Archive
New Testimonial from Alan Weiss
Thankful to Alan Weiss for this new testimonial…
© 2-13 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
Extra Points – Unsolicited Advice
Unsolicited advice
Don’t accept unsolicited advice. As my professional mentor, Alan Weiss reminded us at his Seattle event last week, unsolicited advice is for the giver of the advice, not the recipient. Only accept advice from people who you want to gain advice from. As a member in Toastmasters, I accept advice from fellow members because it’s implicit in my membership. I don’t accept advice from someone I don’t know after walking off the platform when I speak. I accept advice from my mastermind group because I value and respect their opinions and it’s again implicit as part of that group. I don’t accept advice or comments through the internet where someone is anonymously hiding behind an avatar (see electronic comments on newspaper articles). Choose wisely who you take suggestions and advice from. They need to have gained your trust and respect in whatever it is they are mentoring or coaching you on (or even simply giving advice).
One additional note. Don’t get angry by people’s comments or “advice” on social media sites like Facebook. If you posted something, you have given the right to everyone seeing it to weigh in. It has now become “solicited!” I am constantly amused by people who are agitated by other’s comments on their life when they put themselves out there. If you don’t want to take comments on your life or business, don’t post on Facebook, Twitter, or Linked In. If you are looking to be provocative and edgy, be ready to take the heat. Unless of course the heat comes form someone you don’t know hiding behind a green Martian’s face…
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
This week’s quote -
“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.”
- Mark Twain
Extra Points – Chasing the Rabbit
Chasing the Rabbit
Captain Jack
I admit to being an NFL geek. I watched the NFL Draft on Saturday as the Seahawks had about a gazillion picks to make. It was worth it when I heard former NFL head coach and ESPN Monday Night Football announcer, Jon Gruden tell a rookie quarterback…
“If the dog hadn’t stopped to take a crap, he would have caught the rabbit.”
Now, THAT is wisdom!
Here’s why. The dog takes off on a mission to catch the rabbit. The rabbit himself is fast and tough to catch to begin with. The dog stops to do his duty and the rabbit speeds on. The dog misses out on the rabbit and the rewards of catching the rabbit.
You start off on a new mission/objective/goal/initiative/dream (you pick one). The objective is going to be tough to attain to begin with. You are going fast and then something distracts or stops you. Seems like it’s important at the time. By the time you get going back again, you’ve lost momentum; lost passion; lost direction; and ultimately lost your rabbit and reward.
You, in your professional and personal life, are constantly setting goals and objectives. Too bad you’re allowing things to distract you and keep you from reaching them. More often than not, these distractions are of your own doing. It doesn’t have to be that way. You have control, you just need to be resilient, focused, and passionate. There’s always time to ‘um…”take a crap” later!
Go catch that rabbit!
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
This week’s quote -
“It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man.”
– H. L. Mencken
New Rave Review
Aaron Murphy turned to me to help his practice and business flourish. How can I help you do the same?
Contact me to find out how we can work together to accelerate your growth both professionally and personally.
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
Extra Points – Perspective
This week’s focus point…
Perspective
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for my high school alma mater. Earlier this month, a lady who graduated 10 years before me (and whom I did not know), died tragically near Seattle when someone going over 100 MPH the wrong way hit her head on. The son of my 6th grade teacher and first basketball coach was killed in Alaska. Then in back to back days last week, we lost classmates who I went to school with going all the way back to grade school. Then on Friday, this state lost two coaching legends (Marv Harshman and Frosty Westering) on the same day hours apart.
This memo isn’t about regrets or tears. It’s about understanding that we don’t have limitless days in front of us. None of us knows when those days will end, but we do know they don’t last forever.
I think there is nothing more sobering than wasted opportunity. In many cases, we know it right at the moment it happens. With life, we don’t. It’s easy to get thinking that tomorrow will always come and “someday” will always come. For my classmates, “someday” is over.
You and I are here today. This may be something you’ve heard before, but if you’re like me, it’s easy to overlook. Don’t waste days. Don’t waste opportunities. Don’t stay mad. Don’t be negative.
Instead, spend time with your family and friends; create new memories; attack every day like it’s a new adventure; and keep a smile on your face. If you’re reading this, you are as fortunate as I am because we have been blessed. Take advantage of each day and run the race with great passion and enthusiasm.
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
This week’s quote –
“Make the big time where you are.”
- Frosty Westering, former head football coach at Pacific Lutheran University
Extra Points – Runs, Hits, and Errors
Runs, Hits, and Errors
I’m writing this Extra Points on Saturday morning, while watching Felix Hernandez pitch for the Mariners against the Chicago White Sox. 3B Kyle Seager booted a routine ground ball for an error with 2 outs. While it didn’t end up costing the Mariners a run in that inning, it did have hidden consequences.
Mariners broadcaster Mike Blowers recalled a conversation with former Mariners skipper, Lou Piniella. Piniella said that errors have a consequence, even if a run never scores because it adds to the pitch count for the pitcher. Especially early in a season, pitchers are on a strict pitch count as to not overwork their arms and cause injury. In all the years of watching baseball, I’d never considered this.
