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Category: Personal Development

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Best Practices Body Language Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Skills Women In Business

Is Rejection Leading You?

“Don’t fear rejection. Use it as a springboard to greater growth.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

If no one follows you, will you still lead?

Sometimes, leaders will not be accepted. That can occur even if the leader is good and have positive contributions to make to the rejecter. What do you do, or what have you done, when you’ve been such situations? That’s really the time when you have the greatest opportunity for self-growth. That’s really the time when you stand to learn the most about yourself.

Consider this, if you never experienced rejection how would you recognize it? How would you know how to deal with it?

Dealing with rejection allows you to test your thought process. It allows you to test your resolve. It allows you to give rejection a name and a face. That name and face can serve as a positive or negative motivator; your perspective determines how your perception of rejection is perceived.

Understanding that you give life to ‘rejection’ by the way you define it means, you can give it any meaning that you desire. Give it a positive meaning (e.g. “That’s not rejection. It’s an opportunity to make me better!”)

It’s very important to identify how you react to the perception of rejection because in order to be a leader you have to be able to lead yourself. The only way you can lead yourself is to know what leads you (temps you), why it leads you (it’s allure), and what you should do about it if anything at all. Thus, the feeling of rejection will allow you to lead yourself to despair or exhilaration.

Identifying the reasoning behind your perceptions, where rejection is concerned, will give you a new look into how you motivate yourself, how you keep moving forward, how you stay alive. Once you experience that deeper sense of awareness, you’ll be able to use the perception of rejection as a tool for greater expectation … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations?

Negotiations are 100% focused on the perception of rejection. That’s proven when you misperceive a gesture or offer that you think is against you. Even in that moment, the way you process information may cause you to experience the feeling of rejection.

The next time you sense rejection, slow down. Become reflective and consider what’s happening. Consider to what degree your perception is leading you to a place that won’t serve you. Consider how you can mentally turn your perception of rejection to a thought that serves you better. That will be the beginning of the shift that leads you to be more in touch with yourself. After your perception shift, you’ll be able to alter your perspective and the perception of the other negotiator.

 

What are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free 5-minute video on reading body language or to sign up for the “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

Remember, you’re always negotiating.

#HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #Psychology #Truth #Perception #rejection #leadership

Categories
Growth Health and Wellness Management Women In Business

Kill Your “To Do” List Now

Why do you attempt to do the impossible?  How many things are on your “to do” list this week?  Ten?  Twelve? Thirty-two?

As you look at the list are you already in anticipatory fear of what you won’t complete.  Are you stressing if the things you did last we are “good enough?”  Most of us are. This fear, not being in the present moment is killing you and your ability to lead effectively.

This one simple choice, building and attempting to accomplish impossible “to do” lists is hurting your morale, engagement and money.  Make a new choice mindfully reduce your stress monotask today. Stop rewarding yourself for driving, eating, and talking on the phone at the same time.  All this adds up to mind-less-ness.

Admit it you have parked at your office then suddenly realized you do not remember leaving your driveway or any part of the drive to work?  Mindless.

Admit it you look at the clock and wonder where they day has gone with your “to do” list left unchecked.  Mindless.

This week.  Try Mindful mono-tasking.  Yes.  Mindfulness, the practice of being fully present in the moment can meet your “to do” list.  Here’s your practice:

Write a “to complete” list not a “to do” list. 

When I write a “to do” list it gets filled with every single thing I need to do this hour, day week, month, heck even year.  When the “to do” list is filled I look down and realize I’m overwhelmed and do nothing.  My head starts spinning.

A mindful “to complete” list is the 1-3 items that I will complete that day.  Nothing more, nothing less goes on the list.  I look at the list and my calendar to make sure those things are on the calendar.  Looking at this list gets my heart and purpose engaged again.

Once my “to complete list is complete, I breathe and know the things I need to do are on the list and the things not on the list are either not mine to do, or can wait. Then, as a leader, get fully in the present get to your being so the doing can get done also.

When, and only when all those things are done on your” to complete” list can you add something else to the list.

The practice of mindful “mono tasking” takes some practice. Yes I have days that things sneak back on the list, you will also.  You have to trust that the items that do not get on your ‘to complete” list will show up on the date/time that you must complete them.

