Accountability: The Antidote to Tough Times by Sam Silverstein

Photo by Breather for StockSnap 

By now, it’s obvious that the global pandemic we are facing is a crisis unlike anything any of us have ever encountered. There is no longer any doubt about it: we are entering tough times. The two critical questions for leaders now are—how do we make sure our organizations survive these tough times, and how do we make sure we rebound quickly coming out of them? Those are two different things, but they are both connected to the same answer: accountability.  

In recent weeks, we have all been confronted by news stories that took us by surprise and made us feel uneasy and even fearful. Many of those stories connected to events that seemed beyond our personal control. Fortunately, accountability is not dependent on any outside factor. Neither is your organization’s capacity to survive a crisis. And neither is the velocity at which you and your organization exit troubled times. All of these things are dependent on one thing and one thing only: you. 

It is now time to focus on what really matters. The cause of the current health emergency, the cause of the economic dislocation that is accompanying it, the cause of the social changes now underway—none of these are really relevant to your organization’s ability to withstand and bounce back from a crisis, big or small. The degree to which any organization overcomes and quickly exits a crisis is actually dependent on only two things: 

1. What you were doing as a leader before the crisis hit. This is where accountable leaders now hold a huge competitive advantage over everyone else. The kind of organization and/or team you built before there was a global pandemic will now serve as the foundation from which everything else happens in response to the crisis. If you are an accountable leader, you already established the commitments that define your workforce, the working culture, and the values you live and work by. You did that long before there was a global health emergency and long before there was a downturn in the economy. So, by definition, what happens during and after the crisis is going to build on that foundation. (By the same token, if there was an accountability gap in your organization, you as the leader are the one who must find a way to close the gap—and fast.)  

2. Your ability to support and sustain key relationships. Maintaining and growing key relationships is always a priority, but it is even more important than usual during hard times. Relationships are based on values and commitments. It’s the critical relationships you work to support, not your bank balance, that will get your organization through tough times. It’s the values you uphold and take action on that will determine the quality of the mutual commitments in those relationships. If you have solid relationships with your team members and your suppliers, you are going to be fine. If the relationships are built on unfulfilled commitments, poor communication, and a lack of trust, then you are vulnerable, no matter what your balance sheet looks like. 

Both survival and the ability to rebound quickly from the crisis once it passes depends on the quality of your relationships. Yes, that means internal relationships with your employees, but it also means relationships with suppliers and customers. Think in terms of keeping all those ties strong. Here’s just one example of what I mean: It may well be that in tough times like these, supplies are going to be short in some critical areas. But guess what? If you have better relationships than your competitors do, you are going to have a competitive advantage…and your organization will survive the crisis better and bounce back from it more quickly.  

So for instance, if you consistently pay your suppliers on a timely basis, you will find that, if there is a shortage of something essential, they would much rather ship to you than to someone who has tried in the past to squeeze them, string them along, and use their money to finance business growth. If your competitors are operating in an exploitative way, creating bad relationships with suppliers, and you are not, you have a major advantage during (and after) tough times. Note that I am not talking about how you respond to a temporary emergency; I am talking about how you usually choose to run your business, day in and day out. Is it your regular business practice to support and strengthen the most important relationships? If it is, you will find that your suppliers and your employees are far more understanding and will do anything in their power to support you during these challenging times. 

Years ago, when I was in the window business, there was a glass shortage. We never ran out of glass. Our competitors did. The reason we never ran out of glass and others did was that the suppliers knew that if they shipped us a pallet of glass, we were going to pay them immediately, because that is what we always did. We never used our suppliers’ money to grow our own business. We never tried to take advantage of our suppliers. That was not how we operated. 

Our decision to strengthen and support our relationships with suppliers emphasized our commitment to keeping our word (because that was what we had promised we would do). It also supported our commitment to make sound financial decisions. Last but not least, it supported the value of respect toward others, because we knew we had to respect the needs of the suppliers and respect their situation and their financial needs. 

The global health emergency we are all dealing with now will pass. And when it does, the organizations that come back stronger than ever will be those whose leaders make and honor critical commitments in support of the most important relationships. That is accountable leadership—the kind of leadership that builds organizations that survive, and, yes, eventually thrive in spite of tough times. 

Sam Silverstein is dedicated to empowering people to live accountable lives, transform the way they do business, and create a more accountable world. He helps companies create an organizational culture that prioritizes and inspires accountability. His latest book, I Am Accountable: Ten Choices That Create Deeper Meaning in Your Life, Your Organization, and Your World, is now available to buy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Porchlight Books. You can follow Sam on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This article originally appeared here on The Accountability Blog. 

Worry by Earl Nightingale

It’s easier to win than to lose, and it’s easier to succeed than to worry about failing. The reason most choose the latter is because it can be done sitting down. 

You know, the mind is like an adding machine: before you can solve a problem with it, it must be cleared of all previous problems. Worry jams up the mechanism. It short-circuits the whole operation, impairing the most valuable mechanism on earth. 

It’s been proven many times that by a simple change in attitude and mental outlook, the same amount of time and energy devoted to worry could be used to solve our problems. Instead of worrying about the bills that have to be paid, shift gears and think creatively about ways of making more money. Instead of constantly stewing and fretting over a problem, we should try to think of ways of solving it. 

Creative people look at problems as challenges. They realize that without problems everything would come to a stop. Problems are what keep the human race moving forward. Indeed, problems are responsible for every forward step we’ve ever taken—collectively or individually. All industry exists solely for the solving of our problems, as does agriculture, education, and government. People go to school to learn to solve their problems or the problems of others. We’ve all got problems, and that’s good. Without them, we’d still be swinging through the trees and living in caves.  

And all problems are temporary. As the wise man said, “This too shall pass.” So, if you want to have a lot more fun and a lot less worry, try to put your problems in perspective. See yourself as part of the world, and the world as part of the universe, and the universe as part of a great and mysterious living picture. Seen in their true light, most problems shrink to a modest size. Next, choose not to worry about them. Shift your mental gears. Clear your mind of worry and direct it to the solution of the problem at hand. It has a solution. It will be solved. The same kind of problems have been solved a million times before. 

This is an excerpt from Earl Nightingale’s The Direct Line, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, 800-CEO-READ, and other fine retailers. The first beautifully packaged print edition of Nightingale’s famous audio program, this book offers a practical guide designed to help you find real and lasting success in your career, relationships, and finances. Order a copy today and begin the most exciting and rewarding journey on earth—your journey of self-discovery and personal fulfillment! Also, don’t forget the accompanying action guide, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble! 

Sign up here to receive free samples from this and other Nightingale-Conant publications. 

Tomorrow Never Comes by Jim Stovall

These weekly columns have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and online publications for well over 20 years. I try to create a variety of topics, themes, and subjects, but every column every week ends with the phrase, “Today’s the day.” The world belongs to the person who will set a course and begin moving toward their goal today. Those timid individuals who over-plan, overanalyze, and conduct the most trivial preparations right up to the point where they fail to launch are a huge waste of human potential.  

I’m reminded of the sign posted in a convenience store that read, “Free cookies and candy tomorrow.” While the sign created a lot of excitement and enthusiasm, it produced no cookies or candy. Here in the age of social media, it is easy to develop feelings of inadequacy as we review other people’s carefully edited highlight reels online. This feeling of inadequacy far too often causes us to never start. 

