. While a strong Social Media presence is wise and needed, don't fall into the trap of assuming that because you posted something here, there is widespread communication going on. The most effective usage is generally having links to compelling information, so that others will be interested. Don't either over or underpost, and remember that you must use these in coordination with the overall brand you wish to create and develop.

4. What is the feeling someone gets when they look at your Website? How easy is it to locate, and what does it say about you? Does it enhance your brand? Does the message being sent say what you are trying to communicate? Have you looked into SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? What is the purpose of your Website, and what do you hope to accomplish/ achieve?

5. Far too many individuals today build artificial walls by relying too heavily on these methods, while ignoring or nearly ignoring the all - essential methods of professionally using the telephone, and getting out and being face - to - face, with your potential constituents, stakeholders or desired audience. Therefore, it is very important to become professional in all of these methodologies.

Don't use one of these components, while overlooking others. Those that want to market themselves to their fullest potential, and thus get the best results, need to use the discipline to use all of these.

Being A Good Team Player, Does NOT Mean Blindly Obeying or Agreeing!

There is an adage that "there is no I in team," and while an over-simplification, is often the essence of effectively getting a project done, and done well. Many people confuse being a "good team player" with not taking any individual initiative. "Team players" that follow that kind of behavior rarely benefit their team of organization, but merely are often using the "team player" concept as a justification for not doing what's expected or needed of them. A good "team player" works with others in the group toward a common goal or vision, and each individual works either alone or with others toward the satisfactory completion of certain goals. However, being a "team player" certainly does not mean that an individual should "blindly" agree with others, if he has good reason to believe that he is right, and that their decision is neither well thought-out, nor beneficial to the organization.

In order to be a good "team player," one must understand the organizations needs, mission and vision. The individual must listen carefully and fully "buy into" the organization's significance. This individual must subordinate his own ego to the good of the group, and use his abilities to help the group. If the individual disagrees with the way the organization is going about achieving its goals, either believing the current methods being used are either incomplete, ineffective, or could be improved using another technique, it is the responsibility of that individual to respectfully approach the group and voice his concerns. This does not mean blaming anyone and certainly does not mean bead-mouthing anyone or anything. It means effectively explaining his case, and why changing the approach will improve the effectiveness and ability to achieve the organization's goals.

Whether this is in a business, an organization, or in another endeavor, never confuse being a good team player, with merely going along mindlessly or aimlessly. You become a far better member of any team, when your input makes it and you better!

Unfortunately, all too often, individuals will accuse someone who disagrees with them of not being a good "team player." Very often, there is nothing further from the truth! If one really cares about an organization's mission, he will attempt to improve its ability to successfully achieve its goals, rather than simply following the less effective "status quo."

There is a big difference between trying to improve an organization to make it more effective, and making radical changes that changes the organization's identity, often abandoning the mission (or reason for being) of that organization. There is a clear and distinct difference between evolution and revolution. All organizations need to evolve and adapt to changing times, by improving the way certain things are done. Organizations that do that live on for a very long time, and continue to achieve and merit belonging. As I've evaluating numerous organizations over the last three decades, I have noticed that in most cases, organizations that follow the "revolutionary" approach nearly always fail, because many of their most loyal and fervent followers and supporters feel a sense of abandonment, and the reason (justification) for the organization's existence (which is its mission) no longer continues in a recognizable form.

Organizations need "team players," while nurturing leaders who have the vision to work with members for the common good of that organization!

The Reason Strategic Plans Are Important!