Over time this activity will help you practice setting firm boundaries of what you will do and what you will not.  You may even hear yourself saying the most powerful complete sentence in our language.  No. When someone approaches you with a task that you cannot complete that day.  You will hear yourself building a more manageable life to lead and expectation for yourself and the culture of your organization.

Mindfulness is the practice of becoming fully present. When you are mindful, you can be your best in the world.  Give mono-tasking a try this week.  Let me know how this expands your good in the world.

Categories
Best Practices Growth Health and Wellness Leadership

What’s Your Cutting Edge?

You know these sayings, “Just do it!!,” No risk, no reward,” “No pain, no gain,” “Just buck up.” Most of us have grown up hearing these bits of advice. They come from the likes of parents, teachers, coaches, the media and get unconsciously registered in our minds as THE TRUTH. In psychology, we call them “Belief Systems.” And whether you’re aware of it or not, they rule our lives by the expectations we set for ourselves because of them.

Since they have such a profound influence on our feelings of self-worth, competency, actions and behaviors, it behooves us to dig a little and examine how to work with them, so we put ourselves consciously in charge of our lives, rather than be ruled by outdated and unwanted mandates.

This is a big topic, but in this article, we’re going to focus on the expectations we have of ourselves and how to realistically pace yourself, so you can actually realize your desired outcome.

In his book, The Warrior Athlete (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Ltd, Toronto, 1079), Dan Millman talks about the principle of “Accommodation,” Briefly, this law states that athletics or life develops what it demands; no demand, no development, improper demand, improper development.

Let’s look at this statement, “Improper demand, improper development.” Depending on what you are asking of yourself, it could be to learn a new skill, manage a team, improve your work/life balance, manage your emotions better, or many of the numerous tasks you want to accomplish.

Many high-achievers make great demands on themselves. As we said, no demand, no development. But how do you judge when it’s too much? What are the signs signals that let you know you’re over the line? And what types of guidelines can you use to answer these questions?

While I was studying to be a Nia (combination of dance, movement and physical exercise) Instructor, we were required to learn dance routines very quickly. Some of us were better at this than others. Lord knows, I wanted to be successful. But I noticed, the more I demanded of myself, the worse I got. Until my teacher said, “You cannot go any faster than your nervous system will allow.”

That was a revelation to me! I expected myself to pick it up right away. But the truth was, I was a beginner at this skill and until I adjusted my expectation to the reality of the situation, I would remain frustrated, my adrenaline would start kicking in and my ability to think clearly would be diminished.

No matter how much you want to succeed, your body and your mind will tell you whether you’re being realistic.

To be sure that your “cutting edge,” sets you up for success, keep these tips in mind:

  1. Your mind and your body have to work in sync.
  2. If you find yourself getting frustrated, ask yourself, “Are my expectations realistic? Am I asking more of myself than I am capable of at this moment in time?”  You may be quite capable, but not in the time frame you are demanding.
  3. Pay attention to the signals your body is giving you. If the nervous system is overloaded, your muscles will get tight and the quality of your thinking will deteriorate.
  4. To find your own personal “cutting edge,” take a tip from Yoga. In order to grow, we’re always looking for that edge of discomfort. This is your “growing edge.”

So, remember; if you ask of yourself as little more than your comfortable with, every day, both your body and your mind will accommodate to the new, higher level. And then, you’ll turn around and say to yourself one day, “Wow, how did that happen?”

If you’d like to learn more about your own level of Peak Performance skills, go to Masteryunderpressure.net and join our Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/masteryunderpressurecommunity/

Categories
Accounting Economics Entrepreneurship Industries Investing Personal Development Taxes

Maximizing the Value of Your Carried Interest

After the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (ACT), many people are wondering how to maximize the value of their carried interest. There are some changes in the ACT that might affect how you proceed when selling or transferring your carried interest to achieve long-term capital gain treatment. These rules apply to taxable years ending after December 31, 2017.

NEW THREE-YEAR HOLDING RULE

Perhaps you’ve heard of the new three-year holding rule but you’re not sure if it applies to you.

Distributions and gains passed thru to you because of your carried interest

To receive long term capital gain rates (20%) on gains or distributions associated with your carried interest from the fund, the underlying investment at the fund level must be held for more than three years.

