Making Connections?

Reminder: I will be speaking on Caroline Gavin’s podcast show on BlogTalk Radio, Purposeful Pathway on February 27th. I am looking forward to chatting with Caroline and honored to be her guest. The show airs at 1:00 pm on Wednesday and if you miss it “live” you can catch it here.

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It seems we share a common problem with other bloggers, business owners and organizations. In order to succeed you must connect with people. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling, pitching or want to become. Until you have built a loyal following, nobody really notices your efforts.

Connections are the new economy. Most of our shopping is done online through companies we’ve come to trust. Twenty years ago, we would’ve had second thoughts about trusting anyone online with our credit card information. Today, it’s a common practice.

In today’s economy connections are everything. Whether it’s customers or employees our ability to connect is what builds trusting relationships. It’s not about you or me. It’s about others.

Most CEO’s, presidents and management have a new role to fill and don’t have a clue how to win the confidence of their customers and employees in order to create a culture where everyone is connected. The top-down style of management is dead. The Industrial Age had its day and many companies that haven’t figured this out are slowly dying.

The top-down approach was always focused on the person higher –up the ladder. The CEO’s concern was keeping the board of trustees happy, the CFO was concerned about the CEO, and the supervisor was concerned about keeping their manager happy. Who cared about the employees and customers? Nobody!

During the Industrial Age the assumption was people had to have what you offered. Choices were limited. The Internet has allowed us to become a global economy. That’s why the top-down style of management totally misses the boat. That ship has sailed and is likely not coming back soon.

In the Industrial Age, it wasn’t imperative to establish a relationship; it was a matter of driving business through advertisement. The choices are so vast now, there is only one-way to survive- by building trust and connecting with those that matter most to your success. Companies are building trust through offering their services online; twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. How are going to compete?

That’s why billboard ads are useless. Nobody pays much attention to those targeted signs. If people have a connection with you they care, if not; you’re wasting money that could’ve been spent on your resources (your employees and customers). They are the one’s seeking your loyalty.

The employees and customers are the bottom line. Not your stockholders, board or mantra. You only have two choices- connect or stay disconnected.

Every day you hesitate to connect you’re losing ground. When a car is disconnected from a train it has no momentum, it’s dead on the tracks. The remaining cars are able to travel faster and gather more steam for the journey. Disconnecting is isolation.

Sitting idle on the tracks of life is no comfortable position. While some see managing without the top-down approach as a loss of power, it’s really your only chance to remain powerful and become noble.

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!
www.successthroughmusic.com

http://jimcarver.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

The Wisdom to Know the Difference!

People often worry about circumstances out of their control. Worrying used to be one of my “other jobs.” Over the years, I have battled with creating “what if” scenarios and nearly every time the situation I feared- never happened. Slowly, I’ve realized spending time and energy by focusing on “what if” is a monumental loss of productivity and growth.

In A.A.meetings, one of the common slogans is “Let go and Let God.” Carrying worries, resentment and grudges not only lessons your chance of sobriety; it prevents one from moving forward with growth, opportunity and spirituality. The biggest factors most people find troubling are jobs, relationships and money. Mentally beating yourself-up over something that may never happen is never a solution.

Even if our worst fear becomes reality wouldn’t we be better served to focus on a solution after it transpires? Planning ahead for a possible catastrophe is foolish. By responding in this negative manner you are placing yourself as a “victim” with your mind and actions. Conditioning yourself to this attitude devalues your self-esteem, opens yourself up for easy defeat and guarantees failure.

Obsessing over negative situations should be replaced by focusing on changing the things you can make a difference with the outcome. Instead of being “stuck” inside your own prison walls, focus on doing something to help someone else. Checkout of the pity-party and lift your spirit up by doing something inspirational and motivational. If we spent half of the time doing something positive, instead of negative; our jobs, relationships and financial situations would improve immensely.

Worrying give us the excuse to do nothing. We sabotage ourselves due to fear. After all, worry is nothing but fear. It’s that little voice of resistance in our head attempting to stop you from doing great work, urging you to stay with the status quo and never venture outside the hut.

Several years ago, I was looking at the possibility of having lung cancer. After a botched biopsy procedure, I had to have major surgery to remove tissue for another biopsy. My time wasn’t focused on worrying if I had cancer or not. My concern was for my wife and would she have the financial stability to live without me?

