YOU'RE FIRED! ... Isn't quite that simple anymore...

Avoiding a "Wrongful Termination" Scenario

March 1st, 2013

This information applies to BOTH sides of that "employment" agreement that most employees are required to sign and often take for granted. In many cases neither side may readily understand the wording.  But always keep in mind that the documentation typically "rules" when legal issues are raised.  So it's better to KNOW what it means before you sign or ask someone to officially "sign" the document. 

Part of running a staffing company is the constant turnover of temporary employees. It is by nature a transient business, bringing in workers of varying skill levels, experiences, aptitudes, and situations. Although both you and your client don’t like to do it, once in awhile you’re forced to let an employee go.

If handled improperly, a firing could open a big can of worms in the form of a wrongful discharge suit, and become a bigger problem than an ill-fitting employee. Here are some common issues that crop up when terminating an employee.

The Erosion of “At-Will” Employment

Not everyone understands “at-will” employment. Some take it to mean “I can fire this person at any time for any reason/I can be fired at any time for any reason.” This is not entirely true.

What it really means is that an employee has no predetermined & agreed upon “end date” to their employment period. Laws enacted over the years at all levels of government, along with various legal judgments, have given numerous protections to many employees.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act, The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, and The Family Medical Leave Act are well-known federal laws that cover the dismissals of employees who are close to vesting retirement benefits, part of a large-scale workforce reduction, or dealing with medical issues.

In addition, certain groups are protected by law from firings predicated on their race, gender, religion, national origin, marital status, military service, or a host of other reasons. Even the appearance of impropriety based on these factors could be cause for legal action and the basis for an expensive and embarrassing civil suit.

Express and Implied Job Security

We all know that employment contracts leave little room for interpretation when it comes to ending an employee’s association with a company, but what about your employee handbook?

Since the legal system views things from the point of view of an employee’s reasonable expectations, not the employer’s unexpressed intentions, a listed policy in employee documentation regarding job security and termination will be interpreted as an implied contract and thus legally binding.

Similarly, oral statements made by an employer or an authorized representative of the employer regarding job security and termination policy may be held as another form of implied contract and can be just as legally binding as ink on paper.

Knowing the limits of your authority and the rights of your employees can avoid expensive and damaging wrongful termination suits. Contact your legal department or any available legal representation before you make that final decision.  

When it comes to decisions that directly affect a person's livelihood, legal closure may not be as simple as it appears.

This posting is not meant to as a substitute for any legal advice regarding the rights of employers or employees.... It simply noted that legal consultation, not assumption, be pursued about questions or conflicts on the subject.

Best Regards,
Duskwarby

Is Your Fracking Water Safe To Drink? | DKM&M Enterprises / The Empower Network

Threats to Your Water Supply:

The Impact of Fertilizers, Fracking, and Water-Hungry GMO’s Do Take Their Toll...

I know you and I have been reading and hearing about the threats to our land and water for many, many years. This article from Dr. Mercola's group says a lot... but one of the key problems discussed here... is Fracking (extracting natural gas) and the impact on our environment.

The video below by Dr. Ingraffea is on "Fracking" is included (about 1 hour 45 minutes) and may give you an idea of what the process is and what the risks are... so that you may decide for yourself!


There is in fact a motion picture in theaters as we speak starring Matt Damon - "Promised Land"... generally about the methods that big business uses to get you & I to let them drill on our property)  

 Industrial agriculture is not the only threat to our drinking water. Hydraulic fracturing, the method used to drill for natural gas, also known as "fracking," is becoming yet another major source of groundwater contamination.

The documentary Gasland shed much needed light on the environmental destructiveness of the method. Promised Land, a Hollywood production featuring actor Matt Damon premiered on December 28, 2012. According to Reuters:⁴

"In the film, Damon plays a gas company landman - an agent who buys or leases land - intent on drilling beneath a town where some residents are concerned about the perils of fracking. As the landman gets to know the townspeople, he suffers a crisis of conscience.

...[B]oth industry and anti-fracking camps have mounted major campaigns to sway hearts and minds. 'It could become the biggest environmental debate of our time,' said Robert McNally, an energy policy expert and former White House adviser under George W. Bush. 'Hollywood is taking notice, and the industry will have its work cut out for it to defend fracking.'