Sale or redemption of your Carried interest

If you decide to redeem or sell a portion or all your carried interest, your interest must be held for more than three years to get the long-term capital gain rate treatment.

Additional guidance from the IRS is needed to see if the underlying investments at the fund level must also be considered when you sell or redeem your interest.

Planning Point: The good news is that if stock is distributed to you and it has not yet met the three-year requirement, you can use the fund’s purchase date of the stock and hold on to it until it satisfies the three-year requirement to achieve long-term capital gain rates.

TRANSFERS OF CARRIED INTEREST-HIDDEN TAXABLE EVENT

Prior to the ACT, when you gifted your carried interest to a non-charity, typically your accountant would inform you that you may incur some gift taxes or if the proper structure was in place, no gift taxes at all.

Now, with the passages of the new ACT, you may get a call from your accountant asking you to not only pay gift taxes, but income taxes as well.

What? Income taxes? Yes.

Now, when you sell, transfer or gift your carried interest to a person related to you, you may recognize a short-term capital gain.

How much? Well, it’s complicated. That’s tax simplification.

Who is this person related to you? Well, that’s changed too. Now it includes not only your relatives but your colleagues, vendors and current or former employees.

Planning Points: Make sure that you talk to your tax advisor before making the transfer. Try to do the transfer on January 1 or December 31 when the fund can value the fund assets.

ENTITIES SUBJECT TO THESE RULES

These rules apply to individuals, trusts and estates, but not corporations.

Planning Point: It may be possible to hold the carried interest in an S Corporation and avoid these rules.

TYPES OF BUSINESS SUBJECT TO THESE RULES

The ACT only applies to partnership interest (which may include limited liability companies) that hold entities that raise or return capital from investors (VC’s, PE’s and hedge fund managers), investing in, disposing of, or developing securities, commodities, cash options or derivatives, (investment fund managers) and real estate held for rental or investment.

Entities not subject to the ACT

Farmers that hold land in which they actively farm are not subject to these new rules. Additionally, these rules generally should not apply to “profit interest,” granted to service providers who are employed by a related but separate entity (e.g. a management company).

The rules also do not apply to gains attributable to any asset not held for portfolio investment on behalf of third-party investors. We will have to wait for more guidance for this definition.

There are still many unanswered questions regarding these new rules, with hopefully more guidance coming from the IRS and Congress. Practically speaking, if you’re involved in investments, and hold the assets for more than three years, then these new rules will not have much impact. Furthermore, California has not adopted these rules.

However, there are still numerous traps for the unwary. At GROCO, we assist high net worth clients and their families with wealth creation, family transfers, taxes and charitable giving. Please give me a call at 510-797-8661 if you need assistance or have questions on these new rules or would like to know how to make, keep and/or transfer your wealth.

Categories
Best Practices Growth Management Personal Development

MLK’s Dream is More Than You Think

On August 23, 1963, civil rights leaders led a march on Washington, DC. Speeches were given and music played to show support for civil rights legislation and to protest racial discrimination. One of the speakers was Martin Luther King, Jr., a minister and civil rights activist. His speech “I Have a Dream” is one of the most well-known speeches of all time. His message was powerful and based on a dream for our country.

The address took place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. King said, “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “Unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” King pointed out that it was a “sacred obligation” that America promised its people.

His words are a direct quote from The Declaration of Independence. King is reminding us of the promises that our founding fathers, the architects of our republic, made when they established America. He is holding our country accountable, which is the duty of the people.

He goes further by reminding the government that “Unalienable Rights” along with “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” are promised for all people. Black people, white people, everyone. Later in his speech, he quotes The Declaration again when he says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” King is taking the foundation of our country, calling our leaders to uphold those words. He is taking the original message of our national documents and staying true to them. By quoting the Declaration of Independence King shows he has grounded his leadership and his ministry to a firm base. To stay strong as a people and as a nation, we have to uphold our foundation.

Dr. King’s dream for America is the original American dream that “all men are created equal.” His speech is about equality, freedom and making a nation strong. He even tells us how to achieve it. Unfortunately, we don’t usually hear that part of his message. Instead, we get five minutes of the I have a dream part and not the rest of his message that addresses how to make equality happen. King didn’t just talk about civil rights; he set a plan of action into place. Yet we don’t hear that part. The actual “I Have a Dream” speech is 17 minutes long and filled with so much more than we are exposed to. It’s worth listening or reading the entire thing.