Not all people who set a goal and begin their quest end up succeeding, but beyond a shadow of a doubt, fully 100 percent of people who fail to begin never reach the finish line. The great author and thought leader, Napoleon Hill, taught us there is never a perfect time to begin, but if we will just get started with the tools we have, better tools will be provided for us along the way. If you have a goal, a calling, or an ambition in your life, you are responsible for it and should be taking action today. Maybe it’s just reading a book, making a new contact, or taking a course, but the roadmap to success never calls for you to sit idly waiting for something you don’t have. There is always something to learn, something to explore, and something to do. 

When you read biographies of great people, you discover that they invariably came from humble beginnings. We often wonder if we could have scaled the heights that these great men and women reached, but the more poignant question is: Would we have begun the journey given meager resources and limited contacts? My late great friend and mentor Dr. Robert Schuller said, “I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than attempt to do nothing and succeed.” 

As you go through your day today, draw a line in the sand and just get started. 

Today’s the day! 

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Listen to his Wisdom for Winners series on Audible. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor). 

Accountability Means “It’s All of Us” in the Larger World by Sam Silverstein

The commitment I call “It’s all of us” has a certain distinctive “look and feel” whenever a true leader lives it and leads with it. There are lots of different words leaders can use in demonstrating their accountability to this commitment, and there are lots of different actions they can take, but every time this idea is put into practice as a leadership principle, it inspires people by sending a simple, powerful message via word and deed: “I don’t succeed unless you succeed…and I am totally committed to making sure that we all succeed together.”  

I have seen this commitment play out in both the private and the public sector countless times, as leaders energized people by committing personally to this promise of success…and then took action on that commitment day after day after day. The kind of commitment I am talking about transforms entire organizations. It creates a workforce that is not only supremely loyal, but so committed to delivering quality outcomes that the organization becomes hypercompetitive in virtually any economic climate. Talk about a competitive advantage! Yet this is still not the most compelling expression of this “It’s all of us” commitment, at least not in my experience. The highest expression of this commitment comes when someone delivers this promise beyond the realm of a single organization, in an effort to build accountability to “It’s all of us” in the larger world.  

That is exactly what happened recently at Morehouse College in Atlanta, a historically significant educational institution founded in 1867 and dedicated to developing “men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service.” One of the few remaining black liberal arts colleges for men, Morehouse is a remarkable institution. Regardless of whether you have heard of Morehouse before or not, I can guarantee that you have been touched by its work, for the simple reason that the institution includes such figures as Rep. Sanford Bishop, Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. among its many notable alumni. 

Billionaire investor Robert F. Smith, one of the wealthiest men in America, also happens to be on that list of notable alumni. Smith electrified the graduating class of 2019 when he announced unexpectedly, during the graduation ceremonies, that he was setting up a grant program that would eliminate any and all outstanding student loan debt for the 396 young men graduating from Morehouse that day. His announcement pretty much broke the Internet; it also received major coverage via dozens of mainstream news outlets. 

Most of the attention has focused on Smith’s personal generosity, and that’s certainly a valid and important element of the story. What has received less coverage is his challenge to the young men of the class of 2019. Smith didn’t simply write each man a check. He told each of the men in that graduating class that he expected something in return for erasing any student loans taken out to pay for a Morehouse education. 

After making his extraordinary commitment and receiving a standing ovation from the graduates and their families, Smith made it abundantly clear what he expected in return. He referred to the 2019 graduating class as “my class,” and then said, “I know my class will make sure they pay this forward…let’s make sure that every class has the same opportunity going forward because we care enough to take care of our own community. We are enough to ensure we have all the opportunities of the American Dream.” 

If you were wondering what “It’s all of us” looks and sounds like when it’s a commitment that one leader makes, and keeps, not to a single organization but to the world at large, now you know. 

Sam Silverstein is dedicated to empowering people to live accountable lives, transform the way they do business, and create a more accountable world. He helps companies create an organizational culture that prioritizes and inspires accountability. His latest book, I Am Accountable: Ten Choices That Create Deeper Meaning in Your Life, Your Organization, and Your World, is now available to buy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Porchlight Books. You can follow Sam on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

The Art of Converting Defeat into Opportunity by Jennifer Janechek

Never has there been a time more favorable to pioneers than the present. —Napoleon Hill 

Napoleon Hill wrote his masterpiece, Think and Grow Rich, in the thick of the Great Depression. It is credited with helping end the Depression by providing people with the strategies they needed to take control of their future by single-mindedly pursuing a definite purpose. He speaks directly to his original readership when he writes, “You have been disappointed, you have undergone defeat during the depression, you have felt the great hurt within you crushed until it bled. Take courage, for these experiences have tempered the spiritual metal of which you are made—they are assets of incomparable value.”  

According to Hill, how a person handles temporary defeat makes the difference between success and failure. Of the 500-plus business leaders he interviewed—America’s greatest minds, entrepreneurs, and millionaires like Thomas A. Edison, Andrew Carnegie, and Henry Ford—every single one of them admitted to meeting with obstacles, many quite heartbreaking, before they “arrived.” 

In fact, they described these moments of crisis as turning points, or make-or-break moments. It is during these difficult times that they met their “other self”—that bearer of indefatigable strength and commitment who summons every ounce of courage and energy to press forward in the face of opposition and misfortune. Their other self helped them channel their fear and passion into creativity, which they used to find solutions to the challenges at hand. For as Hill emphasizes, obstacles, when properly viewed, are prime opportunities for innovation, growth, and achievement. Opportunity, he writes, “has the sly habit of slipping in by the back door, and often it comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat. Perhaps this is why so many fail to recognize opportunity.”  

Even in these difficult times in which we presently find ourselves, we have the option to grow and succeed. Consider the following questions:  

How can you use this time to build your knowledge and deepen your awareness by reading more—especially e-books and audiobooks—and taking online courses?  

Where can you simplify your life, your systems, etc., to allow for a deeper focus on what really matters?  

How can you “reset” in your business so that you emerge with a stronger vision, more efficient processes, and a smarter business plan? 

What new problems have been created that you could solve? 

Where are there opportunities to give? What service can you render?  

I’ll leave you with this inspirational call to action, which is as timely now as it was in 1937: “Never, in the history of America has there been so great an opportunity for practical dreamers as now exists… A new race is about to be run. The stakes represent huge fortunes which will be accumulated within the next ten years.” 

Don’t miss your opportunity because you’re focused on temporary defeat. The stakes are too big! 

Napoleon Hill is the founder of the Science of Success. His success principles have changed the lives of more entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and cultural icons than any other system. The original, unedited edition of Think and Grow Rich is available from Sound Wisdom—get your copy now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Book Company, and other fine retailers. 

Sign up here to receive free samples and exclusive content from Sound Wisdom’s Napoleon Hill Collection. 

How Are You Filling the Unsexy Jobs in Your Organization? by Eric Chester

Q. What do professional dancers, actors, musicians, and athletes have in common? 

A. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they’re all in the top 6 of the 15 dream jobs that our nation’s youth aspire to have one day. 

What jobs didn’t make the list? Roofer, custodian, auto mechanic, welder, truck driver, short order cook, pest control technician, retail cashier, call center representative, senior caregiver, sanitation worker, and hotel housekeeper. 

While your life might be less colorful if musicians and athletes didn’t exist, close your eyes and just try to imagine life without someone to change the brake pads in your car, patch the giant potholes in the street you commute on each day, bus the dishes from previous diner at the table where you’ve just been seated, or pick up the trash you leave at the curb. 

You’d probably feel like you were living back in the dark ages. 

Trouble is, the jobs that didn’t make the dream list aren’t sexy. They offer no promise of fame and fortune. Their titles don’t generate “likes” on Facebook pages. And while the emerging workforce is brimming with aspiring singers and rappers, YouTube stars, video game designers, and professional skateboarders, no one fantasizes about a job as a factory worker, a security guard, or an airline baggage handler. 

