Scrooged?!

aka,  Conflictor!

We all know one:

1. "Conflictors" know something about everything, just enough to be dangerous.

2. Disagree with you on everything, in a passive aggressive manner.

3. Challenge your knowledge, in a condescending manner.

4. Devalues your time, while their time is precious.

5. Tells you others are not team players, while stabbing you in the back.

6. Creates a positive facade, and then is negative about your positivity.

7. A "Conflictor" is always right, and if you try to prove them wrong...you will become mentally exhausted.

Bottom line; a "Conflictor" is a predator. When you are up they will get you down. And will you are down, they will take you deeper.

When a "Conflictor", by no choice of yours, tries to ruin your Holiday Season...do not try to handle them alone. One on one they will drain you. Bond together with people you trust and eventually the "Conflictor"  aka Scrooge, will get frustrated and move on to other prey.

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5 Reasons to Give

Giving makes us feel happy: Harvard Business School conducted a study in 2008 and found that when a person "gives" endorphins are produced in the brain creating what is known as "helper's high".

Giving is good for our health: Studies conducted by University of Michigan, University of California, and John Hopkins University conclude that "giving" reduces stress, help prevents some major diseases, lowers blood pressure and may add up to five years to our lives.

Giving promotes cooperation and social connection: When we give to others, we don't only make them feel closer to us; we also feel closer to them. "Being kind and generous leads you to perceive others more positively and more charitably." (from the book,  The How of Happiness).

Giving evokes gratitude: "When you express your gratitude in words or actions, you not only boost your own positivity but [other people's] as well. And in the process you reinforce their kindness and strengthen your bond to one another." (from the book, Positivity).

Giving is contagious: When we give, we don't only help the immediate recipient of our gift, we also ignite a ripple effect of generosity throughout our community.

This holiday season, however you choose to give; money, time, or special gifts... please keep in mind that your giving is so much more than a year end tradition. Giving is a process, "If you always give, you will always have."- Chinese Proverb

* Greater Good

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Lou The Nabisco Guy

...A Holiday Memory...

Lou, The Nabisco Guy, never used selling strategies …Lou had a culture of “selling.”

I was 23 years old when I first met Lou. He was the region’s number one salesman for Nabisco from 1974 to 1985.

One day I was eating lunch with Lou and asked,

“Lou, so what do you do, to be so good at selling?....can you share some tips?”

Lou replied, shaking his head and smiling, “Bob there is really no magical tips, but I do have five core beliefs about selling.”

1.) Love and believe in your product.
2.) People like to buy, but not to be sold to.
3.) I never sell anything, I solve people’s problems.
4.) Never talk yourself out of a sale.
5.) and….Never close a sale, open an opportunity.

Lou died in 1985 from a heart attack at the early age of 63.

Lou’s culture of selling has lived on. Those who adopt it become very successful.

To be the best, you need to have more than just strategies, you first need a culture, a core belief.

Dr.Ivan Misner, New York Times best selling author and founder of BNI (Business Network International) says it best, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

Around the holidays,  when I enjoy my favorite Nabisco crackers,  I always think of Lou…
Lou, The Nabisco Guy.

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Rennerdale- Life Lessons

*** Top Rated Post***

It was the bottom of the sixth, two outs, bases loaded.  

My team, the Rennerdale Braves, was beating the Rennerdale Indians 4 to 3 in the last game of the local Little League World series when Mike Grimes stepped to the plate.

Killer moment for me. How do I pitch to him? Mike was the best, a homerun king.

I remember gripping the ball tighter than ever and throwing the ball harder than ever.

And then I heard the sounds of screaming fans as I looked over my right shoulder to see the last pitch I would ever throw,  fly over the fence…grandslam!

For those of you that have experienced heartbreak as a young child, I really don’t have to tell you how long I cried over that moment.

As I walked towards the family car my mother put her arm around me and said; "Now Bob, its only a game, and when lose, you will really appreciate winning even better.”

Back in the ‘60s only the champions received trophies. Losers walked away with tears and parents (in efforts to comfort their kids) saying things like, “It’s only a game”. 