Unfortunately, that may be difficult to do because of “public domain.” This term refers to a creative material that is not protected by intellectual property laws like copyright, trademark, or patent laws. In other words, if something is public domain it is owned by the public so anyone can use it.

Dr. King was the one who obtained the rights to his speech. He decided to do that about a month after he gave the address. There were two companies who started selling unauthorized copies of it. Dr. King put a stop to it by copyrighting the speech. Since then his family has received income from anyone who wants to use the material.

I understand why the family would want to keep the rights so they can control where and how the speech is used. There have been historians and civil leaders who have tried to get open access for all to the speech but to no avail. Unfortunately, since it is challenging to find the entire speech and video, most people don’t know what is in it.

What we don’t see is all the wisdom that Dr. King talked about. He tells about the injustice of blacks and the urgency of changing things now. He doesn’t just talk about how things could be; he tells us how to do it. He specifically instructs black men on what he is to do, and educates white men what to do. Dr. King doesn’t just throw out what is happening and what it should be. He tells us how to fix it.

I was able to receive permission to print the entire speech in my book “Who’s Changing the Meaning?” Through the right channels, they allowed me to put the speech in its entirety for $600. I felt so strongly about getting people to read the document that I agreed to pay for it.

This is one of America’s greatest speeches If we expect things to change we have to change. And change will occur if we follow what Dr. King suggests. You need to read the entire speech. It is even more powerful if you get to watch Dr. King’s presentation while you read the words. It will affect you! Change has to happen. Why not follow the man who not only dreamed of what could be but also showed us the way.

Soli Deo Gloria

Categories
Best Practices Growth Human Resources Management Personal Development

There’s a Shooter in the Lobby!

Imagine this situation. You’re working in your office on an average day. There’s nothing out of the ordinary and suddenly you hear “pop, pop, pop”. This is followed by screaming, people running by your office and more “pops”.  It’s no longer an average day. You’re in the middle of an active shooter situation! What is your first instinct? Is it to investigate? Is it to run? Is it to hide? Do you freeze thinking “This can’t be happening!”. Every moment you hesitate endangers your life and the life of your employees.

Although the majority of these events have taken place in schools, active shooter situations have also occurred in the workplace. Your leadership can help prevent your employees from becoming victims. Knowing what to do before, during and after can reduce the possibility of a situation occurring, of reducing the loss of life if it does, and dealing with the aftermath of the event.

A caveat before I continue. This article isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of everything you should do to prevent an active shooter event from occurring, of what you must do during the event, and what you should do after. That would require a book. My intent is to raise your awareness that you and your employees do not have to be victims.

Before

There is no sure and certain way to identify someone who will become a mass murderer. If there were, these events would be rare if they occurred at all. There are warning signs, though, that can help identify a person who may use violence against other employees. Being alert to these signs and involving human resources can possibly prevent a situation from escalating out of control.

Look for these warning signs in an employee:

  • Increasingly erratic, unsafe, or aggressive behaviors
  • Hostile feelings of injustice or perceived wrongdoing
  • Venting/ranting on social media; photos with firearms
  • Drug and alcohol abuse
  • Marginalization or distancing from friends and colleagues
  • Changes in performance at work
  • Sudden and dramatic changes in home life or in personality
  • Financial difficulties
  • Pending civil or criminal litigation
  • Observable grievances with threats and plans of retribution

Make certain you have created a climate where your employees feel free to express their concern over a colleague’s behavior to supervisors or to human resources without fear of retribution. Yes, it can feel awkward and it’s natural for someone to think they’re overreacting. “What if I’m wrong? How embarrassing!” What if they’re right? How tragic!

You must begin foster the attitude in your company that each and every employee, regardless of position, is responsible for the safety of other employees. This may be a cultural change for the business and cultural change starts at the top. As a leader, ask yourself these questions:

  • Is there a violence-free workplace policy?
  • Do I, as a leader, embrace both the spirit and the letter of that policy?
  • Do I encourage and make it safe for employees to say something if they see something?
  • Do I, as a leader, promote the idea that the safety of each is the concern of all?