“HELP! I can’t find good people for these jobs!” 

Young people fill stadiums hoping to get an audition that could lead to becoming the next America Idol, and Google (Fortune’s #1 rated Best Place to Work for 6 consecutive years) receives more than two million applications each year. But unless you’re offering instant stardom and a multimillion-dollar recording contract, or a six-figure starting salary and fringe benefits that include free afternoon massages, gourmet food, child care, and laundry services, odds are you aren’t getting nearly enough applicants to fill your openings. 

The United States is suffering its worst labor shortage in decades. Millions of jobs are now begging to be filled by anyone willing to learn them and apply themselves fully to the task. Many of these jobs pay well and offer free training and rapid advancement to anyone with a GED who can pee in a cup and count to ten. And yet, while so many misguided youth have set their sights on careers that will never materialize, these important and meaningful jobs go unfilled. 

And the resulting labor crisis is bringing scores of business owners and managers to their knees. 

How are you meeting your staffing challenges? 

Over the past 5 years, I’ve gotten an earful about how employers can’t find good people, and I was determined to find the answers. (And there are answers!) I’ve been scouring the world in search of savvy employers who have cracked the code on hiring, and I’ve found them—the ones using creative or “guerilla” strategies and tactics to locate, interview, hire, develop, and retain employees for the unheralded jobs on the frontlines of their organization. I include their stories in my forthcoming book, Fully Staffed: The Definitive Guide to Finding & Keeping Great Employees in the Worst Labor Market Ever. 

Fully Staffed contains incredible recruiting and retention ideas and tactics that will work in your operation, regardless of size, scope, or industry. From perfecting your workplace culture; to hiring an all-star cast of perfect-fit employees who combine passion with performance; to preparing for potential job openings by amassing an archive of stand-out applicants; to implementing thoughtful, unique, and digitally minded job advertising techniques; to leveraging the power of community, educational, and governmental networks and programs; to harnessing the value in under-tapped labor pools like veterans, retirees, ex-offenders, and people with disabilities; to optimizing your onboarding and retention processes—you will learn the strategies you need to finally get off the hire/train/turnover treadmill and get a FULLY STAFFED organization. 

Since 1998, Eric Chester has been the leading voice in attracting, managing, motivating, and retaining the emerging workforce. As an in-the-trenches workplace researcher and thought leader, Chester has cracked the code on the tactics and strategies companies that are recognized as “best places to work” in their respective industries are using to win the talent wars, and has been an invited keynote speaker for more than 3,000 audiences on 3 continents. Preorder Eric’s forthcoming book, Fully Staffed: The Definitive Guide to Finding & Keeping Great Employees in the Worst Labor Market Ever, now. 

Do You Have Stickability? by Jennifer Janechek

The most common cause of failure is quitting.

In the first chapter of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill tells the story of R. U. Darby, who learned a costly lesson about quitting when faced with temporary defeat.   

In Three Feet from Gold, a business allegory based on the principles in Think and Grow Rich, Don Green summarizes Darby’s story: 

Darby’s uncle had been struck by gold fever. He’d traveled west to get rich in the mining business. This would-be prospector had many more hopes than solutions, you see, because he had not invested the time to learn how to do what he wanted to accomplish. He just wanted to find gold. He had not studied mining or learned from others about the proper way to mine or even the travails of mining. He simply staked a claim and went to work with his pick and shovel.  

Fortunately, after weeks of manual labor, Darby’s uncle was rewarded with the discovery of gold, and lots of it! While it was a good problem to have, he quickly realized that he really wasn’t prepared. He needed machinery to remove the enormous amount of heavy rocks and dirt that covered the shining ore. 

Understanding that machinery cost money that he didn’t have, he carefully covered up the mine and traveled back to his home in Williamsburg, Maryland. He loudly proclaimed his great discovery and boasted of the tremendous wealth of gold that lay in the ground just waiting for his return. It didn’t take long to persuade his family and friends to invest toward the needed equipment. 

With money in hand, Darby’s uncle invited his young protégé to return with him to start digging for the promised treasure. When the first gold ore was retrieved, they excitedly shipped it to the smelter. Sure enough, it was high-quality ore and promised to be one of the richest gold discoveries in Colorado. Just a few more loads and they would not only be able to repay their debts to their family and friends but would have plenty of money to spare. 

Darby and his uncle were convinced they were about to make a huge fortune from their gold mine. Then tragedy struck…the gold simply disappeared. Just when their hopes were at their highest, the Darbys were crushed to reach the end of the rainbow—the proverbial pot of gold was no longer there. 

Now remember, they just wanted more gold. They had never studied the art of gold mining and had no true passion for the business of mining, so they didn’t know what to do next except to keep digging. With their impatience and lack of knowledge, it wasn’t long before they became totally frustrated and disillusioned. They had experienced instant success and lost patience when the job became more difficult. They kept digging but found no more ore. It wasn’t long before their dissatisfaction got the best of them and they decided to quit. 

Discouraged and defeated, Darby and his uncle sold both their mine and their equipment to a local junkman. For years this junkman had been looking for an opportunity to break into the mining industry. He had studied mining for over a decade and had always believed that this was his destiny. The sale was completed with the exchange of a few hundred dollars and the deed. With that, Darby and his uncle caught the next train and returned to their home in Maryland, ending their quest for gold. 

But the story doesn’t end there. You see, the junkman was passionate about the idea of mining. Remember, he was just waiting for the right opportunity. He was also smarter than most people gave him credit for. With the deed in hand, he hired a mining engineer to inspect the claim, and together they discovered what is known as a fault line. The engineer explained that gold ran in long veins and that the previous owners had simply drilled through one side of the vein and come out on the other. The engineer explained that if the junkman were to go back and dig in the other direction, perpendicular to where the Darbys had made their first discovery, he would most likely tap back into the treasure. 

The new owner, the junkman turned gold miner, followed these simple instructions and, sure enough, he hit one of the largest pockets of ore ever uncovered—a mere three feet away from where the Darbys had quit mining. The junkman retrieved millions of dollars in gold from the site. He succeeded where Darby and his uncle had failed because of two things: his determination to fulfill his life’s purpose of becoming a gold miner and, of course, his willingness to seek expert advice. 

And what do you think Mr. Darby did when he heard about the success of the junkman? …He learned his lesson about stopping three feet from gold and went on to apply it to his work in the insurance business. Sure, he was heartbroken when he heard about the success the junkman had achieved at his personal expense, but he never forgot that the real reason he lost the fortune was because he had decided to give up too soon. 

He dedicated his life to never again accepting defeat. With this new “Never Quit” attitude, Darby went on to create his own fortune in the insurance industry. He repaid his friends and family from his new fortune. And, importantly, he also started sharing his story so others could learn from his mistake. 

Darby and his uncle initially lacked “stickability”—the ability to persevere toward one’s goal despite temporary setbacks and failures. As Don Green shares with Greg, the protagonist in Three Feet from Gold, “Before great success comes, you will surely meet with temporary defeat. When people are overtaken by these feelings, the easiest and perhaps most logical thing to do is to quit. Quitting is exactly what the majority of people do”—which is why so few people have great success. Don adds, “The reason most people quit is because they fail to unearth their definite life purpose. They don’t have something worth fighting for. Once you discover this truth, then you will gain stickability…the difference between being interested and being committed.”  

Do you have stickability? Are you able to look beyond today’s difficulties into tomorrow’s goldmine? Learn from Greg in Three Feet from Gold what a difference it makes to identify your definite major purpose and unabashedly pursue it. 

Don’t quit now…you might be just three feet from gold! 

