Are you in control?

Tom Ledbetter asked me to speak to his business class this week.
This always makes me think about the joy of owning a business.
My wife and I have owned and operated seven since 1982.
It gives you a great sense of freedom -- and responsibility.
It gives you control -- the pathway to a happy life.
A Gallup survey of 100,826 people confirmed that’s true.
Business owners control their lives and are happy.
Employees feel controlled by others and aren’t.
"Despite the recession, it pays to be your own boss."
That’s the conclusion of Gallup editor Frank Newport.
"The more control you have, the happier you are."
"I’m happy," you may say, "and I work for someone else."
That’s great. You must work for an inspiring leader.
Not everyone does. The corporate life fosters managers.
You’ll find too few true leaders in corporate America.
I know. I left corporate America and won’t go back.
I share this because I’d like you to enjoy what we enjoy.
We embrace each day's challenges and opportunities.
We reap the rewards of our successes.
Is there an entrepreneurial heart inside you?
You could control your own work and life as an owner.
You control your time and, to a large degree, your income.
You’ll be happy. It’s the only way to live.
My "Ultimate Guide to Business" will be out this fall.
More about that later. For more on leadership, click here.
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Are you listening?

Ken Blanchard has become a favorite of mine.
Why? He was to speak here on a Monday morning.
His plane couldn’t take off from Miami Sunday night.
Fog made takeoff impossible. That didn't stop him.
Ken and his wife hired a driver to take them to Columbia.
They slept as best they could in the back of the car.
Ken appeared unruffled Monday and did a great job.
He gave a six-hour seminar as if he slept all night.
The one-minute manager knew how to manage.
Would you ride all night to keep an appointment?
Ken is a great listener, speaker and trainer.
He was hired to fix a company's 200% turnover.
He asked to talk with those leaving the company.
Why do that? the president asked. They're all leaving.
Ken said, Well, it might help to know why.
The workers said the heat in their area reached 110.
They were completely exhausted at their shift's end.
They quit as soon as they could find another job.
He recommended upgrading the air conditioning.
The next year, turnover dropped to less than 10%.
"They thought I was a genius," Ken said.
His mother asked, "You’re paid for this kind of work?"
We talked with 9th graders about leadership last week.
They ranked listening as No. 3 in leadership skills.
Are you listening to others? What did you learn?
What did you do about it? You must take action, too.
To watch my Business Tip of the Week, please click here.