Training for an active shooter event is an important way of reducing injuries and death should an active shooter situation occur. There is an abundance of material available to businesses for active shooter training.

Your primary source for training should be your local law enforcement. They will be more than happy to come to your place of business and conduct training. They have a vested interest in doing this. The police do not like entering a building where they do not know the layout. If they are familiar with your building(s), they can more effectively deploy their forces and use any existing resources, like a security camera system, should an active shooter situation arise.

All departments, from executive to custodial, need to talk about an active shooter situation in their staff meetings at least annually. Take the lead in conducting an active shooter drill at least once a year. You need a pre-determined signal or code word that can be sent out immediately to all employees to let them know that an active shooter situation is happening, and they need to know exactly what to do and where to go. They may not have a second chance in a real event.

During

There are only three things you and your employees should do during an active shooter event: Run, Hide, or Fight. There are no other options when a real active shooter event occurs. Don’t think of this as a linear checklist. There may be situations in which the first thing you or your employees should do is fight. It might be more appropriate to hide. The situation will dictate what you and your employees need to do.

Run:

The moment shooting starts, a pre-arranged alert needs to be sent out to let employees know they need to get out of the building if they can. Your employee need to do the following when leaving the building:

  • Have an escape route and plan in mind
  • Leave your belongings behind
  • Keep your hands visible at all times

Hide:

If you and your employees can’t get out:

  • Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view
  • Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors
  • Silence your cell phone and/or pager
  • If a group of employees is hiding in a conference room, then spread out. This makes it harder for the shooter to kill as many people as possible.

Fight:

If the you or an employee encounters the shooter, or the shooter attempts to break into a hiding place:

  • Attempt to incapacitate the shooter any way possible
  • Act with physical aggression and throw items at the shooter
  • Be prepared to use lethal force if necessary to stop the shooter

 After

You and your employees have just experienced the most traumatic event they possibly ever will. They may have seen their colleagues shot. They may have been shot themselves. They have just experienced incredible violence and they will be in shock. These are the steps you need to take immediately after the event and for the long term.

Immediately After

As long as they are on-site, your local law enforcement is in charge. Do as they instruct and work with them. Make them your source for all information regarding injuries and casualties. Do not rely on the media for this information. Immediately implement your business continuity plan which should include a crisis communications plan. Set up your incident command center. Taking positives steps such as these will help reduce any feelings of helplessness you or your leadership team may have.

In the short term

You and your employees will experience a range of emotions from disbelief, shock, numbness, anger, disillusionment, and others. These are normal feelings and shouldn’t be suppressed. Meet with your employees as soon as is practical. Activate any contracts you have with firms that provide trauma or grief counseling and let your employees know how to access these services.

In the long term

Grieving a loss takes a long time and varies by individual. Accept the fact that some people may never get over the event. Honor the memory of those who were lost in the shooting. You may want to set a one day a year, perhaps on the anniversary of the event, to pause and remember. Keep in mind that life will go on but not as it did before the shooting. A new normal has been established.

Resources

Here are some resources available to you to help confront the issue of active shooter situations. It is not an exhaustive list, but it is a start.

Workplace violence

Sample Workplace Violence Policy

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/policies/pages/cms_007623.aspx

State of California Model Workplace Violence and Bullying Prevention Program

http://www.calhr.ca.gov/documents/model-workplace-violence-and-bullying-prevention-program.pdf

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Workplace Violence: Issues in Response

https://www.fbi.gov/…/stats-services-publications-workplace-violence-workplace-viol

During an active shooter event 

Department of Homeland Security: Active Shooter Preparedness

https://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Active Shooter Resources

https://www.dsac.gov/topics/active-shooter-resources

HR Policy Association: Active Shooter Preparedness Programs

http://hrpolicy.org/Programs

 After an active shooter event

Managing your distress in the aftermath of a shooting.

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/mass-shooting.aspx

Active Shooter Recovery Guide.