Sharon Lechter and Dr. Greg Reid’s Three Feet from Gold is now available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Book Company, Google Play, Apple Books, and other fine retailers. This remarkable business allegory tells a fascinating story in presenting the key principles of Napoleon Hill’s revolutionary bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. As you follow a struggling young entrepreneur through a life-changing series of encounters with some of today’s foremost business leaders and inspirational figures, you’ll find encouragement and motivation to believe in yourself, discover your own Personal Success Equation™, and never give up. You are just three feet from gold! 

The Corona Concepts by Jim Stovall

Whenever I am confronted with a crisis, I always try to invoke The Serenity Prayer. This particular prayer has a great balance in that it calls for strength for those things we can change, acceptance for those things we can’t change, and wisdom to know the difference. 

For over 20 years, I have written these weekly columns that are read by countless people around the world in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Rarely do I have the opportunity to give specific advice as most challenges are regional in nature and dependent upon various government entities and local conditions. However, the corona pandemic seems to find us all in the same boat. 

I believe there are three concepts we can all embrace and apply relating to the coronavirus that will serve us well. 

• Follow the rules. One of my favorite definitions of maturity states that maturity is the point in time when we realize that the universal rules apply to us. Medical and governmental officials around the world have offered a number of directives relating to this virus. I believe everyone can agree, we should all wash our hands regularly, apply hand sanitizer often, eat healthily, get some exercise, and be sure to get adequate sleep. Additionally, we should avoid crowds whenever possible and stay calm. The advice to stay calm is not meant to minimize the crisis or its potential impact. It is instead, arguably, the single best thing you can do to boost your immune system. Worry and stress suppress your body’s ability to fight off all sorts of infectious diseases. Once you have done all that you can do, remaining calm and stress-free is a great prescription.

• It’s not all about you. During this crisis, there will be people isolated in hospitals, nursing homes, and quarantined at their residence. A quick phone call, email, or encouraging greeting card can make a lot of difference. You have friends, neighbors and associates who may need groceries, water, prescriptions, or a variety of other necessities. You can either help them get the things they need or help them get where they need to go. Many businesses and workers are suffering. Find ways that you and your company can help them. Remember, a crisis gives us all the opportunity to serve and succeed.

• Take advantage of the situation. Many of us will be isolated or out of our normal routine for a number of weeks or months. You can either tread water during this time or you can make quantum leaps ahead in your personal or professional life. Think of those New Year’s resolutions you have abandoned or things you always wanted to do but never quite had the time. This is a great opportunity to eat healthy, start a new exercise regimen, read books, watch documentaries, begin journaling, complete an online course, or a myriad of other activities that can allow you to go from victim to victor.  

Please understand I realize this is a life and death health crisis for many people, and in many cases there’s nothing we can do to change that. However, while we don’t always have a choice in what happens to us, we can always choose what we are going to do about it. 

As you go through your day today, make the best of a bad situation.

Today’s the day! 

 Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including the Wisdom for Winners series, which is available to listen to on Audible. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor).  

Tips to Conquer Fear and Live Your Best Life by Sharon Lechter

Fear can slip silently into our everyday lives until eventually it leaves us drifting through life in avoidance. Drifting leads to the loss of control of your life. These tips to conquer fear will support you in overcoming what is stopping you from taking action or pursuing your greatest life of contribution and success. 

Acknowledge Your Fear 

Fear is a natural part of human nature. Fear can also make the difference between succeeding and merely getting by. This can be fear of failure, fear of the unknown, or fear of change—all of which can keep us from becoming as successful as we wish we could be. If you are experiencing fear in your life, it does not make you weak or incapable. Your experience of fear does not define you. Whether you choose to conquer fear is what truly matters. The first step is acknowledging your fear and determining the source. Just like a starting point on a map, once you know what is causing your fear, you can chart a course to address it. 

Change/Control What You Can 

There are many influences we face each day that are outside of our control. We cannot control the media or the thoughts and actions of others. What we can control is what we choose to expose our minds to and how we react to others. Does your environment consistently feed you negativity and doomsday scenarios or does it feed you possibility? Is your environment creative and does it facilitate exploration of solutions or are you more likely to get mired down in the problems? Do the people you are around focus on all the potential negative outcomes or are their minds open to opportunity? Knowing and controlling what is in your power is an important step to conquer fear. 

Be Purposeful with Your Time 

Spare time is the breeding ground for fear and worry. Use your spare time to be active; don’t be frozen by fear. By spending your time in physical activity or doing something you love, you will have less time to worry and fret. Productivity is what turns economies and communities around. It also helps to conquer fear. 

Believe You Can Conquer Fear 

The greatest success stories of our time are of the leaders who took risks, defied the odds, did not stop when hitting their first obstacle, and above all else, conquered their demons. As individuals, we all have the right to put strategies into place that will lead us down a path of success, as long as we identify and conquer fear head on. As business owners and entrepreneurs, we need to maintain the freedom to build free enterprises venturing into uncharted territories in search for innovation that will improve society and create jobs. Then collectively, we will make up a stronger society of independent thinkers who will challenge our political and economic leaders to make decisions not based on fear, but rather on empowering its citizens to reach their full potential. 

The Takeaway 

Don’t let fear prevent you from living your best life! You never know how close you are to breakthrough…you might be three feet from gold!  

A version of this article originally appeared on sharonlechter.com. The long-awaited anniversary edition of Three Feet from Gold, by Sharon Lechter and Dr. Greg Reid, is available on March 17 from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Book Company, Google Play, Apple Books, and other fine retailers. This remarkable business allegory tells a fascinating story in presenting the key principles of Napoleon Hill’s revolutionary bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. As you follow a struggling young entrepreneur through a life-changing series of encounters with some of today’s foremost business leaders and inspirational figures, you’ll find encouragement and motivation to believe in yourself, discover your own Personal Success Equation™, and never give up. You are just three feet from gold! 

"You Know What I Mean…”: The Assumption That Hurts Communication by Phillip Van Hooser

“While I didn’t actually explain that, I’m sure you know what I mean…” 

How many times have you heard something like that statement? More importantly, how many times have you said or thought it? Unless you’re communicating with a certified mind reader, believing a person will know what you mean without making the effort to tell them is the same as believing you will win the lottery. It could happen—but unfortunately, it seldom does. 

You Know What They Say About Assuming… 

Let’s be clear. Assumptions are the mark of a careless communicator. “To assume” something provides evidence that a person hasn’t taken time to ask, verify and evaluate. Besides that, people who deal in unverified assumptions leave themselves open to a myriad of communication disconnects and breakdowns. 

It’s never a question if making assumptions will get us into trouble. The real questions are: When will the troubles begin? Where might they crop up? With whom will we have problems? And how much will our errant assumptions actually cost in time, dollars and goodwill? 

We should never believe “you know what I mean.” When communicating, we might think avoiding unnecessary explanations up front will save us time in the process. When in actuality, sooner or later, we have to explain the process anyway—what we did, how it was done, and why we did it. 

If the process is explained before action is taken, most people are still open to listening. However, if explanations are offered after action has been taken, many people will already be frustrated by what they see as our insufficient communication approach. 

Explaining the Process Helps Us Communicate Better 

Failure to communicate doesn’t have to happen. It can be avoided by purposefully explaining the process that is to follow. So what are we really trying to do when we “explain the process?” 

Understand Your Objective 

Understanding how to explain the process begins with understanding your overall communication objectives. The communication we undertake may focus on one or more of these objectives. But knowing what our objectives are before we begin lessens the chances we will fail in our communication efforts. 