Nearly four out of ten Americans surveyed by the Pew Research Center early this year said they knew nothing about fracking. Other polls show most Americans familiar with the practice believe fracking offers economic benefits but requires tougher regulation.

This year, for the first time, U.S. online searches for the term 'fracking' became more popular than 'climate change,' Google data showed."

The primary concern over fracking is its environmental impact, particularly its potential to render water supplies undrinkable. The method entails pumping chemical-laced water and sand at high pressure into shale rock formation, thereby releasing hydrocarbons.

The chemicals used in the process have the potential to leak into nearby groundwater, either from the well, or from spills above ground.

Yet another concern is fracking-induced earthquakes... But that's another story.

  Now I don't know about you, but a ton of scary unanswered questions came to mind for me... ... one of which being a statement like "Natural Gas is so much cleaner and safer than other fuels"... Right... maybe to look at... and to burn... but right now, certainly NOT TO PRODUCE IT!  

And there is little doubt that these things are happening either right under your nose... or at least within a few hours drive of where you live. AND believe it, they're headed your way!

Please leave a comment below... let me know what YOU think... especially if you've in Pennsylvania or Canada... where "fracking" IS "UNDER YOUR NOSE!  

Warmest Regards,
Dusk Warby

One Of Those Days... ?

Well today was "one of those days"for me.

I mean it's been one of those "technically challenging"... "whatever you try will go hay-wire"... "Murphy's Law in effect here" days for me.

The day started late yesterday and seem to be still in effect at the time of this article! It's like just one thing after another seems to be literally "getting in the way of having a good day".

First, I purchased a subscription to HyperTracker yesterday, and when I went to set it up today, I couldn't access the site. I spent a ton of time trying... found that the password reset thingy didn't work...Jeeeeeze!

That they DO NOT have a customer service help desk or a number to call... and they wouldn't let me resubscribe, because I already subscribed... I MEAN, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!

Then my Verizon Hub is going nuts... and one of several TVs in the house doesn't get On-Demand like it used to... like before that upgrade yesterday... and the TV, well it's my wife's and she's the ONLY ONE who watches On-Demand in the house!...

Spent at least 2 hrs troubleshooting to no avail... called the vendor... spent another hour or so with THEM doing almost the same thing... yup, they're sending a replacement "box" out Monday... Why ME?...

Afterward my primary workstation starts going bonkers and crashes. I lose access to my Personal Information Manager program... spend a couple of hours re-downloading and installing (several times)...

only to find that my data file was corrupted and kept trashing the new installation.... I finally got it squared away buy loading the backup file. I mean WTF is going on!

I'm asking myself "what the hell?"... really??

And just a moment ago I walked out onto my 30'x30 deck overlooking a gently bubbling Jacuzzi a level below... just to calm my jangled nerves...

I looked up and found my answer... FULL MOON!!! AHAAA, and all day long I thought it was ME!!... What a relief... WHEW! Do you realize what a relief that is... IT AIN'T MY FAULT!!!

WOW... I feel soooo much better... It's NOT ON ME... IT'S THE MOON'S FAULT!!!

Of course boys and girls, this is exactly the mentality that our general society teaches us... BY EXAMPLE from the very TOP of our government and businesses down to our children... and even inanimate objects...

... Always "Think The Worst", "Point The Finger", "Shift Blame", "Find and Assign Fault... "Don't Look Bad!!

All-in-all it's part of a Negative Attitude... And it's an example that is so pervasive that we "TEND TO ACCEPT and REPEAT IT" at almost every turn!

Of course right now you're either agreeing with me wholeheartedly or vehemently denying it... WELL IT DON'T MATTER... 'CAUSE IT IS WHAT IT IS!

As I said... a negative mentality is (for the most part) "engrained in our psyche by the folks in our environment"... AND IT'S UP TO US TO "COUNTERACT IT!

Pervasive and Mentally Contagious

Just as an example, as you were reading this article (Or when a friend approached you with a similar scenario), your first reaction was to "agree, empathize, and commiserate" right.

Well in doing so, you willingly refreshed a similar scenario in your own mind... and began to succumb to those bad feelings, both mentally and then physically.

You agreed with it, because you could identify with it... and then probably started to propagate it back to the originator... AND anyone else who would listen...

