8 Ways to Make the World Say YES to You

You can’t make the world notice you.

You can’t make the world love you.

All you can do is increase the probability that the world will attend to, approve of and offer applause for you.

By making yourself more yessable.

Today we’re going to explore eight practices for boosting your yessability:

1. Be of duty and destiny. The world cannot resist a man on a mission. And if you’re relevant, realistic and REALLY good, they won’t be able to ignore you either. That’s the thing about unquestionable commitment. People say yes to it because it’s extremely rare, and therefore, inspiring.

So, try this: Do what you were mandated to do. Become the walking execution of your vision. And learn to validate your existence on a daily basis. These are the things that make you more yessable.

2. Burn everything there is to burn within you. That was Ayn Rand’s advice from Atlas Shrugged. And if you want to apply that advice to your world, here’s the secret: Don’t apologize for the one thing you are that consistently wows people. Sing the song that is natural for you to sing, in the way that is natural for you to sing it, and it in front of the fans that most need to hear it.

Then, give your audience permission to be taken over by your performance. And they will stand in line and pay higher prices than they know they should. These are the things that make you more yessable.

3. Consistently give people excuses to trust and believe you. Do you realize that you’re starting with a negative balance with most people? Not because you’re a cheat or a jerk. But because we live in a low-trust culture. And people are tired of being lied to.

That’s why you need to regularly demonstrate emotional reliability. You need to establish predictability in your behaviors. And you need to prove to people that they can put their faith in the uncracked composite of your character. These are the things that make you more yessable.

4. Don’t assume that everyone is broke and won’t support you. When the world is ready to recognize (and financially support!) your value, they will move into your lane. But only if YOU recognize that value first.

Only if YOU state your fee confidently and shut up. So remember: He who speaks next, loses. These are the things that make you more yessable.

5. Grow yessable by process of elimination. Advance assertively in the direction of your dream. Then work FOR, believe IN and act UPON that dream SO much, that eventually the dream will have no choice but to become a reality.

And at that point, success will become a mathematically certainty. All because you made persistence your religion. These are the things that make you more yessable.

6. Make sure you can you answer all the questions about your dream. Here are a few examples: “Does your dream benefit others?” “Does your talent match your dream?” “Is this dream built on your real habits?” and “Are you afraid to bring people into your dream?”

This will help your dreams get acquainted with reality. But be ready to defend them. Be prepared to balance boldness with realness. Otherwise it will become VERY hard for the world to say yes to you. These are the things that make you more yessable.

7. Make yourself a superior article. First: Pinpoint the supporting features of the world you want to live in so you can be your best. And physically write down the words that describe you when you’re at your best – or less than at your best.

Second: Identify and watch the best in the world in your field. And then ask yourself how you compare to those people. Third: Pluck the components of those people’s success formulas that you like. Incorporate them into your own equation. Soon enough, you’ll start turning out work that has genuine superiority. These are the things that make you more yessable.

8. Stop proving yourself and start expressing yourself. Be less interested in creating a work of art and more interested in becoming one. HUGE difference. For example, Dr. King didn’t “have” a dream – he WAS the dream. The Dalai Lama doesn’t preach peace – he IS peace. And Obama doesn’t inspire hope – he IS hope.

These people are preaching messages that are the dominant reality of their lives. I wonder what would happen to your life if YOU started embodying your commitment. I wonder what would happen to your career if YOU started walking your truth. These are the things that make you more yessable.

REMEMBER: You can’t make the world say yes to you.

What you CAN do is increase the probability that the world will attend to, approve of and offer applause for you.

All you have to do is make yourself more yessable.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are you increasing your yessability?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “6 Ways to become the Most YESSABLE Person You Know,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Download a free copy of The Nametag Guy’s (unofficial) 9th book!

HELLO, my name is Scott’s…
“Live your name.”

The Five Most Important Words in Marketing

“I’ve heard of you before!”