Is the objective to: 

✔️ Convey: You are the messenger or conduit through which information passes. 
✔️ Request: You are asking for something specific. 
✔️ Educate: You are providing information to prove the value of a concept, idea, or activity. 
✔️ Defend: You are supporting a position on which you stand. 
✔️ Question: You are seeking information. 
✔️ Confirm: You are working to erase doubt and confusion.  

What Others Sense  

Communicating the process is not only a verbal experience, it is also sensory in nature. Many people pride themselves on their ability to “read” others. While other people analyze their “gut feeling” regarding messages they receive. But to ensure the process is communicated effectively, take into consideration what others can sense from our words and the manner in which we deliver them. 

✔️ How we feel: Are you excited, embarrassed, desperate, disgusted? Our words and our delivery give indication of all these and more. 
✔️ If we like them or not: Words and demeanor can create connection or cause a chilling effect on relationships. 
✔️ If we’re glad to be there: Do our words and non-verbal cues ring with authenticity or seem less than genuine? 
✔️ If we’re lying: Most of us, thankfully, haven’t developed the ability to lie with the same non-verbal effect as telling the truth. 
✔️ If we’re sincere: Sincerity is hard to fake. Forced words and overplayed actions are easier to spot than we may think. 

Common Questions People Will Have 

Many of us are suspicious by nature—you know what I mean… When someone starts explaining the process to us, we start trying to read between the lines. So until we have acceptable answers to questions that concern us, we won’t be able to fully accept the “process” as legitimate. 

With that in mind, here are some common questions people have—questions to anticipate and prepare to answer when explaining the process: 

✔️ Is this really going to do any good? 
✔️ Is it possible that I could be hurt as a result of what happens? 
✔️ Should I get involved personally or just wait to see what happens? 
✔️ What is the real motivation behind what I am seeing and hearing? 
✔️ Will this have a negative effect on my relationship with ______________? 
✔️ Will this cause more problems than it is worth? 

Communicating effectively is hard and has far-reaching implications on our ability to lead. 

If you’re struggling with so-so communication skills, We Need to Talk: Building Trust When Communicating Gets Critical has the help you need to build solid relationships when results are riding on your abilities. 

Get a copy today and get started being a better communicator! 

Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE is the recipient of the 2019 Cavett Award from the National Speakers Association. He is committed to helping organizations transform their business outcomes by transforming the talent of their people. His book We Need to Talk: Building Trust When Communicating Gets Critical is now available from Sound Wisdom and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Books, and other fine retailers. 

Feel Like Your Marketing Underperforms Compared to Competitors? by Steve Miller

I read an article recently on Inc.com that said 60% of small businesses think their revenue growth is below average. 

Let’s think about that. Statistically speaking, 60% CAN’T be underperforming, so this apparent lack of confidence must come from somewhere in the gut, not the spreadsheet. 

Why would that be? Of course, we know our numbers, but not the competition’s. Somewhere along the line we’ve absorbed “clues” that skew our worldview. And for the most part, those heuristics are based on guesses and not facts. 

We “see” how our competition (and ourselves) communicate with the marketplace via marketing communications and media. If we think their marketing is better, we assume their results must be better. 

What’s the rest of the story? How do you fix this? Watch this UNCOPYABLE Business video and see the solution I have for you. 

Think your company should be generating more leads? Or do you feel like your marketing is underperforming? Preorder a copy of Uncopyable: How to Create an Unfair Advantage over Your Competition. 

This article originally appeared on The Adventure. Steve Miller helps businesses grow by achieving Uncopyable Superiority. Since founding The Adventure LLC in 1984, Steve’s consulting clients have ranged from entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 corporations, including Proctor & Gamble, Greystar Real Estate, Caterpillar, Starbucks, Philips Electronics, and Coca-Cola. He’s also consulted for North America’s largest exhibitions, including AEM’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the International Manufacturing Technology Show, the International Home & Housewares Show, the Work Truck Show, and the Sweets & Snacks Expo. Preorder your copy of the updated and expanded edition of Steve Miller’s Uncopyable: How to Create an Unfair Advantage over Your Competition from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Book Company, Google Play, and Apple Books. 

Expand Your Comfort Zone by Adrean Turner

Comfort zones can become cages. 

I was working on a client project that was a gateway to other awesome opportunities. And quite frankly, I was doing something I’d never done before. Naturally, negative thoughts started to crowd my mind. To fight back, I remembered the last time I experienced something like this. I told myself, “This isn’t your first challenge, and it won’t be the last. You’ve been down this road before, and you always pull through.” And true to form, the right people showed up. I found the proper tools. I learned along the way. Things literally fell into place. 

When reaching for greater goals and taking on new challenges remember: 

SUCCESS BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE 

Numerous studies http://www.psychologyinspain.com/content/full/2005/full.asp?id=9010 confirm that there are three primary emotions we experience when dealing with change: cynicism, fear, and acceptance. To expand beyond your comfort zone, you have to choose between status quo and growth. Take action and see positive changes in your life and career with these tips. Start small! Big changes are scary.  

MAKE A SMALL CHANGE AND STRETCH A LITTLE FARTHER EACH WEEK 

If you’re afraid of heights, look out a second story window. The following week, try the third floor. Several small changes are as effective as a single, larger one. If attending networking events gives you hives, invite one person you’d like to develop a relationship with to join you in a virtual meeting. Perhaps you want to be considered for a promotion, but you are afraid to ask your manager. Start by gathering a list of your accomplishments and speaking to a mentor or coach for advice. You’ll gain confidence one step at a time. 

Comfort zones can be cages that limit life experiences. Consider shaking things up a bit by watching and listening to something new. Read a different type of book than you normally would read. Listen to a new type of music. Have you ever had Vietnamese, Korean, or vegan food? Try new foods. If it’s uncomfortable, that’s precisely the point. Learn to deal with a little discomfort. 

Get beyond your comfort zone by meditating each evening for a month. Avoid procrastination for a week. Take on a new activity. Have you ever golfed, hiked, or salsa danced? Take a coding class. Recently, I learned to fly drones. It’s been so much fun and I’ve met incredible people who are drone pilots. If you don’t try anything new, you’ll never know what you’ll learn or love. 

BUST OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND EXPERIENCE LIFE FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE  

A little bravery can expand your opportunities and enlighten your journey. Decide right now on one thing you’ll do to expand your zone, and do it. Remember, you are only one decision away from a completely different life. 

Adrean Turner is an author, certified career coach, speaker, professional development trainer, and business consultant. She leverages 23 years of experience in management, marketing, operations, teaching, and training to partner with individuals, entrepreneurs, and organizations to achieve their maximum potential. For more information and inspiration from Adrean, read her book F.I.T. for Success: Fearless, Inspired, Transformed for Success. You can follow Adrean on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Will to Win by Jim Stovall

Well, it’s happened again.  Another one my literary efforts has hit the market.  This book is entitled, Will to Win, and is the third effort in my Homecoming Historical novel series.  Each story takes place in a modern-day high school, but the namesake of the school gets involved with the students and the plot.  The first two novels dealt with President Harry Truman and Napoleon Hill.  Will to Win features the wit and wisdom of Will Rogers and how it impacts high school students here in the 21st century. 

Everything that happens in our lives and in the world is a potential learning experience.  Those who don’t learn from history are, indeed, doomed to repeat it.  Some people can read a sign that says, “Wet Paint,” and avoid it.  Others can observe people getting paint on them and avoid the hazard.  But unfortunately, there are still people who, regardless of written warnings or real-life examples, just have to get paint all over themselves.  