That's sort of like "Viral" or "Contagious" isn't it?

And it doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to answer the question "Why does 'bad news' travel so fast?" does it!...

Answer: 'Cause WE ARE TRAINED, CONDITIONED, PSYCHED INTO THINKING "THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE"... and it's so much "easier" to go along with the crowd isn't it!...

THEN to top it all off, BLAME IT ON THE CROWD, YOUR UPBRINGING, THE MOON... ANYTHING BUT YOU!!


MOB or GANG Mentality... call it what you want... as a population we've become so damned apathetic that "right or wrong...we just go along".

Well that's for "most folks", isn't it.

There are still some of us out here who will always "go against the grain"... "defy the odds", "dare to disagree"!


Now I want you to ask yourself... seriously...

Did you just "have one of those days"...

OR did YOU CHOOSE INSTEAD to see just how much went right today?


If you "CHOSE" the latter...

If you're NOT MOST FOLKS...

If DARE to DISAGREE...

Just keep "Thinking For Yourself" and propagate THAT!

Regards,

Duskwarby

Why we crave creativity but reject creative ideas

Love Creativity, But "Creative Ideas" Turn You Off... Why?

Most folks view creativity (the result of a creative idea) as a something to behold, that is until you present them with an actual creative idea. I believe it's because a creative idea not only opens up new perspectives; it also triggers a profound sense of uncertainty.
You see most living creatures "learn" that uncertainty, or the more focused term "apprehension", is good for survival.
An example is the infant who has no "natural fear" of a honey bee, until it "learns" by either "experience" or "observation" that the creature can harm them.
Once the infant is "painfully stung", or sees an authority figure's reaction to the creature, an association or "trigger" of "insect = pain = flee" is created in the subconscious.
 

 
It's what some call a "survival programming". And it has nothing to do with "logical thinking"... That's the job of your conscious mind. (Neither is it survival "instinct", that some say we ARE born with. That's a topic for another article.)
The bad news is that once that association or trigger has been created, that "programming" is permanent... and in the mind's eye, it's very "real"! And now you can see how most of your "fears" were created, and even more so illogical.
The good news is that these fears, associations, or triggers (in geek speak, that "programming") CAN BE UPDATED so-to-speak. Consider your subconscious an UN-erasable memory bank. You have infinite space, but you can NEVER erase anything that you've learned. You CAN however install a "later statement" that adjusts that "original association" for a more desirable result. (HOW this is done is again a topic for another article.)

Back to why those "Creative Ideas" make you feel uneasy:

The next time that "great idea" elicits silence or eye rolls, you might want to have a little pity for those folks. Fresh research indicates they really don't know what a creative idea looks like. And that creativity, celebrated as a positive change agent, actually makes folks skittish.
 

 
"How is it that people say they want creativity but in reality often reject it?" said Jack Goncalo, ILR School assistant professor of organizational behavior.
Well, he wrote a report on two 2010 experiments at the University of Pennsylvania involving more than 200 people. And the studies' findings included:

• Creative ideas are by definition novel, and novelty can trigger feelings of uncertainty that make most people uncomfortable.
• People dismiss creative ideas in favor of ideas that are purely practical -- tried and true.
• Objective evidence shoring up the validity of a creative proposal does not motivate folks to accept it.
• Anti-creativity bias is so subtle that people are unaware of it, which can interfere with their ability to recognize a creative idea.

For example, subjects had a negative reaction to the creative idea of a running shoe equipped with nanotechnology that adjusted fabric thickness to cool the foot and reduce blisters.
To uncover the apparent bias against creativity, the researchers used a subtle technique to measure unconscious bias -- the kind to which folks may not want to admit, such as racism. Results revealed that while folks explicitly claimed to desire creative ideas, they actually associated creative ideas with negative words such as "vomit," "poison" and "agony."
Goncalo said this bias caused subjects to reject ideas for new products that were novel and high quality.
"Our findings imply a deep irony," wrote the authors, who also include Jennifer Mueller of the University of Pennsylvania and Shimul Melwani of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. "Revealing the existence and nature of a bias against creativity can help explain why people might reject creative ideas and stifle scientific advancements, even in the face of strong intentions to the contrary."
Uncertainty drives the search for and generation of creative ideas, but "uncertainty also makes us less able to recognize creativity, perhaps when we need it most," the researchers wrote.