Those are the five most important words in marketing.

Because it’s all about mindshare – NOT marketshare.

And so, your success is a function of the following interrelated factors.

1. How often you hear those five words.
2. How positive people’s subsequent comments are.
3. How carefully you listen to and write down those comments.
4. How frequently you repeat the original actions that led to those comments.

After all, when people tell you what they remember about you…

They’re telling you who you are.
Which is (potentially) different from who you thought you were.

They’re telling you how they experience you.
Which is the only judgment people can make about you.

They’re telling you which of your actions are most memorable.
Which is invaluable feedback about which of your efforts are working.

They’re telling you what to continue (or discontinue) in the future.
Which is a powerful tool for staying focused.

They’re telling you the current balance of your reputational asset.
Which is the single determinant of becoming more bookable, referable and invokable.

So, when people say they’ve heard of you before, the next step is to listen closely to their physiology. Because people’s bodies will always tell you the truth – even if their lips are lying.

Let’s look at three examples:

First, when someone who’s heard of you comes up to meet you for the first time, observe the changes in her body.

For example: Did her posture assemble? Did her eyebrows dance? And did her pupils dilate? If so, she’s probably telling the truth.

Second, part of this listening process – because that’s all we’re talking about here, listening – is asking people to give you specific feedback about WHAT they heard and HOW they heard it. That way you can find the rock that created the ripple. And then you can go throw more rocks.

You might consider asking questions like:

o “How did you hear about me?”
o “What – specifically – did you like most about (x)?
o “Can you give me an example of how (x) has been helpful to your world?”

Lastly, an approach that I frequently use for leveraging those “I’ve heard of your before” moments is to say:

“Thanks Mary! It’s funny you should say that. I’m currently writing a module about (x), and I would love to get your opinion on something. Would you be willing to share with me 3-5 bullet points about why you liked my (x)? I request this NOT in a ‘tell me why I’m so great’ way, but rather, ‘tell me what worked so I can replicate it and help others do the same.’ Cool?”

In most instances, people are HAPPY to offer specific feedback.

But only if you stop, ask and listen to what’s behind those five beautiful words, “I’ve heard about you before.”

REMEMBER: Pay careful attention to what people tell you they remember about you.

Because that’s who you are.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How will you take your business write into wealth?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “9 Things Every Writer Must Do Every Day,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Download a free copy of The Nametag Guy’s (unofficial) 9th book!

HELLO, my name is Scott’s…
“Live your name.”

How Much Name Equity Do You Own?

Your name speaks before you do.

Whether it’s your surname, nickname, company name, domain name, product name or username, the question you have to ask yourself is:

“What do people think, feel, say or do when they hear your name speak?”

Hear. Your. Name. Speak.

So, maybe somebody:

SEES your name in print.
COMES across your name on Google.
STUMBLES across your Twitter username.
HEARS her friend invoke your name at a meeting.
WATCHES the news broadcast in which the anchor drops your name.

Whatever the vehicle is, Name Equity is a function of the life that’s been lived BEHIND your name … up until that moment.

So, if a customer perceives you as reliable, via trusted referrals validating your track record of service … and if a customer perceives you as credible, via the consistent delivery of expertise-driven messages on your Thought Leadership Platform…

Then, YES, that customer will develop confidence in your value when she hears your name speak.

And then she will buy from you.

SO, THE QUESTION IS: How can you live your name in a way that increases the probability that when people are exposed TO, think ABOUT or speak OF your name, they don’t suddenly feel the urge to reach for their bottle of Ipecac?

Today we’re going to explore seven questions that measure the net worth of your Name Equity:

1. What do people say after your name? Shakespeare was wrong. It’s not just what’s IN a name – it’s what’s AFTER a name. This reminds me of the first time I was interviewed on CNN: January 13, 2003. My first book, HELLO, my name is Scott, was just published.

