Putting Yourself on the Line, would you do it?

This week I am at the Georgia Newly Elected Officials Conference, held on the campus of the University of Georgia. For several years I have been an associate of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and conducting sessions for elected officials.

As I was meeting these newly elected folks last night, I thought, how many of us would put ourselves out there in the political spotlight and run for office?

These individuals had their tax returns scanned, personal lives researched, and their past decisions analyzed. And now that they are elected, they have to work on behalf of their districts.

Tell me, would you run for political office?

Transformation Thinkers 2010

I am coordinating a SIMSOC today outside of Berlin, Germany for 21 high potential young leaders from around the world. They are all english proficient, and most speak several other languages. They are energetic, fun, engaging and eager to make their mark on the world.

Yesterday I got to sit in on their session and learned about the struggles in Sri Lanka, Mexico, India and Algeria. It was fascinating to hear the perspectives of these leaders and how they plan to overcome the challenges.

Today, Jamil Mahuad, former President of Ecuador, is observing the SIMSOC experience and we are exchanging some exciting stories. He will be working with the class on Friday as they learn negotiating skills. Jamil is an expert with the Harvard Negotiation Project and Bill Ury.

The Transformation Thinkers Conference is lot like community leadership programs. Instead of meeting once per month, they meet for a whole week and bring the subject matter experts in to work with the class. Very cool.

They are learning how to solve problems in democracy, civic engagement, global warming, poverty and economic development.

When you get your freedom, I'll get mine!

This past week I was a presenter at the annual Georgia Muncipal Conference. This meeting brought 41 mayors and city council members to a 3 day leadership program where I conducted SIMSOC and some leadership topics for elected officials.

I met a lot of interesting people and some I want to share in this blog, the first is Edna Jackson, Mayor Pro Temp of Savannah, GA.

Edna's parents had saved enough money for her and her sister to go to college for the first year. They mailed the money to her aunt for safekeeping, but it got stolen. When her parents were informed of the theft they could scrape enough money for one of them to go that semester, but not both. Edna gave her sister the opportunity and moved to Florida to get a job. While there a leader in the NAACP noticed her and hired her to be a Youth Task Force Leader, organizing youth and voting registration. She took 3 car loads of kids to the March on Washington in 1963 and helped organize the Selma march soon thereafter. The NAACP paid for her way through college and she spent her career in public service.

She told me the theft of her tuition was the best thing that ever happened to her.

I met a remarkable person this week, a hero in my eyes of justice and civil rights, and someone who the odds against her to give back to her community

Being a Go Giver, not a Go Getter

Today I had the opportunity to work with 30 County Commissioners from throughout the State of Georgia as they completed the Advanced Leadership Program at UGA in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. These elected officials have chosen to continue their learning, that is remarkable to me, and they have rich histories to share. One of the key elements of my workshop today was to get them to share a peak experience that has profoundly shaped their life/leadership point of view. I heard some great stories.

A County Manager recalled how when he was a police officer he was confronted with a gunman who was at point blank range and disarmed him. He said the lesson was to always be aware of surroundings.

A 2 term Commissioner shared how he grew up as the only child of a single mother who was on welfare. His mother instilled in him the values that guides his work today.

A 1 term Commissioner told the class how the best job he never got, enabled him to finish college. If he had gotten that job at the furniture factory, he might still be there today, just like some of his friends.

What peak experiences have shaped your life/leadership point of view?

This is SIMSOC season and I am blogging from Robert, LA where I am coordinating a session with Leadership Greater Baton Rouge. Willie Johnson is their program coordinator, and she is a very special person. Willie has retired from the Baton Rouge Chamber, but coordinates the Leadership Program. She has quietly impacted the community in profound ways.

Willie told me this morning that this will be her last year to "work". So she is making her farewell tour with Leadership.

Willie Johnson has directly impacted more than a 1000 graduates of Leadership Baton Rouge. Those graduates have impacted the community. That's making a difference, and I am honored to know Willie.

Personal Brand

I am talking a lot lately about personal brand, the experience that people have when they encounter you, including core brand values which articulate what you stand for.