"Revealing the existence and nature of a bias against creativity can help explain why folks might reject creative ideas and stifle scientific advancements, even in the face of strong intentions to the contrary. ...

The field of creativity may need to shift its current focus from identifying how to generate more creative ideas to identify how to help innovative institutions recognize and accept creativity."

With this information in mind, are YOU really open to creative ideas? Of course most of you will answer to the affirmative because your "intent" is there.
But when "push comes to shove" CAN YOU COMMIT TO THE ACTUAL CREATIVE IDEA?
You might see where I'm going with this. If not, Let me give you an example: All of your life, you have been surrounded by family, friends, associates in and of the "employee mindset". It's therefore safe to say that like it or not "you've been programmed with the employee mindset".
Even though you often hate the tedium of your job, office, plant, boss, etc., you endure by the justification that you feel secure. After all "It's what you KNOW", "It's what you DO", It's WHO you ARE", Right?
Now let's say that you've worked at 6 big companies in your lifetime. Your work record is impeccable. In fact you've achieved a "management" or at very least "the expert" position with each. You've experienced layoffs with several of those companies. In spite or because of it, each time you've moved on to an even better position.
You've got 10 years "in" with your present employer and they (and you) are preparing for #8 RIF (Reduction In Force) in the past 5 years.
And I'll just bet dollars-to-doughnuts that each time, you've busting your hump at your job... put out an extraordinary effort... AND your updated that resume... again... haven't you!
Now, someone comes along and presents you with a creative idea... one that will have you earning more in 3 months than your present yearly salary... to work from anywhere you like... the opportunity for you to step away from the tedium, the "pseudo security", the feeling of indenturment, living paycheck to paycheck, etc.,etc.
And yet sadly, like those folks in Concalo's experiments above, although you honestly enjoy, respect, and even "crave" the idea of "creativity"... you will REJECT "creative ideas" ONLY because of your own "uncertainty" or "fears".
And even more sadly, as a result of your subconscious "programming" you'll probably never even come close to seeing your hopes and dreams realized.
Well guess what friend... Here comes a "creative idea" again. So stop "sitting on the fence" "thinking" about your hopes and dreams... and start "living them"!
Keep your "day job" if that's what floats your boat. You won't need to sell a body part to buy in. You won't need to sacrifice your family time, bowling, or your softball coaching.
Matter of fact at the end of the day, you'll probably be "looking for things to do" in your spare time.
And it is NEVER too late... you are NEVER too old... and there is no such thing as "overqualified" here!
One parting thought for you: I seriously doubt that there has ever been a man or woman whose final words were "Rather than taking time to enjoy my life, I really should have put in more time at my job"
Similar info can be found http://www.empowernetwork.com/dusky/crave-creativity-but-reject-creative-ideas/  

... To Your Success,

 

Baltimore Dave

PS.: Go to http://www.empowernetwork.com/almostasecret.php?id=dusky ... STOP WAITING for the RIGHT OPPORTUNITY... OPEN THE LINK... AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT! EMPOWER NETWORK... It doesn't get any better that this my friend!

PPS.: Be sure to power-charge your day (and mine) by "Liking" this article

Online Networking - Your Blog Posting, where you can put it

Online Networking - Your Blog Posting -

Where You Can Put It

Say what... "For good online networking, where can I place my blog post"? Well my friend, there are literally "tons" of places you can place that invaluable production of yours.

Do I have a treat for you... a place to start. Check it out, here only one of many sites that I like for Online Networking blog placement and/or content research.

First, a Reminder:
(Remember When you're doing your Online Networking, It's not cool to directly copy someone's posting and claim it for your own... There might be hell-to-pay regarding your reputation later! If you want to use someone's content the "Rules of Engagement" are that you should 1st get the OK from the author to re-post their stuff... OR at very least (and this is a biggie for online networking blog or article work) "Make sure you give credit where it's due... Make sure you conspicuously place the 'By Original Author's Name' in your posting to advise your readers who really originated the content". You MAY even wish to insert the true author's link in your posting to send some business "his" way. Who knows, You might even end up in a partnership. After-all we ARE talking "Online Networking" here.