In Will to Win, readers will meet arguably one of the most famous influential people of his time, Will Rogers.  Will was born in 1879 and tragically died in 1935 along with Wiley Post in a plane crash.  He was a Cherokee Indian who grew up on a ranch in rural Oklahoma and, without ever holding political office or building a multimillion dollar business, influenced the whole world.   

Will Rogers had a daily column, did national radio shows, and was one of the biggest box office movie stars of his era.  Here in the 21st century, we would call Will Rogers a social media influencer.  His commentary on the issues of the day and our elected leaders changed the course of history.  Will Rogers’ humorous look at life and the issues of the day rarely told his followers what they should think, but instead, his comments made everybody think for themselves.  I believe this is among the highest callings we humans can aspire to.  

The Will to Win novel has already been optioned for a movie.  The heroine of the story is a Cherokee Indian high school girl named Sky Forest.  When her high school softball team is dismantled due to budgetary cuts, she decides to play baseball on the boys’ team.  With grit, determination, and a few wise words from Will Rogers himself, Sky Forest impacts her teammates, her school, and the community. 

My deepest thanks to those of you who read these columns and then decide to read my books and watch the movies based on them.    

As you go through your day today, learn from history and avoid wet paint.  

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including the Wisdom for Winners series. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. His latest book, Will to Win, is the third installment in the Homecoming Historical Series, and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Books, and other fine retailers. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor).   

Fact or Fiction by Jim Stovall

To date, I have written over 40 books. Approximately half of them are fiction and half are nonfiction. I’ve heard it said, “All autobiographies are fiction, and all fiction are autobiographies.” As I have continued to examine this thought, I believe it to be correct. 

 When I write novels or movie scripts, they invariably come out of experiences I have had in my own life. While I may change the time, place, or people involved, I draw upon experiences I have had in the past. On the other hand, when I, or any other author, writes nonfiction, our best efforts to deliver facts, statistics, and reality are colored by our own perspective. It is vital for us to remember that whether we’re in an educational setting, reviewing the news of the day, or conversing with a friend, the information we are receiving is filtered through the source. Even indisputable facts can vary as one individual may think a specific detail is critical so they highlight it while another individual overlooks that same fact believing it to be insignificant. 

My late, great friend and colleague Paul Harvey was one of the most trusted voices for news here in America for several decades. His broadcast was called Paul Harvey News and Comment. While he endeavored to always separate the news of the day from his own opinions, he explained to me that simply by determining which stories to include in his newscast or which item he would present as the lead story, he was inevitably imposing his thoughts and opinions on his audience.  

Today there are so many sources from which we can receive information or news, it is vital that we evaluate not only what was said but who said it and why they might hold that perspective. As a blind person myself, I’ve often thought of the old fable of the three blind men touching an elephant. The man who felt the elephant’s leg thought it was a tree, while the man holding the elephant’s trunk thought it was a thick rope, but the blind man feeling the side of the elephant thought it was a wall. All three men were giving their perspective of the same elephant at the same moment, but their individual perspectives totally altered their thoughts and ideas.   

We tend to want to think of facts as true and universal. In reality, they are constantly changing and must be evaluated based on the eye of the beholder.  

As you go through your day today, separate facts from fiction, but always look for the underlying truth. 

Today’s the day!  

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including the Wisdom for Winners series. His latest book, Will to Win, the third installment in the Homecoming Historical Series, will be released by Sound Wisdom on February 18, 2020. You can preorder this book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Porchlight Books. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor).   

Four Questions Smart Leaders Ask to Build Employee Relationships by Phillip Van Hooser

If you lead others and want to take your success (and that of your organization) to the next level, knowing how to build employee relationships is critical. I’m talking about engaged, honest, productive employee relationships. But often, leaders are too afraid to ask an employee’s opinion of the leader’s performance. If you really want to be successful, you really want to build employee relationships that are strong—and you’re really brave—ask your people these four questions. 

4 Questions Smart Leaders Ask to Build Employee Relationships 

Before I get to the questions, let me offer a word of caution. If you really want to build employee relationships that support individual or organizational success—you must be emotionally prepared for the responses you may get. Period. 

If you, as a leader, ask any of these questions then counter with a defensive, angry rebuttal, you’ve shut down any hope to build employee relationships that are honest, trusted or productive. 

With that in mind, here are the four questions smart—brave—leaders ask their people.  

1. How am I doing? 

Your first purpose with this question is to initiate a productive conversation. And you want to discover how satisfied, how confident your people are in your leadership. But the purpose is not to get your employees to tell you how wonderful you are. Asking your followers for feedback may initially seem strange to them. They may be thinking, “Is he serious? This must be a trick question.” or “Can I trust her if I answer honestly?” 

But to build employee relationships that are beyond transactional, leaders must be willing to open the door with honest, direct dialogue. Your people need to know you are serious about hearing their views. And they need to be reassured  you have their best interests and the best interests of the organization in mind. Your people need to know you have their back. 

2. What have I screwed up lately? 

You want your people to be encouraged to tell you not only the good news, but most especially the bad news. Often our actions and engagements with employees are well-meant, but may be perceived in a completely different way. So leaders can’t assume “no news is good news.” 

When leaders are willing to accept negative feedback and take action to correct their performance, employees notice! Not only does this open the lines of communication with employees, it also models behavior leaders want in their followers. When you’re trying to build employee relationships, that’s a win-win! 

3. What are other leaders doing that impress you? 

This question helps you tap into your followers’ experience with other leaders. The most successful leaders understand the unique motivations of their people. And this question helps you understand specifically what each follower likes in their leader—what they respect, what they favorably respond to. 

4.  What can I do to help you right now? 

Want to build engaged, committed employee relationships? Ask this question, then act on the response, and you clearly show your level of commitment to your people. That commitment from their leader is something highly valued by employees! 

One final word of caution. Talk is cheap when leaders are attempting to build trusted, engaged relationships with employees. Being brave enough to merely ask these questions will not be enough. When employees know you know the answers to these questions—they will expect you to take action.  

Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE is the recipient of the 2019 Cavett Award from the National Speakers Association. He is committed to helping organizations transform their business outcomes by transforming the talent of their people. His book We Need to Talk: Building Trust When Communicating Gets Critical is available from Sound Wisdom on February 18, 2020 and can be preordered from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Porchlight Books. 

The No. 1 Reason Small Business Owners Don’t Grow (or Don’t Grow as Well as They Could) by Howard Partridge

Vision without action is just a daydream. 

Many times you know what to do and how to do it—you just don’t do it. After coaching hundreds of business owners and addressing thousands, I have found that FTI—or “Failure to Implement—is the No. 1 reason that small businesses don’t grow or do as well as they could. 

Small business owners are so overwhelmed, distracted, and just trying to pay the bills that actually implementing anything additional can be daunting. So how can you overcome FTI?  

The Four Golden Keys to Implementation  

Key #1: Inspiration 

Have you noticed that the most successful small business owners are excited about the future? Have you noticed that they are focused on the possibilities rather than just the problems? They see something others don’t see. They have hope for the future because they know they can grow the business. They know they can improve their lives. 

I call that inspiration. Inspiration is different from motivation. Motivation comes from external forces. You’ve got to make payroll, so you’re motivated to close a sale. Or you get to go to Hawaii, so you are motivated to make that happen. Motivation is created by external forces that may be positive or negative. A reward or a penalty. But inspiration is something that is kindled on the inside. Inspiration happens when you actually see a compelling vision for the future that creates desire to reach that dream. Your dreams fuel your life. No dream, no fuel. No fuel, the vehicle doesn’t move. 

When your feet hit the floor each morning, focus on the possibilities rather than the problems. Focus on your goals. Focus on your vision. Every day. Refuse to be negative. 