Correct, it is only a game and by definition a game is; a competition played according to rules and decided by skill, strength or luck. 

Sounds like "life" to me.
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Diamonds in the Rough- Not What You Think!

The other day I met with an amazing young business owner. She is in her early twenties, charismatic, passionate about people, and has a vision for success.
Throughout our two hour conversation, she reminded me of several other young entrepreneurs that I have had the pleasure to meet with over my past seven years of business ownership.

People of my generation, I'm 61, often refer to Gen-y'rs" aka the "Millennials" as those lazy young people who expect to succeed without working hard. I know this, because I am guilty of it. Shame on us.
While I am sure there is some truth to our prejudice, that statement is a common thread in every generation, including mine.

Here are Seven Tips to help you identify "Millennials" that are Diamonds in the Rough- Today's Successful Young Entrepreneurs:

1. You schedule your first meeting with them and they show up and arrive on time!
2. During that first meeting, you recognize that they understand the importance of building relationships and are not trying to "sell" to you.
3. They have a vision and can articulate it.
4. People that have helped them,  are identified as their heroes throughout the conversation, and they credit them for their success.
5. You leave the meeting having learned something that you did not know yesterday.
6. You are intrigued by the fact that this young person inspired you, and rekindled your passion for your own success.
7. Finally, you realize that you were wrong about "Those Millennials" and are compelled to blog about it!
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Wait...What?!

A collection of  "Really?!" one-liners,  business owners or potential business owners have shared with me in my complimentary consultation sessions. Many became clients and I have helped them. The rest? Oh well,  I hope they found help somewhere.

Here we go...

"Do I really need a logo and branding, I thought only big businesses had that."

"Well, I want to make more money but I don't trust people."

"Do I have a vision and mission statement for my business? Not at all, do I need one?"

"I really don't plan too much or even have a strategic plan...I kinda just see how things happen."

"I want to open a restaurant because I love to cook, I'm a hard worker, and I have the support of my family...isn't that enough?"

"No, I have never worked in retail, but this new franchise opportunity this guy was talking about sounds great!"

" ...not sure if my business is up or down from last year, but I do know my bills are getting paid."

"What's a target market?"

"My point of difference? I offer great service."

"There is enough free help out there...I don't need to pay for it."

"What measurements do I have in place?...they are all right here (as he pointed to his head)."

" What is horizontal growth?"

"I have more clients then I can handle...I don't need any help."

I have so many more I can share, but you get the point. Now I admit, when I started my own business seven years ago I said some of the same things, that is why I hired a coach...enough said.

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Betty The Barometer

***TOP RATED POST***

Let’s call her Betty the Barometer.

Now this story dates way back to when my hair was still black and I looked more like Mark Spitz than Jay Leno. (not to say I can compare to either of them, but you get my drift).

I was assigned as the Grocery Department manager in a new store.
Towards the end of the second week, I was walking through the store in a terrible mood because the night stocking crew did not complete their assignments and my department was not meeting customer requirements... I probably looked like a chicken with my head cut off because I circled the inside parameter of the store several times barking out orders to my employees and completely ignoring the customers.

Betty, a very petite and soft-spoken meat wrapper with 23 years in the business, had been observing me in my state of frenzy while she was stocking the meat case with fresh cut meat... As I passed by her for the third time, she called out to me.

“Gambone! …come here for second.”

I quickly stopped in my tracks and started walking towards her with a huff and a puff.

“What Betty, can’t you see I’m busy.”

“You know Gambone, that’s your problem, you are too busy. You look like you are ready to explode. What happened to that smiling face I am used to seeing?...and hey, you didn’t even say hi to me this morning!

Well, I don’t know what’s going on in your head but you can’t let your employees and customers see that you are pissed off…we need you to lift us up, not let us down.”

I looked at Betty and said, “Wow Betty, thank you …I never would have thought I'd hear that from you….but you are right…thank you again.”

From that day forward, when I got in a bad mood, I would always check with Betty to see if my “mood” was actually coming to the surface.

We all need a Betty in our lives.

Ask yourself…Who is my “business barometer?”

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