Baltimore Dave

Anyway, here's a good place to start looking as to "Where you can put your posting":

http://www.networkedblogs.com/topic

Online Networking - Your Blog Posting - Where You Can Put It

Personally I got knackered after browsing the couple hundred. YOU might want to use the site's "Search" function! Here's a meager sample of what what you'll see:

. Wired News

http://www.wired.com

138K followers

. Lifehacker

http://lifehacker.com/

124K followers

. Social Marketing and Blog Marketing Strategies

http://www.fridaytrafficreport.com/

119K followers

. TechCrunch

http://www.techcrunch.com

119K followers

. Mashable

http://mashable.com

98K followers

. ReadWriteWeb

91K followers

, ProBlogger

http://www.problogger.net

85K followers

AND on and on... There are thousands more.....

NOW GO HERE; DO THIS:

1. Copy this link into your "Swipe File" immediately. http://www.networkedblogs.com/topic (If you no-gotta Swipe File, NOW is a good time to start one!)
2. Join the Empower Network and start posting "your stuff" before the end of this day. C'mon, it,s less than a carton of smokes, a case of beer, or your monthly tab at Starbucks!!... Hell, call it a Christmas Present!!.... You WILL NOT REGRET IT!!!
3. POST YOUR STUFF... On the Empower Network, AND where ever it "fits" (Other Blog sites on this list are a great start)
4. ENJOY yourself... and start getting paid for it!!!

Well that's it for Online Networking - Your Blog Posting - Where You Can Put It.... See on the next posting,

 

To Your Success,

Baltimore Dave

  PS.: Don't forget to go to http://www.empowernetwork.com/almostasecret.php?id=dusky ... so you too can "plug-into" FREEDOM; and PUT YOUR DREAMS INTO ACTION!

PPS.: Be sure to power-charge your day (and mine) by "Liking" this article AND following me on Twitter:http://twitter.com/DaveDubrawsky

The 12 Ways to Build Rapport Fast

The 12 Ways to Build Rapport Fast

One of the key attributes of a successful entrepreneur has long been proven to be the ability to quickly build rapport with people. Here are what I've found to be 12 ways you can accelerate the rapport building process. Essentially, they can be used in any situation to quickly build relationships. In this post I'd like to highlight their value in quickly building rapport with people you’ve never met.

If you are intentional about working on the points below, you will definitely make a positive impression on everyone you meet, and you'll stand out from the crowd as someone who cares.

When you meet people either in person or over the phone, within seconds you form an opinion of them. And you know darn well that THEY do the same thing when meeting YOU.  You can use this natural tendency to positively influence how people view you. And you can focus on the12 items outlined in this posting to accelerate this process and build rapport in a super short period of time.

Whether you are trying to make a great first impression on your date or with a prospective client, applying these lessons will allow you to quickly connect with people.

With the exception of #2, #4 & #5 below, each of the items below apply whether you are in person, on a video call, or simply on the phone...  And YES, #3 "SMILE" DOES COUNT on the phone... There is a profound and positive difference in you voice inflections, tonality, and pronunciation when you are smiling...  So SMILE ... even before the phone connection is made.. it IS important!   

1.  Be On Time—When you are on time for a scheduled meeting, call or appointment, you show your respect for people’s time. You also show that you honor your commitments, you are dependable and can be trusted. If you're late, you do the opposite, and undermine your ability build a valued relationship.

Starting today, make it a point to arrive five minutes early for all your appointments, regardless of whether they are business and personal. (For phone conversations, 1 or 2 minutes early is good;  Conference Calls and Webinars, 5 - 10 minutes early shows your intent.) 
 
2.  Look Good—The first impression you make on people is a lasting impression one.  It begins with the way you look. A good appearance includes the way you groom yourself, the clothing and jewelry you wear.

All these little things combine to form your overall “look.”  You want to make a great first impression. So make sure you look like someone who takes pride in your appearance. It does requires a little extra effort, but it's well worth it.

3.  Smile—When you meet people for the first time, the first thing they'll notice is your overall look, and then their attention goes immediately to your face. Offer a warm, welcoming and sincere smile and they'll be instinctively drawn to you. The smile must be "real" and is to show an authentic interest in the other person, rather than the fake half-hearted smile that almost everyone else uses.