While many organizations have heard of strategic planning, and even claim to strategically plan, few actually do so effectively. Many organizations and their leaders discuss strategic planning as if it is some sort of panacea for "fixing" the organization. That expression is almost as misused as "getting to the next level." It is somewhat amazing that few organizations, and few leaders seem to comprehend that strategic planning must be an ongoing process, if it is to be an effective use of time. Otherwise, what many organizations refer to as strategic planning ends up being little more than an exercise in philosophy and oration. This not only applies to organizations, but to each of us, in terms of our personal needs, goals, and priorities, as well as how to proceed, in terms of buying or selling homes, or investing philosophies. Home buyers must identify how much they can afford, as well as be comfortable with, and qualify for a mortgage, and maintain a strategy. Homeowners must have a flexible, realistic pricing and negotiating philosophy and approach. When investing money, one must clearly identify his objectives, and strategically seek either growth, income, a combination, or speculation, etc. The bottom line is, regardless of the circumstances, until, and unless, one has a vision, goals, priorities, needs and a clear - cut strategy, how can anything meaningful be achieved? The balance of this article shall be from the perspective of organizations, but the concepts are applicable to other aspects of life.
 
The first step in effective strategic planning is to properly identify where an organization is at presently, and how it got there. What is the history of the organization, and how does that and the organization's mission impact its planning? How can the organization evolve to improve, while maintaining its reason for being? Strategic planners must carefully understand the ramifications of its actions, or conversely, what the impact of not acting might be.

This process must identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, as well as the reasons and causes for each. All too often, so-called strategic planners inaccurately identify either strengths or weaknesses, or both, and then make decisions or recommendations based on false or faulty premises. This is often seen, especially on the weaknesses sign, when an organization is facing a challenge in a specific area, and often oversimplifies, misinterprets, or misunderstands the reason for the obstactle. When planning begins based on inaccurate premises, the plan is doomed from the onset.

Strategic planners must consider all alternatives in their deliberations. They must consider factors such as short-term, intermediate-term and long-term impacts, ramifications, costs both in terms of financial as well as personnel related. Costs include not only direct costs, but also indirect costs, such as the wastes and excesses. Planners must consider multiple alternatives, and weigh all relevant factors in analyzing ideas.

Strategic planning necessitates entering the process with an open mind, and considering alternatives. Where many organizations drop the ball, however, is that after they expend considerable time, energy and other resources in the process, they do not develop an action plan to assure the timely achievement of the plan.

Communication, As The Key To Quality Customer Service

Businesses and organizations spend incredible amounts of time, energy and dollars to attract potential customers and supporters, yet often neglect training their front line people sufficiently to have the skills and the abilities to deal effectively with people in often very trying circumstances. In business, we refer to these individuals generally as Customer Service Representatives, while in organizations they are generally paid staff and volunteer leadership. In over thirty years of training people in professional interpersonal business relations, I have come to realize that the best way to effectively deal with upset people is to listen to them, and let them know that someone is listening and someone cares.

Then, if the representative knows the answer, he should calmly and thoroughly explain it so that the other person understands as well. If, on the other hand, the representative is uncertain of the information, the best thing to do is to calmly state that he is uncertain, but will get the information, and get back to the person within a specified period of time. It is then urgent that the customer representative indeed get back to the concerned party, and provide them with the information. It is always better to be open and honest, even if the answer is not what the other person may want to hear, than to fabricate an answer or avoid an answer. In addition, cliches and empty rhetoric must be avoided at all costs! Below I am going to provide a couple of examples that indicate what all too often is done, as well as try to explain what should have been done instead.

Consider this, also, from the perspective of how independent contractors, in both product - oriented, as well as service - centric industries, should utilize these same principles. Think about this from the perspective of what a client or customer seeks from his real estate professional, financial adviser, etc.
 
1. Several years ago, I was on a Yugoslavian Air (JAT) flight that was scheduled to fly from Athens to New York, with a short stopover in Zagreb. When the plane landed in Zagreb, we were told to deplane while the plane was to be serviced, and we would be informed when to re-board. About an hour later, we were informed that the plane needed a part, and that they were waiting for it to arrive shortly. In this extremely hot crowded terminal, no additional information was provided for hours. We continued to be told, "Soon." Finally, after about three hours (remember our original stopover was supposed to be less than an hour), I went up to a Customer Service counter, and the representative starting giving me the same rhetoric. I interrupted and said we both know that's not true, and finally said, "No more rhetoric and party lines. What's the story?"

