After watching the video (link below) and after a good guffaw of laughter…I could not help but think of the Law of Momentum from John Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Heck, this video could be linked with several laws but today I choose the Big Mo. Do you ever have times that you have put in so much time, energy and effort and things are really starting to move only for a setback to suddenly drop in? (No pun intended / Watch the video). Well, I don’t know about you, but I have come to learn that a set back is a set up for a come back!  It is because of the energy put in to establish the momentum that helps to get things back on track. Think of walls of water held back by a dam. The potential energy is always there for if the dam ever gave way….well you know the results. Momentum is so important especially when you are part of a TEAM. Think of the famous race in Ben Hur where the stallions had to harnessed a certain way so that their combined energies would allow the momentum to take them to victory. The long and the short of it is (again after you watch the video) is to not let a small setback completely ruin your vision and goals. Victory is just around the corner.

hhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrd–c-erns

Well, for those out there who may be looking to immediately say that I don’t know how to spell….the above title comes from a now classic film called the Princess Bride. There were several story lines in this film that by the closing credits had all been woven together wonderfully to let us know that there is no greater cause in life than “love”. Love has many meanings and definitions. The above title depicts a man who was on a vendetta of 20 years to avenge the death of his father (Ha lo, my name is Inago Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die) to whom he truly and greatly loved. You would need to watch the Princess Bride to get the full story but I digress. My real story today is based on the love of people whose primary goal in life is “service”. I have learned from my mentors that if you help enough people get what they want, you will have and get what you want. I give credit to my mentors starting with Dave Morin (deceased) as well as the Yager Family out of Charlotte, NC. They are servers to the nth degree but I want to leave you with a man who not only serves but shows great love and compassion to everyone he come across. That man is Dr. John C. Maxwell who just says his name is John. His classic intro is “Hello, my name is John, and I am your friend”. Thank you, John for your influence on me and the many around the world. In closing, I just have to say: “Hello, my name is….and I am your Friend”!

This is my first post for 2012 so let me first wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year. New Year…as always has connotations of resolutions (both kept and dropped) and of course…”Change”. What is “change”? The dictionary states – To alter; to make different; to cause to pass from one state to another; as, to change the position, character, or appearance of a ..

But change can not only be something you do, it can be something you are left with. I have always learned that the highest form of insanity is to keep doing what you are doing and expect different results. That sounds like change. For many of us (I better speak for myself) the more I tried to change, the more I stayed the same. I also learned from a mentor when I said that change would be difficult and take time. His result was, “you got 5 minutes….CHANGE”! He was a real high D personality. Well here we are at the beginning of a new year and you guessed it….IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE. Will I continue to live insanity or will I stick to my guns this year?  In closing, have a look at this video (it is 10 minutes but is worth it). In other words…Change!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DXL9vIUbWg&feature=share

So I understand that we are in a recession. Seems that the recession knows no geographical boundaries. Some businesses are in stress. I wonder however, just how much training the HR Depts or the owner (smaller businesses) are actually putting into their staff. I wonder just how many of those staff actually realize that they need to go that one extra step when in comes to customer service. What am I referring too…..? Well, I cannot stress the amount of times that I have gone to check out lately and the cashier (if I get greeted by them) will say….”Is that all”? What ever happened to, “Did you find everything you were looking for”? or “Can I get you anything else”? or “How was your experience with us today”?……  I think you get the point on this. I actually once asked one of the cashiers “Why, did I not spend enough here today”? It is that little extra bit of service and friendliness that would want to make me come back and spend more of my money there. So let me conclude with my own statement of fact….”how may I serve YOU today”?