Not only should you focus on your smile when you first meet a person, you also want to focus on smiling during your time together. The more you smile, the more people will like you.

4.  Make Eye Contact—When you are engaged in a conversation with someone, make sure you maintain comfortable eye contact with this person. When you make eye contact, focus on communicating your sincere interest in the person, rather than just starring into his or her eyes. (And again, you show honesty and approachability if you let your "eyes" smile).  It’s a small, but very powerful difference.


5.  Your Handshake—The impression you make on people through your handshake influences how they feel about you. A proper handshake is even more important when meeting people for the first time. The manner in which you extend your hand, the degree of firmness, and the timing demonstrate your poise and confidence and will set the tone for your relationship.

Men, when you meet other men, be the first to offer your hand. When meeting women, wait for them to offer their hand. Women, when you meet both men and women in a business environment, immediately offer a firm handshake. Men and women who initiate a handshake are generally viewed as being confident.

6.  Make Your Welcome Greeting Stand Out—Take 10 seconds and make them feel like the most important person on this earth. Most folks simply shake a person’s hand and say the standard, “nice meeting you”, so here's your chance to stand out from the crowd as someone who is truly pleased to meet them.


7.  Repeat Their Names— Have you ever met someone for the first time who hardly looked you in your eyes, said the standard nice to meet you greeting without any authenticity behind their words and couldn’t remember your name five seconds later? What impression did this person make on you?

When you greet people, make it a point of saying their names in your initial conversation. For example, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Sharon.” And then when the conversation concludes, use their name again such as, “Sharon, it was a real pleasure getting to know you.” When you say people’s names you are showing them they are important to you.

8.  Be Friendly—While this seems so obvious, so few people are intentional about coming across friendly when meeting people. Most people act like it is an every day occurrence and don’t think about the impression they are making on others. When people are friendly it is generally just during their initial greeting, but then they forget it’s important.

Not only do you want to be intentional about being friendly when you meet people, but you want to focus on being friendly during your entire time together. When you are authentically friendly it is reflected through your facial expressions, body language, voice tone and through the words you speak. Think of the friendliest people you know and learn from their example.

9.  Show an Interest in Them—One of the keys, if not the most important one in building successful relationships is your ability to show a sincere interest- both in the person and things that are important to that person. The key with this point is to focus on them, NOT you!

By expressing genuine interest in someone’s qualities, background, stories, hobbies, career or family you are demonstrating in interest in them.  When asked questions about these things, in most cases they lite up like a light bulb and will talk with great enthusiasm about them. It was one thing you should focus on in EVERY appointment, because it made an incredible difference.

10.  Listen With Interest—Being a good listener is one of the most important skills you can master if you want to advance your career and build meaningful relationships. Listening is more than keeping your mouth shut while the other person is talking. When you REALLY listen, you demonstrate your interest in what is being said and you show your respect for the individual saying it.

When you're having a conversation with people, they can instinctively tell how interested you really are in the conversation. This is communicated through your body language, the questions you ask and the expressions on your face... AND YES, even on the phone... so be careful!  If the subject is not of interest you have to be extra careful about how you are projecting myself.  If needed, do show interest, but gently and tactfully "steer" the conversation back on track.

11.  Compliment Them—When people take the time to offer you a sincere compliment, how does that make you feel about them? Are you naturally drawn to people who speak positively of you? When you meet people and begin talking, look for the things in which you can compliment them. When you identify something, then look for the right time to offer your compliment with a feeling of genuineness and authenticity.
When you are intentional about building relationships with people you should always look for the little ways by which you can compliment or encourage them. 

12.  Model Them—Have you ever noticed how you are drawn to people with whom you share things in common? This is called the law of attraction and means that you will inevitably attract to people into your life that are similar to you. Modeling is a technique I learned from Anthony Robbins, which is when you mirror or match the non-verbal and verbal communication of others.
.
As an example, when you are around people who talk softly, then YOU moderate your voice and speak softly. If they talk slowly, then you do my best to match their speed and speak slowly. If they lean back in their chair, then you will casually lean back. If they lean forward, you will wait a couple seconds then slowly lean forward. Just remember, the more people intuitively feel you have in common, the more they will be attracted to you.

