Are You Betting On the Wrong Job References?

Most of us can relate to this scenario: when completing an employment application, you are asked to identify a number of references (typically 3-5) for prospective employers to contact. In order to put your best foot forward, you choose these references wisely and list those whom will provide the most glowing reviews of their professional abilities.

However, it’s unlikely that these well-chosen references will be the deciding factor on whether you get that hoped-for new position. The truth is, prospective employers look first at the name in “Former Supervisor” box on your job application, and whether you authorize it or not, your previous supervisor may well get a call from a prospective employer.


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About the Author

Jeff ShaneJeff Shane is President of Allison Taylor, Inc., a reference and background checking firm doing business since 1984. He oversees matters of product development, online integration of services and attorney interaction on behalf of the company’s many clients. Jeff is frequently interviewed about employment trends and his interviews appear globally in newspapers and magazines.

Becoming a Smarter Leader

One of the traits that often come to mind when people describe leaders is intellect. A leader is expected to be smart. But being smart shouldn’t be a static condition – there are always opportunities to expand your knowledge base. Here are a few ideas of ways to not only become smarter, but to become a more effective leader at the same time.


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About the Author

Marie PeelerMarie Peeler is the principal of Peeler Associates, a Pembroke, Mass.-based organization that helps leaders enhance their leadership effectiveness, focus on what’s most important, and achieve their goals. Believing that growth is vital in maintaining and increasing leadership effectiveness – growth of individual leaders, growth of leadership teams, and growth of organizations – Marie helps leaders grow through executive coaching, team building, organizational development, leadership training, business retreats, and keynote speaking. For more information, please visit www.peelerassociates.com.

Flexible Thinking Versus Rigid Thinking

The Most Important Quality

In 1995, the Menninger Institute of New York conducted a study to determine the most important quality or qualities that would be necessary for business success in the twenty-first century. It finally concluded that the most important quality required for success would be “flexibility.”
It would be the ability to rapidly react and respond to the accelerating rate of change in all areas. The development of this attitude of flexibility, accepting that “the answers have changed,” would give an individual or organization a tremendous advantage over more rigid and inflexible competitors.


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About the Author

Brian Tracy is chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. Tracy’s books include Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life: How to Unlock Your Full Potential for Success and Achievement, and most recently Get Smart!: How to Think and Act Like the Most Successful and Highest-Paid People in Every Field. His writing has appeared in Entrepreneur, Success, Fast Company, and Forbes among many others. Learn more at www.BrianTracy.com.

Skills necessary to compete in rapidly evolving markets

Speed, agility, communication, delegation, innovation

You’ve heard the saying “fighting the last war”. It refers to preparing to compete using familiar techniques, against competitors you’ve faced before, in the same markets or industries, only to discover that the rules have changed. Modern business competition is changing rapidly, and to compete effectively, you need to understand the skills that are required to win.


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About the Authors

Jeffrey Phillips leads a strategy and innovation practice at OVO Innovation. Before OVO he has led strategic marketing and sales teams in software and consulting companies. Jeffrey is a recognized thought leader in innovation, and has published three books on innovation, including Relentless Innovation. He has consulted in the US and Western Europe, and led training programs and workshops in the Middle East, South Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.

Alex Verjovsky brings over 20 years’ experience in the consulting and technology sectors as both a consultant and entrepreneur. His most recent company, Castor Fields SAPI, reached over 12 billion dollars in sales. Prior to Castor Fields, Alex founded BioFuel Alternatives, a pioneer in the biodiesel market. Alex is a graduate of Columbia Business School.

Why do some persist and some quit? Because…

Is there a secret to follow-up? No.
Is there a best way to follow-up? No.
Why do people quit too soon? Big question.
Why do you quit too soon? Bigger question.
Have you ever read Think and Grow Rich? Biggest question.

Reason? Think and Grow Rich (written by Napoleon Hill 78 years ago) has an entire chapter on persistence that provides real insight as to the characteristics of what makes some stick at it until they win, while others stop either just after they start, or stop just before they are about to taste victory.

Rather than be so presumptuous as to paraphrase the great Napoleon Hill, I am going to give you the EXACT words of the master (now in the public domain).

Here are some excerpts (and insights) on persistence quoted exactly as they were written seven decades ago, and still applicable in your sales process today.

Persistence is a state of mind, therefore it can be cultivated. Like all states of mind, persistence is based upon definite causes, among them these:

a. Definiteness of purpose. Knowing what one wants is the first and, perhaps, the most important step toward the development of persistence. A strong motive forces one to surmount many difficulties.
b. Desire. Its is comparatively easy to acquire and to maintain persistence in pursuing the object of intense desire.
c. Self-reliance. Belief in one’s ability to carry out a plan encourages one to follow the plan through with persistence. (Self-reliance can be developed through the principle described in the chapter on autosuggestion).
d. Definiteness of plans. Organized plans, even though they may be weak and entirely impractical, encourage persistence.
e. Accurate knowledge. Knowing that one’s plans are sound, based upon experience or observation, encourages persistence; “guessing” instead of “knowing” destroys persistence.
f. Cooperation. Sympathy, understanding, and harmonious cooperation with others tend to develop persistence.
g. Will-power. The habit of concentrating one’s thoughts upon the building of plans for the attainment of a definiteness of purpose leads to persistence.
h. Habit. Persistence is the direct result of habit. The mind absorbs and becomes a part of the daily experience upon which it feeds. Fear, the worst of all enemies, can be effectively cured by forced repetition of acts of courage. Everyone who has seen active service in war knows this.

How to Develop Persistence

There are four simple steps which lead to the habit of persistence, They call for no great amount of intelligence, no particular amount of education, and but little time or effort. The necessary steps are:

1. A definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment.
2. A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.
3. A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions of relatives, friends and acquaintances.
4. A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

These four steps are essential for success in all walks of life. The entire purpose of the principles of the (Think and Grow Rich) philosophy is to enable one to take these four steps as a matter of habit.

Now I will grant you that some people will have read this and spit the word “Hokey” at the end. Reason? It’s too simple and does not have an immediate “how to” answer attached to it.

The secret of persistence is not an “answer,” it’s a “realization.” And if you read the above and didn’t “get it.” You will get beat by someone who did.

The Napoleon Hill philosophy of persistence is strong, yet soft. The only omission from the strategy is that it leaves out “what” to persist with. Let me give you that answer in a word – value. Something more than you calling to imply, “I’m calling about the money, is it ready yet? Can I come over and pick it up now?”

Want a few value ideas? Here are four. You may not like them. They require work.

1. Get your prospect a sales lead or give them a referral.
2. Give your prospect an idea how to serve his customers better.
3. Give your prospect a list of things he or she can do to improve morale, productivity, absenteeism, or profit.
4. Get your prospect some free publicity or social media exposure. Help them win.

Get the idea? See the work? Make your persistance pay dividends for the customer. Now look past the work to the victory. If you can see clear to victory, then the secret of persistence is at last yours.

And add to that the final wisdom of Hill: What you need to develop persistence is will-power and desire. In other words, how bad do you want it? And how far are you willing to go to get it? Unless the answer is all the way, you will not persist, you will give up.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.


About the Author

Jeffrey GitomerJeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

There is now an online course to master the principles of Think and Grow Rich. All you have to do is go to http://jeffreygitomer.com/napoleon-hill-special and register.