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Balancing Act: The Newsletter (No. 116: April 2009)

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Techniques for balance

  1. You know you're going to be spending more time in airports these days than ever before if you're a frequent traveler. Plan for it: There are now top restaurants, usually a couple of airline clubs, wireless access, shopping, even showers and napping facilities. Make the best personal and business use of your time there, since it has become a major time investment.
  2. One of the biggest communications gaps is between doctors and patients. Many people are intimidated, or feel inferior. Come armed with questions, in writing, and simply request that your physician spend a few minutes responding to them. If the doctor says, "You can ask my nurse," simply say, "I'd prefer to hear the answers from you, it will only take a few minutes."
  3. You can get an application on the iPhone called "Flight Tracker," which will tell you the status of your flights, show you a map of where they currently are, alert you to on time status or delay, and email people whom you want to track your progress (e.g., a driver awaiting to pick you up). It's $4.99.
  4. Some of the restaurants we frequent are doing terrific business, while many others are suffering. The distinctions I notice: loyal customers created by great past service; attractive ambiance where people want to hang out; appeal to diverse age groups; diversity of menu items. When any organization reduces staff, cuts back on hours, minimizes choice, and generally shrinks, it is in a doom loop, because you cannot cut your way to growth.
  5. Fedexing luggage, which I've noted before, is now even more attractive since some airlines won't even handle certain weights or sizes, even with an excess baggage fee. You could show up and not be able to take your luggage. (Qantas recently had differently interpreted rules on four separate flights-it was like a roulette game.)
  6. If you want to get to sleep rapidly and learn while you do so, try doing a crossword puzzle when you're in bed. Tires me out every time.
  7. If you have the time and the resources, there are better air and hotel deals today than I can remember, even at very high-end properties. For the first time, ultra-luxury hotels are calling me to ask if I'd like to schedule meetings or revisit.
  8. Just curious: When was the last time you heard an interviewer, reporter, or anchor say to a guest, "Excuse me, but you're not answering my question?" We rarely get straight answers because the interviewers are so inept.
  9. I recently received a wonderful "deal" from the woman who owns the teleconference service I use for my sessions. I was stunned, and asked her why. "Because you are by far the best referral source I've ever had. This is my way of thanking you." I thought I was doing everyone a favor. Are you doing a favor for high quality service providers? Is anyone doing the same for you?
  10. Here's a good way to start a staff meeting: "What are we going to do to increase our value and improve our clients today?" Or, to start the day: "How am I going to improve my personal and professional life today?"

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There is a story I heard (from a priest) about a priest assigned to a new parish. He was a stranger in the town, and quickly became lost trying to walk to the church from the train station. He wandered into a bad part of the city, and suddenly felt a gun in his ribs, and someone demanding his wallet.

The priest quickly opened his trench coat to extract his billfold from an inside pocket, revealing his clerical collar. The robber said, "You're a priest, I can't rob you. Put your wallet away," and he lowered the gun.

"You are troubled my son," said the priest, let's talk. I see a tavern on the far corner, I'm happy to buy you a beer."

"Oh, we can't do that Father," said the thief quickly, "I gave up alcohol for Lent!"

What this story reinforces for me is that life is about decisions based on priorities. Some of us aren't that good at decision making, and some of us are excellent, but none of us is successful if we're making decisions about the wrong priorities.

I would never be pretentious enough to prescribe others' priorities, but I am observant enough to tell you that they often seem strange to me. Just this morning, I received a question from a business owner I'm coaching which went like this: "What language have you found effective to push reluctant customers into a gig before the end of the fiscal year?"

That priority is just wrong on so many levels. The key, to me, is what's in the client's best interests? Another priority is to have ongoing relationships which prevail throughout the year. And still another is that I'm not interested in "gigs" or assignments, but rather in results and outcomes. In just one sentence, he revealed that he and I are working on the basis of vastly differing priorities.

What are your REAL priorities in life and work? Are they dictated by obligations and customers and family and community norms? Or do you establish what you feel is the right emphasis for you and your loved ones? Are they symbiotic with those around you, or dictated to you (or forced upon others)?

I think we need to think about those priorities more and more, adjusting them as life, maturity, and experiences dictate. Giving up alcohol while committing armed robbery is fairly ridiculous.

But, then, so is working so hard to support your family that you don't get to spend much time with them.

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Pandemic fear

For some time-I mean many years-I've been hearing the lament of victimization. It was the economy (long before it WAS the economy), or technology, or cheap overseas labor, or government regulation, or the fates. It was always something, but it was never the lamenters themselves.

There are people suffering today, who can't meet basic debts, who are losing their savings, who are destitute, homeless, and malnourished. We owe our neighbors and colleagues our help. But first, people have to help themselves.

Individuals who have purchased too large a house, too many TVs, too many cars, and charged expensive vacations, assuming credit would hold up the house of cards, made very poor decisions. The first thing to do is to recognize that. The chief financial officer of a major company, making $250,000 per year, is losing the family multi-million dollar home because his income is being reduced and he can no longer afford a $12,000 monthly mortgage (this story appeared in the Wall Street Journal).

He could NEVER afford a $12,000 monthly mortgage on that income, and he is supposedly a financial expert! There may be a basic right to freedom and happiness and liberty, but there is no such right to two homes, three cars, and six televisions, nor to private schooling, nor to retiring at 50 years old. These are all choices that we have to weigh for ourselves in terms of our ability to pay for them-not charge them and hope to pay for them.

The first step to reduce the catholic (small "c") fear pervading society is to admit that a great deal of the problem emanates from poor decisions we made, not from bad luck. (The unlucky ones invested in funds they thought were safe which, in turn, invested in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme. But those who invested directly with him easily should have known better but thought they had a "free ride.") Once we purge ourselves of blaming others, we free ourselves to take command of our own lives again.

I think people are starting to do this.

If poor decisions can cause economic chaos, good decisions can result in fiscal responsibility and confidence in the system. There is plenty of money sitting on the sidelines, waiting for more assurance, more stability. There is a plethora of jobs requiring talent which will open up once banks lend and businesses can reinvest in their growth.

I don't know when we will see strong evidence of this turnaround, but I'm confident it's coming. Fear is often good for us, because it prevents us from rash action. But the larger fear now should be fear of inaction.

We all have to get back to our lives and our professions and our businesses, but this time taking responsibility for making better decisions.

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I kept getting calls from my wife's friends and colleagues on boards, who were calling on my business phone. I was furious, and not all that polite as I frostily took messages. I couldn't reach my wife, who has the knack for finding the six square yards in New England without cell phone coverage whenever she goes somewhere, and I'd left her some crisp messages.

Searching for an answer, I picked up the business line, dialed the house, and got a busy signal. So I then called the phone company and unloaded on them.

A somewhat bored woman asked, "You're answering your business phone and talking to people?"

"Yes!!"

"And people you're talking to have said they dialed the house phone?"

"Yes, the wires are obviously crossed!"

"Did you use call forwarding today on your business phone?"

"Yes! Why is that relevant to�.?"

"Do you use a two-line phone on your desk?"

"Yes, but what's�..?"

"Sir, you did not forward your business phone to your answering system, you forwarded your house phone to your business phone by punching the wrong line when you entered the forwarding code. Unforward your house phone and things should be fine. Have a nice day."

Of course, she was talking to a highly trained problem solver�.

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SPECIAL: From Panic to Profit

May 12, 2009

A special teleconference following up on "How to Accelerate Business in A Dismal Economy." This one incorporates my recent travels to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and across the U.S. to provide an hour of high content, pragmatic approaches on helping others and helping yourself in the current economic conditions. A free download is included, as well as unlimited access to a recording of the session.

Speaking With Alan

East Greenwich, RI,
April 14-16, 2009

The fourth such event, participants create, practice, and develop marketing tools for a professional speech. Complete six months of work in 2.5 days at Alan's home, with great dinners every night. Fee includes lodging, local transportation, and all meals. Only two seats remain in our group of six.

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May 19-20, 2009

This is the final offering! For those getting started or who are stuck, learn pragmatic methods to earn substantial six-figure incomes in professional services. Stop spinning your wheels.

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May 27-29, 2009

This is the final offering! Only unique people will share this 2.5-day program to learn the major tactics required to move to and through the million dollar mark. THE FIRST US SESSION SOLD OUT IN MARCH. We will help you become a visible thought leader in your field, create "communities" of support, engage in advanced promotional tactics, and a lot more. We'll also be sharing the best practices of the Million Dollar Club. This will be quickly sold-out.

Million Dollar Consulting® College

Newport, RI,
April 27- May 1, 2009

The finest developmental experience for professional service providers, featuring business acquisition, fee setting, branding, market gravity, the language of the sale, proposals, and much more. Read the testimonials and look at the photos. November 2008 sold out!

NEW: THE WORKSHOP WORKSHOP

Newport, RI
June 17-18, 2009

Join a small group to create a workshop featuring your expertise and value and a marketing plan to launch it successfully in this economy. You can use the program as a template for other workshops. One successful workshop will repay you many times over in this powerful ROI. Alan's workshops usually average six figures in profit.

Shameless Promotion

East Greenwich, RI
Scheduled on demand

One-to-four people participate in a rigorous two days of promotional "mayhem," in which we create assertive and powerful approaches to mold thought leaders, "go to" people, interviewing targets, and objects of interest. The second course is now being scheduled, we ensure compatibility by vetting applicants. Nothing else like this if you see to "rise above the noise."

The Odd Couple�

Las Vegas, Nevada
June 25-26, 2009

Join Alan and Patricia Fripp in their annual romp through marketing for professional speakers in a gorgeous facility with $129 suites for every participant. Not to be missed.

You haven't really learned anything until you've been able to teach it to someone else. -- AW