If you work on the 12 rapport accelerators above, people will be drawn to you like a magnet. If you are intentional about using these lessons in your career, there is no doubt you will enjoy greater success. If you use them in your personal life, you will build more meaningful relationships and become a more valued friend.

Ref information: Todd Smith, April 2010

 

The Internet Marketer's Worst Enemies #4:

The Internet Marketer's Worst Enemies #4:

"Interruptions - aka: Being a Fireman"

"Secrets"
It’s always amazing that during seminars, webinars, or consulting, folks want to hear about those “big secrets” to success. But when we get down to the nitty-gritty, it’s usually those looking for the "short-cuts" in the process.  And that's OK.  They're asking for "the most direct route", without the "detours" and "dead-ends" are that always encountered in the process of "success".

And as mentioned, this is good!  They're looking to repeat the steps that led to a successful process.  The problem is that they're looking at only a portion of the process called "modeling"... (Remember this one?... "If you want to be successful, you must 'model' or 'mimic' successful people".)

However, what you you don't see, what is key to the entire process, is often overlooked or assumed.  And that "key" is "the basics".  They're not a "big secret" and there are no short-cuts.  Ignoring one or more of "the basics" is like ignoring gravity. Nuff Sed?.

Mindset and Time Management
It’s about mindset and about time management. It’s really not that difficult to set up a lead capture page, or whatever you want to start with. What’s hard is to get it done.

If you "think" you're working like a "Fireman", i.e.: Putting out fires as they come... or constantly handling interruptions, you allow everything and everyone around you to control your time and actions...  In essence, you rarely have time to plan or count on finishing anything, right?

You are DEAD WRONG!... You'll notice that even firemen "get things done in their downtime" don't they!... In-fact, two of the basics called "Mindset" and Time Management" are very well practiced by firemen...  AND they do in-fact have time periods when they are strictly "NOT available for service"!

Most folks have excuses because they really suck at "time management". This is one of the biggest "pit-falls" on your way to success.  How can YOU avoid wasting time and words on excuses?  Simple, get things DONE!

Here are a 9 tips that should help:

1. There will NEVER be a perfect moment to do something. Just do it. Now. Are you still reading this? I said now!
2. Make time for focused work, and turn off everything else. The best thing is, if you’re working from home, 
1. Have your office in a room where you can close the door. 
2. No pets, no spouse, no kids, no one else but you. 
3. Turn off your cell phone and your landline. 
4. Log out of all instant messaging software, close your email software, and get to work! It’s amazing how little interruptions totally ruin momentum, so don’t let them happen.. 
3. Know when to quit. Sometimes you just gotta do it. Either quit or outsource. If a project is taking much longer than you thought, you have to figure out if the hours are worth it. Ask yourself what you could be doing instead that would be more profitable. Don’t be a hero.
4. If you have a big project, break it up into small doable completion targets. One of the most important things to build, and uphold momentum, is to get things done and move on to the next thing. One big project with one big goal is too much for most people. Hint:
1. How do you eat an elephant?  Answer: One bite at a time, and for no longer than 30 minutes at a sitting.
5. Don’t get too detailed with your projects. Get them done good enough for a release or launch, and focus on the details later. I can’t say how many people I’ve met in various businesses that never get their stuff out, because they’re working on “the details”.
6. There is no such thing as “no time”. If you really want something, you can make time for it. Get up an hour earlier, skip an hour or two of watching TV or playing video games, and do some creative stuff instead.
7. Don’t waste your own or other people’s time. If you work in a team and need to have meetings for some reason, make them quick. Remember, a 1 hour meeting with 5 people costs 5 work hours. Yup, that’s what 5 people could have accomplished in that hour. Is it worth having a meeting? I’m usually very strict IF I have meetings.
1. Have a clear agenda, and even if we’re 10 people, it’s 20 minutes tops. 
2. have everyone report what I want to hear, they get 2 minutes each, and that’s it.
8. Get sleep! This is very, very important. Get the sleep you need. No sleep completely destroys creativity and mindset/attitude. Sleep, and healthy living (exercise, food) is NOT a cost, it’s an INVESTMENT in the most important thing in this world…YOU.
9. Lots of people I meet “just need to read another book” or “take another class” before they can get started. Forget that. Go for it, learn as you go. If you’re smart, you’ll write your own book about your learning experience and sell it on the forums and on a website.