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/active-shooter-recovery-guide-08-08-2017-508.pdf

What now? The aftermath of a shooting.

https://www.awpnow.com/main/2017/11/07/what-now-the-aftermath-of-a-shooting/

Aftermath of an active shooter

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/OEPR3_Resources_Active%20Shooter%20aftermath.pdf

Categories
Best Practices Entrepreneurship Marketing Personal Development

Your Brand is Only as Good as Your Distribution

If you want your idea to make money, we like to say, “Wrap it in a business, then wrap the business in a brand, and develop your brand until you can sell it!”

When we started in the wine business, we thought “Oh, the wine industry! Swirl, sniff, sip. How glamorous! Stick out your pinkie and talk about flavor profiles. Say something in French. How fun!”

We never thought we’d spend more money, energy, and time on our distribution than actually making the stuff. We thought the distribution would be handled by the distributor. We truly believed our wine was such a value that customers would break windows and bust down doors to get it. How naïve we were!

We see this same wishful thinking in other companies. Their focus is on production rather than distribution. Look at any crowd-funding website and you’ll see time and time again how “cool” their ideas are with barely any mention of how they’ll get to market—and stay there.

What’s ironic is that even the crowd investors themselves misjudge the value of distribution. More than 70% of these offerings fail despite full funding. Why? Because they ignored the low-key cornerstone to real success. Your product’s brand cannot grow without distribution.

You might say, “We can just sell it online!” But now you are selling one by one, collecting from each customer. Then, you’re competing to have the lowest prices. And now you’re spending excessive time on email and social ad campaigns. You’re trying to sell while lacking proof or comparison to other products on the market, and without established traffic open to learning about your product (as in a retail environment).

Most brands that sell a physical product online would rather be in stores. They want to be paid for one large order to fill a large chain store with their product. They want the people already in the stores to discover and purchase their product. They know their brand will grow faster in stores that can advertise them.

But how do you get there, and stay there? That is the question. And as the situation unfolds, your predetermined misconceptions bring a new reality. You realize you’re doing much more than you wanted, and it is unlike the kind of work you had planned. It has barely anything to do with production, but everything to do with getting new retail placements and never ever running out of stock. So much for flavor profiles!

Some companies find this “distribution wall” so impassable that they completely give up selling in stores—they didn’t sign up for this! Nobody told them about it. But it can be done, as long as you understand what each part of the distribution chain wants, and give them just that. Sure, it will take longer than you would’ve liked, but it’s proven and doable. We like to call it a “get rich slow” scheme!

Don’t give up on your dream of seeing your brand on store shelves just because you’ll be spending more time, energy, and effort in the marketplace. When you understand and accept what you must do to be successful, you’ll be effectively building your physical product brand, and that is distribution management!

For more, read on: http://csnetworkadvis.staging.wpengine.com/advisor/michael-houlihan-and-bonnie-harvey/

Categories
Best Practices Growth Management Personal Development

MLK’s Dream is More Than You Think

On August 23, 1963, civil rights leaders led a march on Washington, DC. Speeches were given and music played to show support for civil rights legislation and to protest racial discrimination. One of the speakers was Martin Luther King, Jr., a minister and civil rights activist. His speech “I Have a Dream” is one of the most well-known speeches of all time. His message was powerful and based on a dream for our country.

The address took place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. King said, “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “Unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” King pointed out that it was a “sacred obligation” that America promised its people.

His words are a direct quote from The Declaration of Independence. King is reminding us of the promises that our founding fathers, the architects of our republic, made when they established America. He is holding our country accountable, which is the duty of the people.

He goes further by reminding the government that “Unalienable Rights” along with “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” are promised for all people. Black people, white people, everyone. Later in his speech, he quotes The Declaration again when he says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” King is taking the foundation of our country, calling our leaders to uphold those words. He is taking the original message of our national documents and staying true to them. By quoting the Declaration of Independence King shows he has grounded his leadership and his ministry to a firm base. To stay strong as a people and as a nation, we have to uphold our foundation.

Dr. King’s dream for America is the original American dream that “all men are created equal.” His speech is about equality, freedom and making a nation strong. He even tells us how to achieve it. Unfortunately, we don’t usually hear that part of his message. Instead, we get five minutes of the I have a dream part and not the rest of his message that addresses how to make equality happen. King didn’t just talk about civil rights; he set a plan of action into place. Yet we don’t hear that part. The actual “I Have a Dream” speech is 17 minutes long and filled with so much more than we are exposed to. It’s worth listening or reading the entire thing.