These core values are essential to understand as you build your brand. These are things or conditions that you stand for, they endure in the marketplace, you use them as a filter for your decisions.

What are your core brand values, I would like to know and share.

Remembering Tom Henley

My father is not my bio father, so I have two fathers. My bio father I knew briefly in my life, and the man who transformed me was Tom Henley. He married my mother and adopted her 3 children and merged his 2 children. He gave us his name, his heart, and his wisdom. I think about him everyday and when I meditate, he is in my Kiva, supporting me still.

I would not be the person I am today without Tom Henley. Born in Wetumka, Oklahoma, served in WW2 as an Air Force Navigator, completed Med School and had a General Surgery practice for 30 years. Often he didn't charge patients because they could not afford surgery, so they gave us vegetables, venison, services, things like that. He really liked it when people gave him vegetables, and he had his own garden and would take produce to the hospital to give away.

Once he got me up early to go cut firewood. We loaded the truck and I thought we were headed home. Instead he stopped at another doctor's house and we unloaded the wood. The doctor had done something for my father, this was his way of giving back.

Thanks Dad.

Thanking those that have sacrificed their lives

Today is Memorial Day and I was thinking of my mother, grandfather and father, who all served in the US Armed Forces. I was also thinking about those that have given their life in battle. I may not have agreed with every armed conflict our nation has sent soldiers, but they deserve my respect and honor.

Honor defines character and those that have died for our nation have enormous character

I will be thinking of them today

Compliment Guys at Purdue University

Making Networking Work for You

In my travels I am often asked how you should take advantage of networking events and one of the most common mistakes to make is to expect something will be done immediately with a new contact.

We often rush back to the office with that new business card in our hand and shoot off an email asking for an appointment so we can sell something, then we are surprised when the new contact avoids us like we had swine flu.

Remember the first rule in the Law of Human Reciprocity: Give them something first!

Instead of having a conversation about what you do, ask them questions about their business, what challenges they are facing and how they are handling those challenges. Do this over a period of time until you establish credibility and trust. Give them a prospect for their business, introduce them to a prospect and don't ask anything in return.

I once took three of my clients to lunch, they had never met each other, but I knew they had to meet because they had mutual interests and could do business together if they met. As we talked about common business challenges they each agreed to meet individually later and see if there was some business alignment. Today they do business together and continually thank me for helping them meet...and yes, they all do more business with me and routinely introduce me to prospects as well.

Making a Global Impact

I was thinking today about how I can make a bigger impact on the world. How is that possible? Sure I gave to the Haiti earthquake relief, but didn't really feel I made a difference. Today I gave my college some money because they say they need it, but am I really making a difference? Giving money is one way, volunteering is another of course, and I do my share of volunteering and pro- bono work to non profits, but am I really making a difference?

Then I came across what Blake Mycoskie is doing with a new company called TOMS Shoes. For every pair of shoes he sells he will give one away to a child without shoes. He has done this in Africa, Asia and in New Orleans after Katrina. To date he has given away almost half a million pair of shoes, and his company is just now showing a profit after 2 years. Now that is making a difference.

I am intrigued with this idea of social capitalism. Especially when the Harvard Business Review reported that only 29% people think that companies really contribute to the well being of folks. Blake's model makes sense if you want to make an impact.

I think I'll buy a pair of shoes. http://www.tomsshoes.com/

differentiate yourself when you prospect

As we begin a new year and decade I am reminded of how important it is to differentiate yourself in the chaos of getting appointments with prospects, and having an opportunity to get your story heard.

When sales people call on me, I look for them to be empathetic and listen to what I have to say. I am curious to how they will approach my situation, not just give me an off the shelf solution they happen to be promoting that month.

And there is one thing I have learned, that has made a huge difference in how my prospects and clients see me differently than other consultants. So here is what I do, I give them a gift.

The gift I usually give them is a book. I have given copies of books my friends have written, and recommended. I give small books, but something that the client would like or relates to why I am there. This small, yet remarkable gesture has made a big difference in how customers see me. They remember the conversation and they feel obliged to return to me something.

So, before your next appointment with a new customer, think about a book, report or white paper you can give them. It will make a difference in how you are percieved by your customers.