Only then did the representative admit that the part and the mechanic both had to be flown in and their flight was not scheduled for hours, and that she did not know how long the repair would take. At that point, I suggested that passengers deserved some sort of consideration, if only a meal voucher, and that they deserved to know the truth. Miraculously, within about fifteen minutes, they came around and distributed meal vouchers (although you don't really want to eat the food at Zagreb airport), and made an announcement explaining the facts, and that they would make hourly announcements. A great start, but then when an hour passed without any further announcement, I reminded the nice customer service people that they needed to make the announcement. The lesson to be learned is that proper and competent customer service would have been to communicate openly and fully from the start, not make any promises that they could not keep, and always keep the promises made.

2. A power outage in my area (which lasted nearly a week) was also a customer service fiasco. There was very limited communication of any sort, and most of what had been communicated has either been contradictory or inaccurate. We were never given a straight answer by the Long Island Power Authority, as to what to expect and when! Is that effective customer service?

Most people get somewhat upset when something goes wrong, but almost all handle it far better when they are provided accurate and caring customer service, than when the service is spotty at best. This is an essential lesson for all businesses, and all organizations to learn from!

3. Think about this if you have either bought or sold a home! Wouldn't you want your real estate professional to do, what I have created as my trademarked slogan, I'll tell you what you need to know, NOT just what you want to hear!  TM 
 

The ABCDE of Being A Professional Negotiator

How often have you confronted a situated when you realized how helpful it might be to you if you were a better and more proficient negotiator? Isn't it somewhat disconcerting that while most of us recognize how important negotiations are to our personal, professional and organizational lives, there are so few who are truly proficient at the process? In order to become a truly professional negotiator, there is a need to understand the ABCDE of being competent and professional in our negotiating abilites, skills and practices. This means that negotiations are dependent on a combination of: attitude; belief in your position; clearly articulating your needs; delivering on any and all promises made; and expanding your mind to create and understand alternatives. Whether you are negotiating something personally, seeking a better contract, represent others regarding either a real estate purchase or sale (real estate professional), are a financial adviser, etc, quality, effective, negotiating skill will best serve your interests and needs (and those you serve and/ or represent)!

1. Like most impactful activities and skills, negotiating effectively begins with our attitude. This means believing in our positions, being comfortable in our positions and own skin, and believing in our skills and abilities. It also means being positive in our approach, thus focusing on ways to make the process work rather than on the reasons why it might not! How can anyone be effective as a negotiator if he begins with anything less than a positive and productive attitude?

2. Do you believe in the positions or stances you are taking? Are they honest and forthright, thus enhancing your ability to develop a relation with your negotiating adversary, converting the process from adversarial to cooperative? Do you behave in a manner of absolute integrity, expressing your needs, while understanding the process and needs of the other side of the negotiations?

3. How clearly do you articulate your needs and/ or positions? How can you expect to be productive and get the results you need and desire if you don't clearly and express these items? Do you describe your priorities, advantages, and limitations, as well as any concerns you might have?

4. Never make promises during any negotiating that you are not certain that you can deliver! Many individuals who participate in a negotiation approach the process with the false belief that they need to deceive and exaggerate, while the reality is generally that there is little less productive activity one can take during this process. When cooperation, integrity and transparency is the emphasis, the results are optimized exponentially!

5. Expand your mind's ability and willingness to consider alternatives! When both sides understand each others needs, they gain the ability to see how each might benefit, thus helping each other, by doing things in a different manner, thus creating the optimum win - win scenario. For example, in a hotel/ group negotiation, when the group envisions ways to save the hotel money that can then be utilized to reduce the group's costs and expenses, this win - win may be achieved and enhanced!
If you are to begin negotiating, do it the proper way! Understand the components, adhere to them, and become proficient in their use!

The Facts May Not Be The Whole Truth!

Many people falsely assume that when one gathers the facts, he always finds the truth. While many times that may turn out to be the case, there are many other times when facts don't lead someone automatically to the truth. Pete Townsend wrote, "The facts don't always reveal the truth, but the truth always reveals the facts." Although, at first, this may seem somewhat inconsistent, in far too many instances it is the case. Consider this when you make decisions/ judgments, and especially when you evaluate what you are being told by any sales representative, especially professional Real Estate agents/ salespersons/ Brokers, as well as financial advisers. It's not merely about telling the truth, but rather how you couch the facts!

1. Not all situations are automatically "black and white" matters. In many real life instances, there are often cases where there is far more "gray." Statistics, for example, are often manipulated to offer a certain desired set of facts, but those facts are often not the entire story. How a survey item for a poll, for example, often determines the results that might be gathered. For example, in today's world, most of us have been, at least somewhat, adversely impacted. Therefore, if the question asked, "Are you satisfied with the economy?," nearly everyone would answer no, and the number would show a large dissatisfied situation. However, if questions such as, "Do you agree with the President's approach towards the economy?," the numbers might show different results. But, if the question was, "Do you agree with the President's approach, the opposition party's approach, or neither?," we most probably would get an entirely different set of responses. It then, of course, depends on who is being asked, and how the data is being collected. Another example might be that it might be a fact that membership, for example, diminished during someone's tenure in office, but does that make the truth that it had to do with that person's leadership? Or was the situation inherited? As you can see, there are a number of variables involved.

2. On the other hand, when something is the truth, all the facts must align with that truth. Truth is based on legitimate facts, and the legitimate and honorable handling of those facts, as well as the ability to accurately interpret things. So many leaders fail to achieve their objectives because they simply see a set of facts, and those facts end up forming what they perceive as truth. Truth is composed of various and numerous facts, and without the training to interpret them, or the commitment to research the details, or the integrity to utilize those facts in a non- biased, non- prejudicial manner, many individuals in leadership mishandle facts to "prove" their version" of the truth. Honest and real truth cannot and does not have versions - it is simply the truth!

How many times have we heard people use a certain set of facts to justify or prove their point of view. Just because a particular set of facts might be interpreted in a certain manner, that does not make that the truth.

Why Budgets Are Important/ Essential, & The Process Is, & Should Be Treated, As A Serious One?

Almost all well-run businesses and organizations prepare budgets at least annually. Unfortunately, very often, the budget process becomes more of a formality, required process, or activity, than a useful document. While budgets should be part of a careful and detailed process and analysis of a businesses or organizations needs, and how to get there, it is much more common that the budget is merely a "bunch of numbers" that "have to be" prepared, than anything useful. "Let's just prepare it and get it passed" is an often stated opinion. "It doesn't really matter, because we'll just change it if we need to anyway," is repeated ad nauseum, making the entire process little more than a waste of time and energy. Why expend the time, monies and resources on preparing a budget, if you're not planning on using, and taking advantage of what it can do for you?
 
 Dictionary.com defines "budget" as an "estimate of expected income and expenses, and when used as a "verb (used with object)," as "to allot (money, time, etc.). However, the definition does not detail the important functions that a properly prepared budget can and will provide. Budgets should not be merely a bunch of meaningless numbers that have been thrown together to prepare the document. Only if a budget has been prepared utilizing "zero based budgeting" does a budget reach its full potential.

Who should use a budget? The answer - nearly everyone? Whether you are looking to your personal finances, etc, are considering the costs/ rewards of any venture (e.g. selling a home; investing in a particular investment, etc), or you are either a for, or not - for - profit organization, proper use of a well - prepared budget, will generally position you, etc, towards the best possible approaches, solutions, etc.
 
When either preparing or reviewing a budget, first carefully review the income (or revenue) side. How has each line item been calculated? How does each number compared with the actual for each of the last three years? What methods, techniques, or "revenue growers" are to be used in this upcoming cycle? It is important to recognize, when one prepares a budget, to be very conservative with revenue or income estimates and projections, and very aggressive in calculating expenses.

Expense items need to be reviewed very carefully, item by item. Commonly, businesses or organizations use the "previous budget plus" concept, which means it simply takes what was spent (or even worse, projected to be spent) in the previous budget cycle, and a specified percentage is simply added across the board to most expense items. When budgets are prepared this way, they are truly the waste of time and effort mentioned above. However, when each item is analyzed on a "needs" and "effectiveness" basis, one often realizes that monies are expended in many areas that do not provide the required result, while in other areas, more funds may need to be spent. One then also develops the philosophy of "thinking outside the box," and developing creative methods to more effectively spend funds, or "get more bang for the buck." One using this method develops an important document that guides decision making, as well as provides direction. A properly prepared budget should not be revised during its cycle, unless there is some sort of emergency or other form of extraordinary circumstance.

Budgets should always include at least one realistic reserve fund. The reserve fund may be exclusively for unanticipated maintenance and repairs, or for some other unanticipated need. When budgets do not include reserves, they almost invariably need to be tweaked and readjusted during the cycle, thus weakening the intended and important purpose of a properly prepared budget.
Anyone who reviews a budget should ask a lot of questions, and request a detailed budget, as opposed to merely a summary budget. Some of these include; 1) What items make up that line item, and how are they broken down? 2) What alternatives were considered in this area? 3) Have we evaluated alternatives regarding utilities and telephone, etc.? 4) Which program worked the most effectively and why? 5) How do we market, and why do we market the way we do?
The above are simply a sample of some worthwhile questions. The most important thing to do is always ask questions about anything that you do not find clear. Do not be embarrassed - chances are if you find something confusing, so will others.

Budgets can be the most important process used by a business or organization, or simply an exercise. Each of us owe it to anything we believe in, to explore all alternatives and possibilities. Many nay-sayers like to state that "It's only a small amount. It won't amount to anything- it's not large enough." Nothing could be further from the truth. Budgets are refined by making many small adjustments in multiple areas. You'd be amazed how much the total of all these adjustments add up to. Think of the adage, "You know how you eat an elephant - one bite at a time!"

5 Key Considerations To Close The Sale

Wouldn't it be great if a sales person, who was properly trained and motivated, would be able to not only give a great presentation, but could also effectively and consistently close the sale? The very essence of the word sales presupposes that something is sold, but unless the sales person consistently closes his presentation by asking for the sale and being prepared for the possible objections, the sales closing ratio is dramatically reduced. Zig Ziglar examined what presented the biggest challenges to selling and put it this way, "Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust." In my nearly thirty five years in sales training, marketing and sales related field, I have discovered that those obstacles can be overcome when the individual is properly trained and motivated.

1. If the obstacle is that the potential customer does not perceive that he has a need, it is a sales person's job to find, create and communicate the need. This requires effectively listening and asking relevant questions, in order to discover precisely what someone's hot button may be. A hot button is what motivates and excites that individual, and propels him to take action.

2. When we are told that there is no money, it may mean more than one thing. It may mean that someone actually does not have the money, or it may mean that you have not adequately demonstrated the need. When someone says they have no money, that is precisely the time to ask the individual if money were not a factor, would he then be willing to proceed. Great sales and marketers are great listeners, and develop meaningful rapports with potential customers or clients.

3. One of the most common reasons that sales are not closed is that many people prefer to procrastinate for as long as they can, and thus are not only in no hurry to make a decision or take an action, but focus on ways to delay doing so. Again, what differentiates the top sales person from the rest is his ability to motivate people to action, and demonstrate why taking action now is so important and relevant to that individual.

