Finding your stories

We’ve talked a lot about the power of stories to motivate others.
But what stories do you choose that will have that power?
Powerful stories illustrate powerful principles and points.
Develop an an awareness and look for stories everywhere.
Start a story file in your computer or a notebook.
Write a short outline of the story and the point that it makes.
Listen carefully when friends tell you their stories.
Mine your own past experiences and what they taught you.
These may include personal challenges you faced.
Difficult decisions you made. Good and bad choices and results.
Obstacles you and others have had to overcome.
My stories tell about Jimmy, our illiterate pressman.
About our son David and his learning difficulties.
About my own mistakes and the prices I paid.
Before turning in tonight, write one story in your notebook.
Then tell that story to someone you care about.
Tell it to others. The more you tell it, the better you tell it.
With practice, you will embellish it, polish it, enrich it.
Now add a story to your notes that a friend told you.
Practice telling that story. Polish it. Enhance the point it makes.
These ideas come from Suzanne Bates’ "Motivate Like a CEO".
Good book worth reading. More about this next time.
For help with your leadership, please click here.

Inspiring high performance

Last time w talked about the power of storytelling.
Here are five more ways stories motivate other people.
Suzanne Bates outlines them in "Motivate Like a CEO".
1. Stories inspire high performance.
Tell colleagues about someone who achieved a lofty goal.
This starts them thinking about what they might do.
Recognition may be the only reward — but it’s a big reward.
2. Stories help us remember the point.
A good story makes an indelible impression in our brains.
If your story is good, we will remember your point.
3. Friends and colleagues learn from our stories.
They appreciate that there is a "lesson" in these stories.
They like hearing your stories and the lessons they contain.
4. Stories make your message "sticky".
They are not easily forgotten. Your lesson can be easily recalled.
5. Stories open minds and hearts.
Memorable stories appeal to your audience's feelings.
The best motivational stories are about achieving goals.
Overcoming challenges. Persevering. Discovering what is possible.
Helping others. Making our world a far better place.
In her book (McGraw Hill), Suzanne Bates writes:
"Stories such as these are what audiences long to hear."
We’ll talk more about stories next week.
Meantime, for more on finding your purpose, please click here.

Tell a motivating story

We’ve talked with you about finding your life’s great purpose.
Here’s a way to galvanize others with your vision and dream:
Tell your story about why and how you plan to realize your goal.
In "Motivate Like a CEO", Suzanne Bates tells how stories motivate.
1. Stories connect people to your purpose and passion.
I tell people about my goal of raising $200 million for literacy.
That makes a connection with them and inspires them, too.
I tell them the story of Jimmy, the pressman who could not read.
42 million Jimmys cannot read. I’m passionate about helping them.
2. Stories help you communicate.
If I know what drives you, I will want to help you achieve your goal.
3. Stories inspire people.
They drive values throughout your company and community.
4. Stories reveal you as a leader.
They show that you are in touch with what’s going on.
5. Stories show that you care.
They show that you understand and appreciate other people.
We would rather work with someone with a heart, not just a brain.
More about storytelling as a motivator in Thursday’s blog.
I recommend Suzanne’s book, published by McGraw Hill.
For more on finding your great purpose, please click here.

What cruise lines could teach airlines

Apparently my airline rant touched a nerve with some of you.
Now that I have that off my chest, I want to share a positive.
My wife and I flew to Honolulu a year ago.
The airlines managed to lose our luggage en route-- again.
We boarded our cruise ship and told them what had happened.
The cruise people couldn’t have been nicer.
The next morning, our luggage was sitting outside our door.
It was like Christmas for two weary airline travelers.
The cruise from Hawaii to Tahiti was like that, too.
The crew could not do enough for us. We felt like royalty.
Even a grumpy Canadian at our table cheered up.
He had words with the maitre d’ the first evening.
After that, the waiters killed him with kindness.
Here’s a question: How do cruise ships train their crews that well?
Why can’t the airlines? They treat us like slaughterhouse cattle.
Have you had a good experience? Please share it with us.
Now I want to alert you to an opportunity we’re working on.
We’re planning a December entrepreneurs’ Caribbean cruise.
On board, we will offer mastermind sessions in the mornings.
These are customized for you, your business and your clients.
The rest of the day will be yours to enjoy with your family.
And it will be tax deductible -- from 2009 revenues.
Interested? Drop me an email note.
I’ll send you details as we work them out.
Meantime, I have a new book to boost your sales.
Its strategies boosted our net profits 160.3% last month.
For a free video interview about it, please click here.

Taking care of business

I flew to New York City Saturday for my sister’s birthday.
You have to love someone one heckuva lot to do that.
New York winters, like many New Yorkers, have sharp elbows.
It took four flights to get me there and back. None were on time.
The son of one of my sister’s friends works for Disney in Orlando.
Disney, you may recall, treats their customers as "guests".
That’s a far cry from how the airlines treat you.
You might as well be cattle to them.
If we treated our advertisers and subscribers that way, guess what?
We would be in as bad a financial fix as the NY Times.
We cruised from Honolulu to Tahiti 14 months ago.
It was a great experience. We could have been royalty.
The cruise line employees treat you that way.
Not the airlines. We were stranded for two days in Tahiti.
Now there are worse places to be stranded.
But we needed to go home. We had clients to take care of.
Have you had a wonderful experience on an airline?
Or have you had a crummy one?
Click on the comment button at the end of this blog.
Let me know about your experiences.
We’ll share them with everyone. Venting is healthy.
For a free video on my new book, please click here.