The Generous Skeptic

Seth Godin. This man is a genius who spits out pure gold. I love reading his blog when I get a chance because almost everything he writes gives a little bit of insight, or a little tip, or makes one really stop and think. His November 11, 2013 post (The Generous Skeptic) really struck a chord with me. Here is a quick summary.

There are two types of skeptics:

1. Those who are afraid, who embrace the status quo; they may be well-intentioned by try to persuade you to give up on your dream. Ignore them.
2. Those who have insight into your field, your strengths and weaknesses; who want you to succeed but maybe see something you don't. This is a generous skeptic. Embrace them. Don't argue with them or shut down. Encourage them and listen.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell

A very interesting, easy read is The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell. Over the course of this great little book, many stories and concepts are relayed. There is a lot to be learned from the different laws he presents, and so I've condensed it down into yet another of my (hopefully) handy little summaries.

If you have time to read the book, I seriously suggest it. If not, you can certainly glean some great lessons from my...

Outline and Main Points of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

Click here for the book on Amazon.

Some Definitions (part 1)

Every now and again I run across some concepts of which I do not want to forget. They may be simple or elaborate. At any rate, I include them so that I have some reference; given the state of my memory I think this may be a good thing!

Pareto Principle (aka "The 80/20 Rule"): Roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

Asch Paradigm (aka "The Theory of Conformism"): One in ten will tend to fall in line with groupthink, even when one knows it is incorrect.

Forget Customer Delight - Focus on Customer Relief

It's time again for another post condensed from this one by Jeff Haden, my online mentor (though he doesn't know it).

"Forget Customer Delight..." is a great article because its principles, although primarily for customer relations, can also be applied to everyday negotiations with friends, family, coworkers, etc. Many know how to assist people, but they don't know how to offer help and solutions. These three items are a good start to not only providing help and solutions, but to elevating your status in other people's eyes!

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Just because you can't do exactly what a customer wants doesn't mean you can't do something.

1. Don't be so fast with a "No".
   - Avoid immediately showing what is not available.
   - As questions to find alternatives.
2. Don't try to explain your way out of a high-effort situation.
   - Try to spend time and energy finding solutions instead of finding explanations.
3. Don't take the customer's request quite so literally.
   - Understanding the full context may show that the customer's need is actually something else.

"What is a storm to an ant, is a watering can to a gardener."

 - Me

"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who's going to stop me?"

 - Ayn Rand