The same is ultimately true in your business or career. Your own “errors” end up having consequences that are not readily apparent. Often, our mistakes aren’t realized immediately until those consequences catch up to us. Even if we do know we “booted a grounder,” if we can recover quickly we feel we got out of our jam.
This week’s quote -
- Tom Landry, former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys
Crisis Prevention, Planning, and Response
I just got done speaking to a tremendous group of women business owners and executives in New Jersey. They just went through a devastating storm last October that was unprecedented in its impact to communications, transportation, and power loss. We spoke about that storm, as well as other crises that can impact their businesses like – loss of power, data breach, and employee issues.
Here is what I heard loud and clear from them…
- They want to improve their ability to communicate to employees and customers in a crisis. That means setting up layers of redundancy in case of loss of power, email, cell phones, or whatever other methods are being used.
- They want a plan that is in place to deal with any crisis that comes around the bend. It must be something that is repeatable, intentional, and practiced.
- Speaking of practice, most business owners and executives rarely set out practice plans (i.e. fire drills or corporate war game scenarios). How do you know it works if you never practice?
My recommendation is to set up a 3-step process for disaster planning…
Step 1 – Set a budget to include insurance premiums, outside consulting help, technology, and internal controls. This will be different for everyone due to insurance premiums, number of employees, and perils.
Step 2 – Go through disaster and crisis prevention response and planning. Allocate at least 8 hours out of an entire year to do this and re-commit annually.
Step 3 – Buy the insurance, monitor your plan, then relax and do what you do best in your business.
You can drive yourself crazy and easily drift into analysis paralysis if you allow yourself to. Make the process simple and move forward. The problem for most businesses is that they never spend the fraction of the time they need to prepare. Doing this little process by itself may save you tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
Extra Points – April Fools Day
Fools Gold
April Fools Day.
One of my favorite days, especially because it’s my wife’s birthday. I’ve always teased her because she is an April Fools baby and I was a New Years Eve baby, which means everyone parties on my birthday, and plays practical jokes on hers. Fortunately, she sees the humor in it and can laugh along with me. Believe me, I give her plenty of ammunition to poke fun at me!
I remember years ago (back in the mid-1980s), Sports Illustrated ran a featured story on a pitcher by the name of Sidd Finch. The Curious Case of Sidd Finch was written by prize-winning journalist, George Plimpton and chronicled the unbelievable story of this guy who had a 168 mph fastball and was trying to make the New York Mets staff. It was a 14-page article that caught like wildfire (in the non-Internet dark days). Of course, it was a hoax, but as is the case with much jocularity when the propaganda is so outlandish, many people fell for it only to be told, “April Fools Day!” One of my favorite stories almost 30 years later.
The ability to laugh at one’s self is priceless. It’s actually not fool’s gold, but the real McCoy. In good times and challenging times, laughter and humor can save us from despair, depression, and disgust. Being able to laugh at yourself instead of someone else is a true test of your ability to have humor. I hope this April Fools Day, you will take some time out of the day to have a hearty laugh and a full sense of humor.
This week’s quote -
“A fool and his money are easily parted.”
- Mark Twain
More…
This is a 5 and a half minute speech I gave as part of a Toastmasters demonstration at my Rotary Club last week. Here is what you can take away from it…
1. Public speaking can not only be effective for your business, but fun for you. You just need to practice, learn techniques and strategies, and gain “Stage Time” (courtesy of my pal, Darren LaCroix).
2. Humor is powerful if used correctly. Humor makes people laugh and listen. It evokes emotion and caring. And, it reduces anxiety and tension. You can effectively use humor in any business presentation, especially if it’s self-deprecating.
3. Record when you speak and put it on your You Tube channel. Get your message out to a broad audience so you can improve the condition of more people.
I hope you enjoy More…
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
Extra Points – Thinking Big
Think Big
What happens to kids as they grow up?
For most kids (us included), they spend the better part of their youth fearless. Think back to 2nd and 3rd grade. Kids don’t have a whole lot of trouble being brutally candid, eager to try new things, willing to suffer the consequences of their losses and ecstatic to revel in their successes. As I speak to this age group on a semi-regular basis in my role as a school board president, I notice that our young friends seem relentless in the pursuit of happiness, regardless of what lies in front of them.
As adults, somehow we become cowards. We over think, we over worry, we care about what others might think, we care about what they might say, or we are scared we might get “found out.” Because of all of this, we often think small. We never do those things that we dream of – writing a book, starting a business, taking a trip around the world, or whatever that “thing” is for you.
I have good friends who just took off to live in Paris for a year. They’ve owned their own business, been highly successful, and have the funds to do it. You might say, “Well Dan, with all of that, what is there to be fearful about?” Plenty. They leave their business, their friends, their family, their comfort, and everything else that they know. They don’t know what’s in store for them when they get there or when they get back. But, they went. And I enjoy following their adventures on their blog.
What about you? Do you think big enough or does fear stop you in your tracks? Why not find a little fountain of youth within you and instead of saying “why,” say “why not me?” Life is short and unpredictable. Every one of us has unfulfilled dreams on our own bucket list. Start today by being a kid and thinking BIG!
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
This week’s quote -
“Consult not your fears, but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do.”
- Pope John XXII