Unfortunately, that may be difficult to do because of “public domain.” This term refers to a creative material that is not protected by intellectual property laws like copyright, trademark, or patent laws. In other words, if something is public domain it is owned by the public so anyone can use it.

Dr. King was the one who obtained the rights to his speech. He decided to do that about a month after he gave the address. There were two companies who started selling unauthorized copies of it. Dr. King put a stop to it by copyrighting the speech. Since then his family has received income from anyone who wants to use the material.

I understand why the family would want to keep the rights so they can control where and how the speech is used. There have been historians and civil leaders who have tried to get open access for all to the speech but to no avail. Unfortunately, since it is challenging to find the entire speech and video, most people don’t know what is in it.

What we don’t see is all the wisdom that Dr. King talked about. He tells about the injustice of blacks and the urgency of changing things now. He doesn’t just talk about how things could be; he tells us how to do it. He specifically instructs black men on what he is to do, and educates white men what to do. Dr. King doesn’t just throw out what is happening and what it should be. He tells us how to fix it.

I was able to receive permission to print the entire speech in my book “Who’s Changing the Meaning?” Through the right channels, they allowed me to put the speech in its entirety for $600. I felt so strongly about getting people to read the document that I agreed to pay for it.

This is one of America’s greatest speeches If we expect things to change we have to change. And change will occur if we follow what Dr. King suggests. You need to read the entire speech. It is even more powerful if you get to watch Dr. King’s presentation while you read the words. It will affect you! Change has to happen. Why not follow the man who not only dreamed of what could be but also showed us the way.

Soli Deo Gloria

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Skills Women In Business

4 Action Steps to Protect Your Reputation Monday to Monday®

Click here to watch 4 Action Steps to Protect Your Reputation Monday to Monday® 

Your reputation – good or bad – precedes you. Your reputation enters the room, your clients’ offices, your meetings and your one-on-one conversations before you ever get there. Your reputation enters your readers inbox before you hit send on that email.

You’re always on display, and your reputation is always on the line. The big question is, are you okay with the reputation you’ve created?

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Growth Management Operations Personal Development

Five Customer Service Tactics to Increase Sales

You might be looking at that headline wondering if this article should fall into the category of sales tactics, but it is all about customer service. It is about the way you engage with customers and how you make them feel – which also happens to be an indicator of whether or not they will want to do business with you again. And, although the examples focus on retail interactions, the lessons can work for any type of business or industry.

1. Engage with your initial greeting. Offer a strong, sincere welcome to make the customer feel comfortable and appreciated. The first impression sets the tone for the rest of your interaction with the customer.

2. Ask a question that will elicit a specific answer. Simply asking “May I help you?” is not enough. Ask the customer an open-ended question such as, “What can I help you find today?” The answer to that type of question will be more likely to offer specific information about how you can best serve the customer.

3. Ask a follow-up question. Often, this second question will be “Why?” Once you know what the customer is in search of, more knowledge about why it is needed or how it will be used may reveal additional selling opportunities. (Or simply the opportunity to be helpful by sharing some knowledge or expertise.)

4. Upsell. Those “additional selling opportunities” from the follow-up question and conversation with the customer can lead to appropriate upselling. Which, by the way, is a form of good customer service. For example, at Ace Hardware, if a customer comes in to buy a can of paint, the associate would be amiss if he or she did not ask about the customer’s project and whether any additional painting supplies are needed. It’s about making customers’ lives easier by ensuring they have everything they need the first time.

5. Make sure the customer is satisfied. Don’t forget to ask if there is anything else that the customer needs. Asking, “Did you find everything you needed today?” or “Is there anything else I can help you with?” gives the customer a chance to reflect and perhaps make an additional purchase. They may even let you know if there is an item that is out of stock – which is valuable business information for you as well as an opportunity to let the customer know when it will be available.

Bonus: One final tactic – never forget to say, “Thank you!” This is one of the most important tactics. Always end with an expression of gratitude for the customer and leave a strong last impression.

Interweaving customer service into the process of selling is essential. Hire the right people and train and motivate them to engage with the customers to provide an excellent customer experience.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling business author. For information, contact 314-692-2200 or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs, go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken