The Kind of Networking that Leads to Success...

Good Morning!

I have been watching the activity on a Professional Networking site...

My guess is that you are a member of this site...

What I discovered was that many, if not most people using it...are wasting their time!

More on this later...

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There are weeks that "The Update" is written well ahead of time...and then there are days like today!

I used to think that this disparity was caused by the weekly events...some weeks were insightful and others boring...

Then I realized that life's events are relatively consistent.  Things do not go from exciting to boring as much as I would like to believe that they do...

In reality...the classifications of boring, challenging, exciting, restful...and so on...are a matter of my perception...

One week...one event was exciting...an event very similar event weeks later...was boring...

It was then that I realized that I controlled my days!

From this I realized that "The Updates" depended on my ability to observe, assess and gain insights...

Every week is a gift that is full of insights....to those who have the discipline to stop and look for them...

My ability to write the update is the result of my power of observation and not at the whims of what life gave me!

If I lacked an "Update" at the end of the week...it was my fault!  and that situation itself acts as a reminder that I was distracted!

My advice for those who desire success...look for daily and weekly insights...(THEY ARE THERE!)

If you are not finding them...adjust and make finding insights...and the application of those insights to your journey an integral part of your routine!

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Question:  Why do people use professional networks?

Answer:  A majority of the time...they are building these networks to find employment or seek other opportunities...

Question:  How many people do you know who have been terminated or laid-off from a job...get hired back?

It happens...but it is rare!

Yet I see many people building professional networks based on co-workers...

Think about this...coworkers are of low value...

Networking is about expanding your horizons and possibilities...

Finding NEW opportunities...

Seriously...stop wasting your time connecting with friends on professional networks...

That is for Facebook...

If Professional networking is to be effective...your must expand...to people who you do not know!

ENOUGH SAID

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New Strategy for SUCCESS...

Stop wasting your time connecting with people you know...

Unless they serve as the gate through which your get closer to your goals!

First...determine what you want...

Second...determine who can help you obtain what you want...

Third...create paths (networks) that take you closer to what you want...

PURSUE those paths...

You'll find how infrequently those you know will play a apart in your future...

 If you are working to find your next step-up in your career...or setting the stage for your future (in case you find yourself laid-off)...what good is connecting to your coworkers doing to do for you?

If you are going to use networking to promote your career aspirations...then use it efficiently...otherwise...use Facebook!

Enough Said!

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Social media...

This is...(or can be) another great form of networking...

However...do not allow the pursuit of numbers distract you from reality...

Let me give you an example...

Twitter...

It is an excellent way to efficiently get your message out to a broad audience...

However it requires building a network of followers...

Many people go out a build thousands if not tens of thousands of followers!

What they do not realize is that there are human followers and then there are "robos!"

Twitter is recognized as the first step in an effective social media campaign...

It didn't take very long for creative people to come up with automated systems to "tweet!"

That is what a "robo" is...it is a "robotic tweet machine!"

Many people follow robos...not knowing that they are simply talking to a PC!

There is no impact or value related to having a PC talking to a PC!

500 human followers is much more valuable than 100,000 robos!

When you work to build a following...look for and find ways to ensure that you are communicating with a human...(yes there are systems available that you can purchase to do that too!)

Don't waste your time tweeting to machines!

That network will do nothing for you!

Enough Said!

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Have a great weekend!

Keep focused on your real goals!

Do not confuse your measures of success!

Getting diverted will do nothing but waste your time...and heaven knows...that is a limited resource!

Pura Vida!

The Biggest Mistake...

Good Morning!

When a successful people look back on their lives...

and they are honest with themselves...they have to admit...

That there were many more mistakes and failures than the few brief instances that made them what they are...

If a person is lucky...their proverbial "15 minutes of fame" lingers for a lifetime!

From this arises an entire set of "looming questions"

Like...

Does success require a glut of trial and error?

Or...
Is life filled with false starts?

Or...

Are more dreams shattered than fulfilled?

Or...

Are the best laid plans...destined to fail...because of inherent flaws?

The strange thing is...

The answer to all of these questions are...

YES!

Those same successful people have this characteristic as a common experience...numerous failures...

It is true that a rare few have golden touches...or are handed success on a silver platter...there are exceptions to this rule of multiple failures...but...

Their first piece of advice to those who aspire to success is...

Do not count on being one of those gifted individuals...Did you catch the word?

Gifted...Undeserved...Unearned...

The chance that you will "soar" on your first attempt...is about the same as winning the lottery!

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From those "facts...another interesting characteristic of successful people becomes apparent and that is the real theme of this expose!

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Those who have spent any time with me know that I have a personal axiom that I freely share with anyone who will listen...

It goes like this..."The Biggest Mistake that a person can make is...

...NOT STARTING!"

While I am on the subject of personal axioms...let me add...

I also define the "real failure" as "the realization of how close to success one was...

...WHEN THEY QUIT!"

Here are some epiphanies of the utterly obvious...

...Things never happen if they never start...

and...

Quitting, prior to achieving success is as good as not starting...

Now that we have laid the foundation...

A common theme of many successful people is that they did not define success in specific terms with a specific set of expectations...as some would guide...

They actually define success in general terms so that it allowed for adjustments in the journey...

Another theme was that the set backs or interim failures, did nothing to deter them from their goal...in other words...they didn't quit!

These people NEVER allowed anything to stop them...from general success...

Another interesting thing that I have learned from successful people is...

They were never too proud or assuming to ask...

There is an astute (but DUH!)...(Another epiphany of the utterly obvious...) realization that...

Any unasked question or favor is automatically NO!

It is silly how many people kill success by not asking...or...

Just doing something about it!

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So what is success all about?

If there is something to be done...

THEY START...

If there is a question...

THEY ASK...

If the effort fizzles...