 Once those fears were resolved I was completely at peace with myself situation and God.

 Now, one would reason having a terminal illness would send someone over the cliff with worry and fear. Especially me, I am a master of worry. I learned it’s the little things in life that keeps us in fear and prevents us from doing what we were put on this Earth to do. The big obstacles usually take care of themselves. Trust me, it’s true.

More importantly, it’s the wisdom to know the difference!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!
www.successthroughmusic.com

http://jimcarver.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Larry Siegfried - Beyond a World Champion!

In the Industrial Age- gatekeepers and permission controlled the scene. If we thought of a new idea, the first question always asked of anyone- what channels we needed to jump through to make it happen. Often we were given a brief explanation of “you can’t" or “it’s too costly” or discovered the idea was governed by a third party and if you had no association; the idea, thought or desire was dead in the water.

We were programmed to believe it wasn’t worth the time to attempt something new, unique or remarkable. Those parameters are slipping away and those businesses are dying- a slow death.

Today, it’s about trust, honesty and caring for the customer. The realization that the heart of the business is the customer/employee relationship is the new approach to successfully running a business. The top-down management theory is dying a painful death across America.

Successful Business Strategy

Former Ohio State/ Boston Celtic basketball player, Larry Siegfried, taught this principle for success 25 years ago after retiring from basketball and offering consulting services to businesses and State Prison inmates. Larry was decades ahead of the times, his total reversal of management style brought back something missing in corporate management and how people are treated. His bottom-up management philosophy produced some very interesting results.  

Inmates who followed his teachings of respect, dignity, and honesty not only remained out of the prison system, many prospered by becoming entrepreneurs. The motivational speeches I had the pleasure of witnessing were stunning, refreshing and contagious. 

Mr. Siegfried’s analogy turned some businesses off, they couldn't accept change. The drastic approach broke down the foundation of the top-down management theory. It basically operated on “The Golden Rule” and Christian based-principles. A simple, effective approach with a solid motive for everyone involved. Control, dictate and fabrication are nowhere to be found in this approach.

The role of management is to accentuate the experience, massage the outcome and empower the employees to do the right procedure based on the principles taught.

This unique and remarkable customer service experience provided is the idea that spreads.

World Champion On or Off the Court

I wish Larry Siegfried had published a book on the principles he stood for, lived by and gave to us. I somehow believe the accumulation of those ideas originated through his Mother, Sunday school teachings,his coach at Ohio State(Fred Taylor), the Boston Celtics organization, family and his life adventures of success. Although he is not properly credited for advancing this philosophy of change, I can’t help but think his idea slowly spread prior to the days of the Internet.

 And Larry is warmly smiling down on us- right now!

Thank you Larry!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!
www.successthroughmusic.com

http://jimcarver.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Let the "Good Times" Roll!

Why do we always think of the “good times” in the past tense? Is there any reason living today can’t be as relevant?

I have always looked backwards to find the days of enjoyment and pleasure. Everyone can relate to a period when we wished time could stand still, savor the moment forever and never let go. That feeling of total contentment with our life, our place in time and our peaceful surroundings in powerful harmony.

For me, my own life has strangely reached this echelon moment. I know how blessed I am and how lucky I feel to be exactly where I am- today. Not yesterday, or 30 years ago- today.

My wife was unexpectedly laid-off in June. Too make a long story short, despite the stress, frustration, having to change our lifestyle, and not having enough money to live on- we’ve never been happier together!

Go figure!

With both of us working the stress was more than we realized. My wife is a nurse, she was on her feet a lot, constantly up and down the hallways, lifting and turning patients. She carried a great disposition to encourage her patients- despite her stress and sometimes dealing with unappreciative patients and family members. Nursing is a tough job. I couldn’t do it!

Our adjustment during this period has put us closer together and despite working nearly 67 years together at the same facility, we are actually experiencing the “good times” now.

Her experience has made us realize a job isn’t everything.  Life is a bigger theater in the quest for doing something meaningful. What really matters isn’t how rich you are; but rather, how rich you live! Today is all we are guaranteed.

When your darkest moment comes, true relationships are all that matters.

Every day, I look forward to arriving home knowing my wife is waiting for me. I wonder what has transpired, inspired or motivated her day.  I am blessed to have her and for the first time in my life hoping the “good times” never end!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!
www.successthroughmusic.com

http://jimcarver.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.