4. If a potential customer appears to have no desire, it often means that you have either not listened effectively, discovered that person's hot button, or effectively communicated your message in order to motivate him to take action.

5. People will not buy from people they don't trust. If you come off as trying to sell, especially if it appears that your main interest is in making a sale, the vast majority of people will not trust your motivations or integrity. Rightly or wrongly, sales people are not held in the highest esteem, and therefore, it is often wiser to think of yourself as a customer representative, or offering something of importance, than simply selling. Maintain your integrity at all times!

Understanding these obstacles, and also understanding the five steps needed to handle and overcome objections, combined with asking for the sale, results in the optimum results. Remember that each of us sells either a product, a service, or ourselves each and every day!

Price Is Always Important, But Rarely The Only Issue (Nor Even The Most Important)

Especially in challenging economic times, people seriously consider how much things cost and what the price is. When I was the Chief Operating Officer of a natural products manufacturer years ago, I remember that our price point was a serious consideration, in order to best position our products optimally in relation to others.

However, while pricing and costs are important factors, when it comes to conferences and conventions, a far more important factor is almost always perceived value. In my three decades of hotel negotiations, event planning, and conference and convention planning and operations, I have witnessed repeatedly, situations where organizations over-emphasized only the price that participants would pay. In doing so, they often neglected creating a program and agenda that would attract attendees. Sometimes even more importantly, these organizations did not sufficiently emphasize the attendee's conference experience, and when that attendee went "back home," rather than being the organization's best ambassador, he reported a less than stellar experience.

The almost laughable, if it were not so incredibly short-sighted, part of this is that the amount of "cost savings" that these organizers implemented, had little impact on attracting significantly more attendance. However, at the same time, this reduction created financial risk for the organization and an inability to provide a superior attendee experience.

Organizers must recognize that a small price decrease in the fee for attending a conference often has little real impact on attendance. If it works at all, it only works in local events, where there are few expenses incurred by attendees besides the registration fee. However, many conferences require travel and hotel costs, and those costs often "dwarf" the registration fees.

In addition, if an organization is going to lower its registration fee, by how much will they reduce it? How much is a significant enough reduction to encourage additional attendance? What will be the overall impact on what conference organizers can do, when revenues are reduced?

I have heard numerous conference and convention organizers state that the reduced revenues will be offset by increased attendance. However, what these organizers often under-estimate is the true cost to the conference per attendee. If it takes more attendees to generate the same revenue, and registration fees are reduced by, for example ten percent, how much will attendance have to go up to offset the drop in revenue combined by the true cost per attendee? In many cases, a ten percent registration fee reduction will require close to a twenty percent increase in attendance and registrations.

Unfortunately, like many things done by many organizations, their conferences are often run by well-meaning individuals, who are, nevertheless, less than professional conference and convention coordinators. Organizations must analyze both the short term and longer term ramifications of addressing solely the registration fee issue, without, at the same time, analyzing the perceived value aspect. It is essential that organizers fully understand all aspects involved, including, especially, understanding their niche or target market.

This same mindset must be utilized when one selects his real estate professional. Nearly everyone inquires about the commissions being charged, but is that really what should be the most important, or primary question? In real estate, the commission becomes part of the selling price, so if one professional is capable of making the procedure more stress - free, by pricing the home to sell (from the start, rather than promising often unreachable, pie-in-the-sky prices), holding the clients hands throughout the process, saving time (and thus costs, by getting the deal closed sooner, etc), shouldn't that be more important? After all, if an agent does not feel strongly enough about the value he brings to the process to explain, and negotiate his commission, how will negotiate best for you, when the process gets to that stage?

Think about value, rather than merely price! True - price matters, but it's only part of the bigger picture. As Paul Harvey famously says, "And now you know the rest of the story."  

Economic Data: How We Gather & Interpret Information, & The Results

Economic data and financial news might be the most analyzed and, at the same time, the least truly understood information in the news today. For example, was the fact that China's economy continued to grow good or bad news, and is its less than stellar performance positive or negative, and why? One analyst might report that China's continued growth was indicative that there was still growing worldwide demand, which should be good for the world's economies. At the same time, other analysts saw this growth as occurring as a result of the Chinese government pumping large infusions of monies into their economy, and at the same time, artificially keeping the value of the Chinese currency "cheaper" than it would be if it were permitted to be freely traded on world markets. Still another economic analyst stated that this growth is causing runaway inflation and an overheated economy, that the analyst then referred to as "The flip side of the American economic problems." As we later learned, some of the reported data may, or may not have been accurately reported or gathered, but isn't the real point, why, and how, we react to any sort of blip?

The economic analysts breathtakingly await the various weekly "reports," including the jobs reports (which should actually be referred to as the 1) Those submitting new preliminary unemployment applications; and 2) The official unemployment rate. Then, they argue about the numbers, which are invariably either better or worse than "expectations." Whose expectations, and why do we continue to refer to them if the actual numbers are almost either better or worse than anticipated? The official unemployment or joblessness rate is another curious number because it only includes those that are still actively searching for employment- that is, are presently collecting unemployment benefits. Therefore, this does not refer our count the under-employed, the consultants whose income have dwindled, commissioned salespersons incomes, or small business owners (who are ineligible for unemployment benefits). Many believe that the approximately r% official rate becomes closer to 10 or 11%, when these situations are also included.

The inflation rate, or the manner in which the Cost of Living rate are calculated is another controversial situation. If gas at the fuel pump, and home heating oil have risen dramatically, and airfares are significantly higher, and tolls and train fares have jumped, and food per ounce is significantly more money, am I the only one that wonders how the official inflation rate is stated as being very, very low, yet when oil prices dropped dramatically to current levels, our stock market is adversely affected, while nearly every consumer has benefited at the pump, and heating their homes. We argue about tax breaks, etc, but isn't a lower oil price, far more impactful than any tax change mentioned. Terms like seasonally adjusted, commonly used, essentials, non essentials, etc., further confuse the issue. Suffice it to say that I doubt there are too many people who believe any inflation number. Of course, for we conspiracy theorists, we might find it curious that the same government who has a vested interested in keeping the official numbers low (political, Social Security Indexing, government union contracts, etc), are also the ones that calculate this index.

One month we show improvement in housing starts or housing sold. Another month a drop. However, is this an increase or drop from what levels, and how long does a homeowner have to wait to have his home sold today versus a few years ago, and at what price point.

The point of this discussion is simply that we should all be cautious and beware when we see these financial and economic indexes and numbers. While they no doubt, may have some limited value, I question whether that value makes up for all the 'spin," confusion, and misinformation that we receive whenever any of this data is released.

The Difference Between Ego & Excellence

One of the least understood behaviors is what most of us refer to as being egotistical. While some individuals voice much bravado and appear to be applauding themselves and patting themselves on the back continuously, someone with a truly healthy self image does not find that type of self praise necessary. The reality is that if someone speaks about achievements in order to demonstrate experience and expertise, and they were real achievements, that is not bragging, but if someone exhibits false bravado and overstates his achievements, then it is simply self promoting. Walt Whitman stated, "If you have done it, it ain't bragging." When you seek, for example, a Real Estate professional, or personal financial representative, beware of self - serving comments made, and delve more deeply, to determine whether it is merely ego, or is it true excellence!

1. There is often a huge difference between mere experience and true expertise. Just because someone has had some experience, it does not mean he has learned sufficiently from it, for it to provide some advantage or expertise. I'm sure we have all met people who appear to be egotistical, whose behavior ends up being more based on insecurity and the need for attention, applause, gratitude, etc., than it is related to any type of superior knowledge or expertise. For example, in politics, when a politician points to his record, it can either be a case of bragging, or true excellence. Was he actually the cause of the positive results? Were there actually any positive results at all? Especially as it relates to politics and politicians, there is often a distinct line that gets blurred between true achievement and excellence, versus falsely taking credit or distorting one's achievements. This is caused partly by convincing one's self that they were actually excellent and actually believing it, a desire to win and election, political spin, ego or false ego, or being delusional. Similarly, in any service industry, who you select, must be more based on their attitude, intention, etc, and less on rhetoric, etc.