Key #2: Organization 

Many years ago, I began a daily habit that serves me well to this day. I started carving out an hour in the mornings to work on my projects. I call this time my “Time Capsule.” This is a capsule of time that I take every day (except Sunday) to focus on my top projects and take action. During this time, I don’t take phone calls and I don’t get involved in anything but working on my projects. The only person who can contact me during this time is my wife. If you have a key staff member who needs to be able to contact you because you are still working “in” the business, let that person know how to contact you, but to only contact you during that time if it is truly an emergency. 

The best time for your Time Capsule is early in the morning before anyone else is awake. Especially if you have young children. Once you get involved in the duties of the day, it’s difficult to get back to your quiet time. Make a pact with yourself and impose a rule that you can’t do anything else until you’ve done your Time Capsule. You may groan at having to get up an hour earlier, but I would ask you if your dream is compelling enough. Do you have a dream? What do you get if you take massive action? What will the outcome be if you actually implement the things you need to implement? What is the cost of not doing it? 

Impose a sense of urgency upon yourself (like the trip to Hawaii) and pretend you are going on vacation tomorrow. Do that every day. 

Key #3: Training 

Zig Ziglar said, “You were born to win, but to be the winner you were born to be, you must plan to win and prepare to win before you can expect to win. But if you plan to win and prepare to win, you can expect to win.” Training is preparing. Training is learning and practicing these strategies until they are second nature. Continue to practice until you develop the skill. 

Learning these strategies is a good start, but you’ve got to get in the ring and spar. You’ve got to train as hard as you fight. So often small business owners use the strategies incorrectly or they cut corners. You must discipline yourself to learn and flesh out the systems in the real world. 

Key #4: Support 

Every business owner needs support, encouragement, and accountability. Support means that you have a group of people around you to help you fulfill your vision, mission, and purpose. This will include your staff, but also should include your peers, and you need a coach. 

Encouragement means that you have a group of people around you who remind you that you can do it. Zig Ziglar said, “Encouragement is the fuel people run on.” I am so grateful for those around me who show me that I can do more than I can ask, think, or imagine. 

Accountability means that you have a group of people who are there to ask you the tough questions. Have you done what you need to do this week to reach your goals? Are you staying focused on your goals? Are you working your plan? Are you developing your systems? Accountability is huge. I am so grateful for those people who are tough enough to ask the tough questions. I don’t always like it, but no pain, no gain. 

I am so grateful for the mentors, coaches, and consultants I have been blessed with in my life and business. We need people who have our best interest at heart, not just someone who has knowledge. You can be inspired, organized, and have the best strategies, and still not implement. The reason? You work for yourself. You aren’t accountable to anyone. You may not be getting the support and encouragement you need from those closest to you. 

Howard Partridge grew up on welfare in Alabama and moved to Houston at age 18 with only 25 cents in his pocket. He started his first business at age 23 and has transformed it into a thriving multimillion dollar enterprise. Howard has helped small businesses all over the world dramatically improve their businesses and lives. His latest book, FTI: Failure to Implement: The 10 Principles of Phenomenal Performance, will be released by Sound Wisdom on February 4, 2020. You can preorder it now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Porchlight Books.  

Next Step by Jim Stovall

The journey of a thousand miles does, indeed, begin with the first step, and the journey to your destiny begins with your next step. I have millions of books in print among my 40 titles, and every book has my contact information in it, so you can imagine how many people I have reaching out to connect with me as I welcome you to do using the contact information below. 

Probably the most often-asked question from people who have contacted me over the last 25 years is, “How do I get started?” Many people have a general goal or vague idea of where they would like to be in their life, but it remains somewhere off in the distant future.    

My mentor and friend, Denis Waitley, is fond of describing a place he calls “Someday Isle.” Someday Isle is a beautiful tropical island where there is no past and no future. Nothing has ever been done there, and nothing ever will be done there because people around the world constantly invoke the name of Someday Isle as they declare, “Someday, I’ll…”  If you or I have a dream, a goal, or an objective in our lives, it was put there for a reason, and there is something we are supposed to do today that will bring us closer to our destiny. I am saddened as I meet people who have had goals for many years or even decades that they’ve never really embraced as a reality and taken that first critical step.  

Any goal worthy of your time, effort, and energy will invariably be beyond your current capacity. You may not know how to do it, where to do it, when to do it, who to do it with, or where to get the money, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t start today. Knowledge is power. If you can begin by educating yourself on all elements of reaching your goal and begin connecting with people who have achieved what you want to achieve, you will be well on your way. 

My late, great colleague and mentor, Dr. Robert Schuller, was fond of saying, “Starting is halfway there.” Dr. Schuller was intelligent enough to realize that if you have a goal to go around the world, the act of simply starting doesn’t literally transport you halfway around the globe; but what he meant was, if you establish an objective and simply begin right where you are, you are way ahead of most people who will never begin at all.  

Failure rarely occurs at the finish line. Failure happens in the starting blocks.  

 If you will think of your most grandiose and awesome dreams and goals and simply begin moving toward them, they will become a part of your reality and your future. 

As you go through your day today, don’t let the sun go down before you have taken that first step. 

Today’s the day! 

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including the Wisdom for Winners series. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor).   

Three Leadership Tips for African American Women by Adrean Turner

It’s no secret. Numerous studies including the “The Women’s Leadership Gap” reveal that women lag substantially behind men when it comes to their representation in leadership positions. This is in spite of research that women score higher than men in most leadership skills. The statistics are even bleaker for women of color. It is said that African American women face the “concrete wall,” which is more difficult to penetrate than the glass ceiling.  

Yet, despite daunting revelations of fewer role models for African American women and more restricted pathways, achieving and maintaining success as a leader is possible. Here are 3 tips to enhance your visibility and excel. 

1. BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOU 

Although some research suggests the need to code-switch to move ahead, Delphia Howze, HR Director of Employee Relations and Development and President of SHRM, Tompkins County, reminds women to be confident in themselves. Delphia says, “Always be authentically present! Doing so allows our skills, experiences, and potential to shine in a genuine way. It is not necessary for us to be chameleons and to change pieces of ourselves in an effort to fit in. Who we are is good enough! Now, with that, comes the responsibility to ensure that we are constantly nurturing and challenging ourselves to develop and grow to be our best selves.” You are your most authentic self when you know yourself. Understand your strengths and weaknesses and then own your brand. People who define and live their brand naturally exude executive presence and therefore, find themselves excelling throughout an organization. By being true to you, you’ll naturally attract the success you desire. 

2. GET SUPPORT 

You will have challenges as you learn and grow. Having mentors and sponsors are key for your success. Mentors provide valuable advice, resources, and they assist with career mapping. Mentors talk to you. However, sponsors are individuals that talk about you. In the TED Talk, “How to Find the Person Who Will Help You Get Ahead at Work,” Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Managing Director & Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley, says, “You are not going to ascend in any organization without a sponsor. It is the critical relationship in your career. Sponsors are those who have your best interests at heart.” Further, Shirell A. Gross, Esq., President of Shirell Speaks, explains, “It is important to develop relationships across businesses and functions within a company. You want your name to come up often and with many. It is imperative that a broad coalition of individuals understand your value and contribution to the company.” 

3. BE BOLD AND TAKE RISKS 

When you do things differently, you get noticed. Taking a risk is an opportunity to stand out and to present yourself as a leader, not a follower satisfied with the status quo. Ursula Burns learned that when she challenged the then-CEO of Xerox Corporation. By speaking out in a town hall meeting, Ursula gained a sponsor and later became the first African American woman to be named as CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Be tenacious. Accept challenging projects. These assignments will help you to develop new skill sets and demonstrate your commitment to the growth of the organization. 

