Love what you do

I had almost forgotten this story until lunch the other day.
Joe Pinner, known to millions as Mr. Knozit, made me think of it.
Joe has spent most of his life in broadcasting and loves it.
"I've never had to work a day in my life," Joe says.
As a young reporter, I wrote about a cleaning lady.
She was retiring after 30 years at one of the local TV stations.
Cleaning potties isn't my idea of a fun career.
But this lady loved being around broadcasting people.
They were just local folks but to her they were stars.
At a retirement party, she was asked how she felt on retiring.
"I'm sure going to miss show business," she said.
To her, what she had been doing was important to the business.
Without clean potties, who would want to work there?
Here's the point: If you clean potties, makes them the cleanest.
If you're in show business, make it the best show in town.
Love it and you'll never work a day in your life
To leave a comment, click on "comment" below.
P.S. An invitation for those of you in the Lexington area.
Our annual Chronicle Open House will be Saturday, Dec. 19.
Come by 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. for food and holiday cheer.
It's at our office, 131 Swartz Rd., Lexington, just off U.S.1.
I'll be glad to autograph any of my books for you.
They make great Christmas gifts. Hope to see you then.

Control your emotions

Your emotions can cloud your judgment. For example:
An account executive asked me to join her on a call.
A prospect had been highly disrespectful to her.
This riled me. I won’t have anyone mistreat our people.
We have respectful relations or no relations at all
I won’t tolerate bullies nor work with ass kissers.
I told her I would straighten him out.
Carol asked, “Please don’t do that. I need this account.
“Lets just see how he acts toward you,” she said.
I agreed. If he acted with respect, I would, too.
He must have sensed he wasn’t the only Alpha male.
Our talk was productive. He agreed to sign a contract.
You must be respectful but firm with propects and clients.
If not, some will try to walk all over you.
They are small people who want you to feel smaller.
Carol was right. My temper had clouded my judgment.
Don’t let emotions cloud your own good judgment.
Step back and think, what’s the best way to handle this?
Do you have a strategy for dealing with people like this?
Please share it with us by clicking on comment below.
For more on handling troublesome people, please go to
http://www.jerrybellune.com/books/lead-people-manage-things/lead-people-manage-things-the-book.htm

How to give thanks

Here’s a special Thanksgiving thought for you.
I met the Communications Doctor at the NSA Speakers School.
Susanne Gaddis, PhD, helps leaders with communications.
Our friend Glenn Strange was the ring master this year.
Glenn assembled a powerful lineup of speaker teachers.
Susanne shared two important training aids she’s developed.
One has 56 “Ego Busters”. They’re prickly. Such as:
“It won’t work”, “It’s against policy” and “You’re out of you mind”.
Makes you feel bad just reading them, doesn’t it?
She has 54 “Ego Boosters” that you can use to boost confidence.
At a meeting you might say: “What a great idea” or “Wow!”
Also: "Thank you for . . .” or “That’s a good point”.
One on one, you might say: “I like the way you did that”.
Or “That’s clever” or “I couldn’t have done it better myself”.
“You really outdid yourself” or “You’re an inspiration”.
In a note you might write: “Congratulations” or “Wonderful job”.
Susanne did not mention this but there are other Ego Boosters.
These you say in front of others to recognize achievement.
“Thanks, Bill, for a great job on the XYZ project.”
“Sue, thanks for completing the work on time and under cost.”
Years ago my editor would demand to know who wrote something.
Meekly I would raise my hand, waiting for an angry outburst.
He was an intense and emotional man, my editor.
"Great work," he might say. "I had a hunch you wrote it."
I could go without food or sleep for a week on those words.
Remember that you have vast influence over others.
Your words can praise or puncture, cherish or condemn.
Say a good word. Praise in public. Leave a thank you note.
Even write notes to the rising stars’ families.
Let their loved ones know what a great job they are doing.
Giving thanks goes a long way this Thankgiving.
For more of Susanne’s Ego Boosters check her website.
It’s www.CommunicationsDoctor.com
For more on influence and leadership, click on
http://www.jerrybellune.com/books/lead-people-manage-things/lead-people-manage-things-the-book.htm.

What you pray for

The National Speakers Association gave me an opportunity Saturday.
Twenty speakers learned how to get free publicity in the media.
I told them, “Advertising is what you pay for.
“Publicity is what you pray for.”
We defined advertising as business-building information.
New products and services. Special sales, etc.
You should expect to pay to advertise those.
Publicity is news about something you are doing or have done.
This includes: Helping a charity. An honor or award. A promotion.
A new book you’ve written and published.
An upcoming speech for a business or professional group.
We discussed who to contact, how and what to say when you do.
How to tell a story an editor or broadcast news director will like.
They went home with a template for writing their own news release.
If you would like a copy, email me at Jerry@JerryBellune.com
Next week, I’ll tell you about the Communications Doctor.

Living up to expectations

Bill Curry was recruited by the Green Bay Packers.
The kid from Atlanta had never been that far north.
Defensive captain Willie Davis encouraged Curry.
"You can earn a place on this team," Davis told him.
That expectation made a difference in Curry’s commitment.
Making it to a professional football team is incredibly hard.
You have to develop a high threshold of pain.
Ray Nitschke broke Curry’s nose and knocked him out.
Curry didn’t quit — because Willie Davis had faith in him.
He couldn’t let Davis — or himself — down.
Later, Curry asked Davis why he had said what he said.
Davis said he didn’t know. There was a lesson there.
Great leaders do what’s right even if they don’t know why.
Has a great leader done something like this for you?
Have you encouraged others with your faith in them?
Remember Winston Churchill’s brief but famous speech?
"Never give in, never give in, never ever give in."
Your words of encouragement will make a difference.
Go make a difference in someone’s life today.
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