Do You Know Your Neighbors?

I am fascinated by how many people do not know their neighbors. When I was a kid all the people on the block knew each other. All the children knew that everyone was watching them (and would report back undesirable activities to mom and dad).

Today the connectivity amongst people on the block is not as strong. Sure, there might be some people you know, and the courtesy wave is popular when folks walk by... but many people don't know that much about those who live close to them.

It is worse at work. Do you know the people on your block? In your building? In your elevator bank? How about on your floor?.

There is no excuse not to know the people who work on your floor. If your work for a company that is not so large as to occupy the whole floor... and you don't know the workers in the business next door -- then shame on you. This gets you an "F" in Networking 101.

But you can bring your grade up. With the holidays coming... make this the point that you meet the neighbors. Invite the other companies on your floor to your office for lunch. No agenda, just people meeting people. Cater in sandwiches and have everyone go around the table and explain who they are and what is their role at the company.

Maybe they will become a great referral source. Maybe not. Either way, next time you are waiting for the elevator you will be able to talk to each other instead of staring at your shoes. Making friends is always a good thing.

Same idea for those who live on your block or in your apartment building.

Have A Great Day

thom

Losing The "Humanity Quotient"

I had a conversation about business with a professional who works hard, earns an above average income, and is admired by those inside and outside his company. The guy is an up-and-coming leader in his industry, but has not yet reached the corner office. He has worked for the same corporation for several years, works hard, produces results, and has received awards and other kudos. He is the ideal employee and my guess is his employer sees him as a happy and dedicated part of the team.

Yet he is disenchanted. And he is not alone! I have the pleasure of talking with people from all walks of life and large numbers are not happy with their professional situations.

Most believes that their business communities have lost the "humanity quotient" in the quest for efficiency.

The rough economy has caused businesses of all sizes to focus so tightly on the balance sheet that they have lost the personal element. Too many professionals have begun to show a distrust of everyone around them.

I have witnessed both sole proprietors and large company executives who see any minor "mis-communication" with friends, vendors, clients, co-workers, or others as a personal assault or threat. Like Humphrey Bogart (as Lt. Cmdr Queeg) in the "Caine Mutiny", they have lost perspective and are counting every strawberry.

Fear, distrust, finger-pointing, and back-stabbing (which have always existed) are now an accepted part of office culture and nobody seems to notice (or care).

The most cynical amongst us will say this is nothing new, that these dark feelings are always present in the work world. But in my twenty-plus year career I have not witnessed so many people functioning in misery about their careers. Professional envy and jealousy are no longer hidden from view, but openly accepted.

This loss of the "humanity quotient" in our businesses is real.

So what can you do about it?

Regardless of if you are the boss or an employee you can have an impact in restoring the "humanity quotient".

Slow down for just a moment and notice the people around you. Smile at others. Take an interest in what matters to those around you. Before you get angry, take a moment to put yourself in the other person's shoes (you might discover that from a different perspective, the world does NOT revolve around you). Be nicer. Be helpful. Shower somebody in praise when they do something good.

The list goes on, but you get the idea.

What do you think?

Have A Great Day.

thom

PS -- Have you ever read one of my books? Buy one today at Amazon.com. They make great holiday gifts!!!

Entrepreneurs Must Look Beyond the Obvious

I saw this video on Andy Sack's blog (it is from the Stanford University's Entrepreneurship Corner). It is six minutes long, but if you are an aspiring entrepreneur it is worth the investment of time, as it reminds us that there are always opportunities in our midst.

When we challenge the assumptions and discover our true assets, success follows.



Have A Great Day.

thom

How To Network At A Multi-Day Conference - SXSW 2010

I will be speaking at the SXSW Interactive Conference in March 2010, delivering a presentation called "How to Network at a Multi-Day Conference".

I am very honored, as this is the third year I will be included on the schedule for this amazing event.

If you work in or around the technology industries and have never attended SXSWi, you should make your plans for be in Austin, Texas from March 12 - 16, 2010. The conference is not only famous for great parties, networking opportunities, and the wonderful spring weather in Austin..... but it also delivers with over 400 panels and presentations that deliver real content.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Honoring A Soldier's Service

This week my friend Dan completed his 13 month tour of duty in Iraq and is returning home.

I know Dan because he is a close friend of my business partners and I have met him several times (He hired me to speak at to his company in 2008). I was very impressed when I heard he had volunteered to return to active duty. He is a West Point graduate and former Army Ranger. After he completed his service he went to Harvard Business School, and then into the corporate world.

He did not have to go back and serve our country. But he did by choice.

Why would a forty-something father with a thriving career choose to go to Iraq? When asked this question by a friend, Dan replied "It's my duty. When I left the Army I made a conscious decision not to resign my commission in case something like this happened." It is people like Dan, and their sense of duty, that makes America great.

Our service men and women are an amazing asset that have a positive impact and protect our freedoms.

This week we celebrate Veteran's Day and in honor of my friend Dan's completion of his tour, my publishing company is offering a free copy of my new book "Batteries Not Included: 66 Tips To Energize Your Career" to the first 100 active U.S. military or veterans who email New Year Publishing and request a copy. The publisher will pay for the shipping and handling.

Send an email to soldier@newyearpublishing.com. Include your mailing address.

This week there has been a lot of news focused on the military due to the horrific event that took place at Ft. Hood. All of our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who were effected by this tragedy.

Have A Great Day.

thom

EO Accelerator - Austin Chapter

The Austin Chapter of EO Accelerator is currently looking for a few good members.

Do you, or someone you know, own a business with revenues between $250,000 and $1 million? Are you looking to grow your company to over the $1 million level. Are you seeking other entrepreneurs to learn from and share best-practices?

As an early-stage entrepreneur, you face new challenges every day and at times you probably find yourself wishing you had an instruction manual for your business.

It’s okay. You are not alone. Thousands of successful business owners have been down this winding road or entrepreneurship, and there is a program here in Austin that is designed to help.

Accelerator, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization program, is the catalyst that enables first-stage entrepreneurs to catapult their business to the next level. EO Accelerator's mission is to empower you with the tools you need to grow your business to more than $1 million in sales and provide you with the skills to make yourself a better entrepreneur and leader.

Along with structured educational content focused on the core areas of first-stage businesses, the Accelerator Program affords you the unique experience of learning from and connecting with the world’s most influential entrepreneurs.

For more information, go to the EO Accelerator website, or send me an email and I will put you in touch with the rest of the Austin EO Accelerator team.

Five reasons to join EO Accelerator before the end of the year:

1. December 9th is the next quarterly "Learning Day".

2. Put the membership dues onto your 2009 expenses.

3. The longer you wait to join, the longer it takes before you will see the benefits from your participation.

4. 2010 is your year to succeed. Surround yourself with other winners.

5. Making up silly excuses for why you can't join now is not becoming of a focused and driven entrepreneur.



Have A Great Day

thom

New Year Publishing's First Annual Authors Conference

I am very excited about the first annual “Authors Conference” for the community of New Year Publishing authors. The company is hosting nine authors in Austin, Texas on November 12 – 13, 2009 for this inaugural gathering.

The purpose of the event is to update the authors on the growth of the company, future expansion plans, the NY Publishing Charitable Foundation, NY Speakers Bureau, and to help build solid connections between those who are part of the New Year Publishing family.

The event will include a great dinner at one of Austin’s most popular steak houses and a half day meeting where experts in public relations, social media and professional speaking will share best practices and lead interactive discussions with those writers and speakers in attendance.

New Year Publishing is looking for corporate executives and professional speakers who wish to make their dream of completing a book into a reality. New Year Publishing has a solid platform of experience in creating books that will help promote the credibility and brand of the authors and their companies. For me, growing the community over the next several years is one most exciting parts of the business.

We look forward to this first event, and we look forward to future events as the number of authors and book titles in the New Year Publishing catalog continues to grow.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Texas Tribune Launches With Style

The Texas Tribune is a new non-profit, non-partisan public media organization that officially launched this week. They have recruited an amazing group of executives, reporters and supporters in this effort to create a new way for Texans to gather and interpret information.

Their mission is to promote civic engagement and discourse on public policy, politics, government, and other matters of statewide concern.

They will do this in two principal ways:

First, through the original journalism they report, write, compile, record, shoot, etc., and post online at their destination site, texastribune.org, and in the pages and on the sites of their distribution partners.

Second, through on-the-record, open-to-the-public events: conversation series featuring elected officials and other newsmakers, conferences on major topics of interest to every Texan, an annual ideas festival, a college tour, and more. The point is that in-person experiences are themselves distribution platforms, and once the event is over, the audio and video of what took place becomes content of its own, likewise available on their site and beyond.

To kick off the launch, they hosted a party for their friends and supporters at The Belmont. WOW, what a night. The event was the most eclectic gathering of Austinites I have seen in years. There were politicians, lobbyists, reporters (and other media professionals from television, print, radio, and internet), entrepreneurs, lawyers (and other professionals), accountants, philanthropists, local celebrities, venture capitalists, bankers, investors, ranchers, Realtors, social media practitioners, Republicans, Democrats, Independents, older folks, younger folks, and everything in between.

Everyone had a great time. It was fun to see so many people from different walks of life all hanging out celebrating something new. It reminded me that we all have more in common than we have differences.... and that too often we put up artificial barriers because of the labels we wear (on purpose or assigned by others!).

If The Texas Tribune can live up to its "non-partisan" charge and embrace the objectivity that I believe most people desire from news sources.... then I predict they will successfully navigate this experiment of non-profit journalism.

I look forward to reading it daily!

CLICK HERE to learn more about The Texas Tribune.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Update on Austin Speaking Events

Before my presentation last week to the Launch Pad Job Club I appeared on KEYE Channel 42's "We Are Austin" to promote the event, as well as talk about my books and the overall importance of networking to a successful career.

CLICK HERE to watch the interview I did with KEYE's Jason Wheeler.

On Friday I spoke to a standing room only weekly meeting of the Launch Pad Job Club. It was a great event. I am sorry there are soooo many people in the job market (over 300 people were in attendance for my presentation), but if any Austin companies are looking for great talent, I can assure you that there are qualified enthusiastic people actively seeking employment in a variety of industries.

This event was my 49th presentation of the year (my goal was 52 talks in 2010, so we will achieve that by year end). I especially enjoyed this audience because of their attitude. I met several people following the talk who are fired up about finding that next opportunity!!!

If you are currently in the job market in Austin, you should get involved with this job club. Kathy has done a great job in creating an atmosphere that encourages both education and support for those seeking employment.

SAVE THE DATE - If you live in Austin and have never seen me speak before I encourage you to come to the Norris Conference Center on Tuesday, December 8th from 7:30 - 9:00 AM for an informational, educational and motivational seminar.

The topic will focus on how to get the most out of your business relationships in the holiday season and into the new year. With the invitations to holiday parties about to hit your inbox, a little planning can go a long way in maximizing the power of your networking activities. Additionally, the new year brings with it a sense of a clean slate, and a perfect time to reach out to clients, prospects, referral sources and others.

CLICK HERE to register now. This event is sponsored by the Austin Business Journal and will most likely be my last open presentation in 2009. Share this information with friends, co-workers, etc... sign up today while space is still available.

Have A Great Day.

thom