“Leaders are not born, they’re made.” — Vince Lombardi 

When leadership is viewed as a goal and not a role, you will take action, build relationships, and make changes that may be uncomfortable or unconventional to realize success. Stay focused. And keep going! It is possible! 

Adrean Turner is an author, certified career coach, speaker, professional development trainer, and business consultant. She leverages 23 years of experience in management, marketing, operations, teaching, and training to partner with individuals, entrepreneurs, and organizations to achieve their maximum potential. For more information and inspiration from Adrean, read her book F.I.T. for Success: Fearless, Inspired, Transformed for Success. You can follow Adrean on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

A Question for the New Year by Sam Silverstein

One of the questions I ask leaders—a question that sometimes makes them a little uncomfortable—is a fairly simple, direct one: Do you tell your people the truth?  It’s a deeply relevant question, I think, as we begin the new year. 

Forget, for a moment, whether you feel your people tell you  the truth, or how you feel about it on those occasions when you can prove that they don’t. (That’s actually a function of whether you tell them the truth.) 

Forget about whether you think you have a good reason not  to tell your people the truth. Having an organization where people can level with each other and expect the truth from one another is essential to accountable leadership. It’s a commitment you make. You either fulfill it and set a good example on this score, or you don’t. Are there situations where some people, from a practical point of view, don’t need to know all of the details? Sure. Do people need to know the truth about those decisions, events, and initiatives that affect them?  Yes, they do. If you pretend otherwise, you’re walking down the slippery path we call “the ends justify the means”—and that is not where accountable leaders go. 

Forget about “batting averages.” Sometimes when I ask a leader during a private coaching session, “Do you tell your people the truth?” I get a list. “Well, I lied to them about A and B, but I told them the truth about C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J, So that’s two lies and eight times where I told the truth. So my batting average is about .800, which isn’t too bad.” Nope. Lying 20 percent of the time doesn’t make you a leader with a commitment to the truth. It makes you a liar.  

Accountable leadership is all about fulfilling commitments. One of the most important of those commitments is to tell your people the truth, even when it hurts. Period. No gray areas. No excuses. 

Commitments are not easy. Your accountability will often be tested by challenges and conflicts: Are you going to keep your commitment even in the midst of a crisis, or when it is not in your personal best interest to do so? A commitment has to do with character. Everyone is committed when it is easy, but when a conflict shows up, so does the truth about whether or not you are committed. This is where your accountability is manifested. This is where your character is developed. This is where your team begins to tell you the truth, even when it hurts. 

I’m not a big believer in New Year’s resolutions. I believe they can often do more harm than good, because people sometimes make them in December and fall into the habit of making excuses for themselves about breaking the resolution in February. But if the calendar running out of December and taking a scoop out of January inspires you to be more accountable to your team, to make a clear commitment to your team that’s hard to back out of, a commitment to tell them the truth, even when it hurts, I’m all for it. 

Just as a plant has to push through the earth to see the sun and grow, we too have to “push through” our challenges and conflicts…and make and keep our commitments. It is in those moments that we grow as people. A clear, spoken, unambiguous commitment to tell your people the truth, starting right now, will give you a better new year—and a better future. Make the commitment! 

Sam Silverstein is dedicated to empowering people to live accountable lives, transform the way they do business, and create a more accountable world. He helps companies create an organizational culture that prioritizes and inspires accountability. His latest book, I Am Accountable: Ten Choices That Create Deeper Meaning in Your Life, Your Organization, and Your World, is now available to buy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Porchlight Books. You can follow Sam on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Finding Value in the Moments by John C. Shin

One of my greatest desires is to find value in the moments that make up my day. I strive to maximize opportunities as they come up and take action whenever possible. When I set these intentions, I accomplish more, feel better, and consistently advance toward my goals. By breaking things down to this lowest common denominator and living life moment by moment, my life has changed for the better. 

Without desire, shepherding an idea from development to the finish line is unlikely. Desire is a driving force. It stimulates our imagination and fuels us to move forward, to gather information, and to act. 

Napoleon Hill was a master at explaining the basic principles of success. He surrounded himself with successful people, extracted their knowledge about success, and created a path for others to follow. 

He recognized how negativity and the day-to-day struggle for survival can sap our energy and extinguish our desires. But he also saw how successful people funnel energy into success, achievements, and the pursuit of their dreams.  

Like everyone, I don’t enjoy every job I must do. But I do them anyway, having learned that even seemingly mundane tasks develop a work ethic that leads to more significant opportunities like my role as the executive producer of the movie Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy, a docudrama based on Hill’s book. 

My involvement with this exciting project started when I read the book, but it was my desire to do something more that led to this fantastic life experience.  

Desire is the spark that ignites us and takes us from dreaming to doing. Desire is powerful! Let’s break it down. 

D = Dreams 

All achievements are created twice. First, in the mind of the creator. Then, in tangible form. 

A book begins as a collection of thoughts and ideas. A building starts as a vision in the mind of the architect. The Wright brothers dreamed of flying. Their desire to achieve something that everyone else thought was impossible helped them overcome every obstacle in their path. We all know how that story ended. 

Embrace your dreams. Let your imagination soar. Dreams are the foundation of desire. In dreams, nothing is impossible. 

E = Energy 

Desire is such a dominant force because it contains energy. Energy has the power to move us. It has the power to uproot mountains, literally. Energy provides heat, light, and sound. It stirs the senses and touches our souls. It’s like a magnet that attracts what we want if we are open to giving and receiving it. 

S = Spirit 

When you watch young children playing, you’re witnessing pure spirit in action. Spirit is the carefree attitude that places you squarely in the moment without regard for what anyone else thinks. Spirit is your life force on display, a pipeline to your soul. 

We desire things because they resonate with us, stir our emotions, energize us, and lift our spirits. 

I = Individual 

Every human being is unique, even identical twins. Every desire is also individual, though on the surface they may appear to be the same. You may desire a red Ferrari like the one your neighbor has, or a car like one you saw driving down the road, or a car you have on your dream board. Underlying your desires for this car are unique reasons why. Desire is personal and specific to the individual. 

Be clear about the reasons why you desire something, and disregard all others. When you do, the intensity of your desire grows. 

R = Riches 

What does being rich mean to you? For most people, it involves money. All the money in the world doesn’t equate to happiness and is generally a poor measurement of success. Less is, quite often, more. 

Richness may mean freedom, the flexibility of working for yourself or working from home. Riches could be a close family, being surrounded by people you love. Or pursuing your dreams, accomplishing your goals, knowing who you are, and being at peace with yourself. Or it could be money. Lots and lots of money. And that’s okay too. 

E = Execution 

All your wants, wishes, and plans are worthless without execution. Until you put the wheels in motion and begin creating a tangible version of your dream, it will remain locked in your mind. The tragedy is that unrealized desires don’t benefit anyone, including yourself. 

So, take that first step. Get in touch with your inner child, the kid who did everything with great enthusiasm and spirit! You can do it again. 

Desire leads to a belief, which leads to action. It provides the necessary support to square off with fear and takes it down with a solid one-two punch. Best of all, clearly defined desire adds energy to your dreams and moves you toward them with clarity and conviction. 

Pick up your copy of John C. Shin’s How Rich Asians Think: A Think and Grow Rich Publication, an official publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, from these and other fine retailers: 

Amazon: http://ow.ly/uwqA50xDAiH 
Barnes & Noble: http://ow.ly/5P2R50xDAiG 
Books-a-Million: http://ow.ly/WCp050xDAiJ 
Porchlight Books: http://ow.ly/C37550xDAiI