2. I have been involved in the event industry for well over thirty years. During that time, I have come across quite a number of people who thought of themselves as being event planners or event experts, while the reality was that they, at most, chaired a program, event or a committee, and perhaps got involved in certain aspects of the event planning process. Therefore, when it comes to event planners, while I can state that I will guarantee cost savings and superior event planning and superb results, that statement is not bragging but rather the facts based on my years of experience, my gained expertise and knowledge, and the results I have consistently achieved. On the other hand, it is bragging when someone who perhaps was involved in previous events but does not possess the prerequisites to be considered expert, claims to be an event expert.
Bragging is only offensive when it is untrue. Otherwise, it may be merely a recitation of the facts. In either case, however, it should be done with tact and without being offensive.

Distinguish carefully and thoroughly, between mere ego, and true excellence. Seek the best one can be, and gaining relevant experience and expertise, rather than merely ego - fulfillment. 

The Power of Constructive Criticism

Although many of us dislike when others criticize us, when we are the recipients of fair and constructive criticism, it generally places us in the best possible position to achieve to our full potential. One of the most difficult activities for most people is to be objectively introspective, and to be both willing and able to identify both our strengths and weaknesses, and take needed actions to address any items that we might be able to improve upon. Think about these words from Sima Qian, whem he stated, "Though bitter, good medicine cures illness. Though it may hurt, loyal criticism will have many beneficial effects." However, unless we are both willing and able to listen to criticism, and then to learn from it, and take proactive steps for improvement, the curative impacts of an honest critique will never reach its optimal effect. Regardless of one's field of endeavor, no one is ever perfect, and we all can potentially improve and do things better. If one is in a service industry, such as real estate professionals and investment advisers/ representatives, keeping one's eyes wide - open, and being aware of personal strengths and weaknesses, helps you become better! A constructive, well - intentioned, fair critique, is enormously helpful, for self - improvement!

1. What is the difference between mere criticism and constructive criticism? While it is generally quite easy for anyone who looks to identify issues that are less than perfectly handled, etc., the mere identification of these issues generally serves little constructive purpose. Constructive criticism is not about nit - picking, nor should it ever be used as an avenue for blame, insinuation, etc. Let's take for example how this difference impacts reviewing an event. The angry criticizer will simply bring up what went wrong, and act like he is attacking the event coordinators, often somewhat unfairly, and nearly always not constructively. On the other hand, constructive criticism reviews every aspect of the event, and while perhaps giving a less than favorable overall review, focuses on how these issues might have been addressed, and should be done in the future. It may require a thorough examination of negotiations, including skills, requirements, methods, and other basics. It may discuss technical issues, such as room setups, banquets, meetings, food and beverage items, etc. Or, it may involve a discussion about costs, priorities, etc. Another focus might be on marketing, etc. If done in a positive manner, the coordinator of the past event, who may have tried hard but simply not been fully prepared, will feel appreciated and maintain his motivation and commitment, while gaining valuable knowledge and insight for the future.

2. In my over three decades of consulting on leadership issue, I have on numerous occasions been asked to evaluate and "rate" individual leaders, in terms of their performance, preparedness, commitment, etc. Because I feel blame and negativity is rarely constructive, I approached these tasks with the objective of making these leaders far better at what they do. By identifying not only what went wrong, but how to remedy and rectify in the future, a less than stellar performing leader can eventually be molded into a true leader.

Constructive criticism is one of our most powerful teaching and training tools. Those who use critiques as a method to teach and motivate have discovered what a fabulous impact they can have.