They go on to another...

or...

They try again!

If they get NO!

They ask again...of someone else!

and the biggest mistake that they do not make...

Is not starting!

Ask...Start...and never quit!

Failure in any of these three aspects...will destine a person to failure...

Success is that simple!

I refuse to belabor the point...I have things to do...

Enough Said!

Pura Vida!  

The Critical Role of Dirt in Your Success...

Good Morning!

I have always promoted the importance of learning...to an invividual's or organization's success...

We generally think that learning is an attribute assigned solely to individual organisms...

I believe that any entity is capable of learning...

Including entities that are comprised of multpile organisms..."a collective"

Individual ants learn...and that information leads to a behavior change in the entire colony...

Bees are the same...

These individuals learn and this leads to the collectives learning...which manifests itself in change which means the survival or a benefit to the whole...

They will not survive if knowledge does not manifest itself in change!

Organizations can and MUST do the same!

Learning is more than simply acquiring knowledge or information...

The value of "acquired information" is only realized when it elicits a behavior change!

An individual or organization can only claim that it is capable of learning...when it is capable of changing its behavior...based on the acquired information...

In this context...ignorance is a good excuse for improper behavior...but lack of change (when the information exists) is inexcusable...and in most cases...it carries with it a "death penalty!"

The dynamics of change driven by information is critical not only to survival...but also to growth...

The more quickly that an individual or organization can acquire information and adapt...the higher the probability of survival...or growth!

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This past autumn...I gathered the seed from our favorite cactus...

I was able to amass about a "half-cup" (dry measure) of them, and I put them in a bottle...and they are sitting on the ledge, of the window above the kitchen sink.

Next to that bottle is a small flower pot containing some dirt...and I put one cactus seed in that pot...

In just a few days, it sprouted and has grown into a cactus!

Inches away...sits that container of cactus seeds...all with the same potential to become cacti...but they are doing nothing...completely dormant!

The difference between?  The dirt!

I learned a lesson from this observation...

The dynamics of life (for the seeds) depends on the dirt!

Most people rue the time when "dirt" enters their lives...

Dirt in this case is not "defamatory" information...but simply the undesirable and unpopular conditions...

If a seed avoided "getting dirty" because it was uncomfortable or that they thought that the dirt it would ruin their reputation...they would never sprout and grow into what its potential!

There is a risk associated with "getting dirty" but there are also benefits...

Success starts with a seed of hope...

Dirt is not an option to success...it is a required ingredient!

You can not stand next to dirt and expect to grow...

It is time that we realize...that to be a success...

You have to get dirty!

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So what do these two  unrelated topics have in common...

First...that a discovery should elicit a behavior change...

That the observation of the seeds taught me (I learned) that you have to get into the dirt in order to grow and florish...

You can not sit protected and expect to become anything close to your potential...

You can not be successful...without getting dirty...

I could talk about this for a long time...but the fact of the matter is...
It's your choice...

Enough Said...

Pura Vida!
         

Who is REALLY Responsible for Your Success?

Good Morning...

I had many insightful discussions this week with individuals who work with me and many more who used to work with me...

It is interesting how the I find myself living in a world of themes...one week...one theme or topic...and it is most often common among everyone that I talk with...

This week, the common themes lead to the role that a person's leader plays in one's success.

There was a realization among many (myself included) on how little our personal performance plays in success and how critical the role the leader played...

I heard many people say...I used to be successful and productive...but now...I am struggling...I can't see the difference!

I heard others say that they did not realize how different a job could be with the simple change of a leader!

I heard a few say...that they were convinced that their success was of their own doing...and now they knew better...

This leads to a question that you should ask yourself...

Are you experiencing the same level of success that you were a year or two ago?

What changed?  Your boss?

Are you making others successful (at a level equal to or better than) the previous leader?

Do you realize that this an obligation of you as a leader?

As a person being led...it is your obligation to align with a leader who supports you and makes you successful...if they can't make you successful...

It is your obligation to find a new leader!

Why would anyone...with a semblance of intelligence...stick with a leader that is not making them successful?

I can answer that...

Because they are tied more to the money that they have...than success!

or...

Because they think that success or failure is entirely their responsibility...and a leader has little or nothing to do with it!

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If your world has changed and you are blaming it on a change or environment...or blaming others...you are deceiving yourself...

There are a few capable of succeeding with or without a competent leader...there are rare individuals...

These are the "super-heroes" and the stuff that movies are made of...they are people of legends...

Few people are capable of winning a military battle single-handed...

Not impossible...but not probable!

This minority get the highest levels of recognition...hero medals...

Most are not capable of performing at that level of heroism...

If you are not wearing medals and not performing at super-human levels...you need a shot of reality...

First your success was more related to your leader than your own performance...

Second...your own performance was/is average...and made great by the role your leader played...

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Let's look at your team...

Are they performing equal to or better than they did under the previous leadership?

If not...you need to question your leadership ability...

Has the performance of your team degraded?

Then you need to be asking...how have you changed?

Many organizations make the mistake of allowing a leader to terminate the employment of substandard performers...

The fact of the matter is...it is the leader who should be fired when a team or even an individual fails...

Leaders need to be vested in the success of the individuals and their team...if termination was a real threat to leaders for substandard performance of a team...I think there would be fewer people aspiring to be leaders...

The 21st century organization will grasp this concept...and weed-out poor leaders...

Those who do not grasp this concept will be destined to failure...and although I hurt for them...their blindness needs to be rewarded appropriately...

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The bottom line is that your leaders play a critical role to your success...

If you are successful...you need to stop thinking yourself as some high performer...and spend a little more time thanking your leader...

If you are not performing at a level that you know that you are capable of...then you may be in need of a change...a change of a leader...

ENOUGH SAID!

Pura Vida!