And check this out: The job title CNN listed below my head, right underneath “Scott Ginsberg,” was “Nametag Wearer.” Ah, memories. And so, lesson learned: If you don’t make a name for yourself – someone will make one for you. I invite you to consider this: What would CNN write under YOUR name if you didn’t tell them ahead of time?

2. What do people think when they see your name? People’s instant reaction when they see your name is THEE report card on how well you’ve positioned your unique value. Both in the markeplace AND in people’s minds.

As bestselling author Jeffrey Gitomer says, “When someone says your name, they’re also going to say one of five things about you: something great, something good, nothing, something bad, or something real bad. And whatever they say, determines your fate.” For example:

• “Who the heck is THIS guy?”
• “How does she manage to get her name everywhere?”
• “I love this man!”
• “Oh, great, THIS lady again…”
• “Yeah, I hear he’s kind of a jerk…”
• “Man, I see this guy’s name everywhere I look!
• “Damn it – this guy again! He’s always where I want to be!”

REMEMBER: Everybody is watching, everything is a performance and everything matters. Does the mere sight of your name bring peace or drama to people’s attitudes?

3. When someone googles your name, what do you want to happen? A few things. First, high ranking search results. The instant barometer of your Name Equity. After all, if you don’t exist on Google, you don’t exist. Second, immediate action MUST be taken.

So, you want people to STOP searching. To click through and explore you further. Finally, contact. This is when you compound attraction with outreach. Because ideally, you’d like people to email, call or connect with you in some way so they can buy. How googleable are YOU?

4. What’s your middle name? According to #1 marketing blogger and bestelling author Seth Godin:

“The best middle name isn’t Warren or Susan or Otis or Samuel or Tricia. It’s ‘The.’ As in Attila The Hun. Or Alexander The Great. Or Joe The Plumber. When your middle name is ‘The’, it means you’re it. The only one…”

“…The one that defines the category. And it’s a result of appropriate focus.””For example, Google is the best because it’s more appropriately called ‘Google The Search Engine.’ So: Seek THE.”

Seth nailed it. Because you WANT to be That Guy. You WANT to be The Only. That’s Name Equity. Me? I’m Scott The Nametag Guy. What about you? Does your middle name suggest superiority?

5. Has your name become its own adjective? That’s what Quentin Tarentino, Bob Dylan and Tom Peters have in common. They’ve all become their own adjective. This elevated state of Name Equity is a composite of these individual’s uniqueness, artistry, school of thought, talents, style and expertise.

Their efforts have achieved critical mass in recognizability and memorability in their respective industries. So much so, that their customers actually begin to use their NAMES as adjectives to describe other things IN that industry.

For example, “That was a very Tom Peters thing to say,” or, “That movie was SO Tarentino,” or “This hot new songwriter is very Bob Dylan sounding.” Ultimately, adjectivity is about living your values in such a passionate, open and consistent way, that people don’t even have to ask what you’re all about. What would it look like to pull a “You”?

6. How are you monitoring your name? Name Equity loses its value without constant observation. Here are a few suggestions. First, get Google Alerts on every variation of your name, usernames, domain names and email addresses.

Second, run regular searches on your name (in quotes) along with words like “sucks,” “genius,” “awesome” and “asshole.” Also, use Tweetdeck to monitor people’s posts about your names, usernames, monikers and titles. These research strategies will help you stay current about the positive (and negative) word of mouth about your name.Are you listening to what people are saying about you?

7. How boring is your username? Speaking of Twitter, here’s an underused hotspot for your personal branding iron AND valuable source or Name Equity. In 2007, Microsoft Research published a study proving that the average online user has approximately twenty-five different sites they log into on a regular basis.

Your challenge is to create a consistent username or handle that is: (1) Consistent with your brand, (2) Unexpected and unique, and (3) Cool enough to stimulate interest. So, ask yourself: Would a complete stranger on Twitter want to follow or learn more about you SOLELY BASED your username?

REMEMBER: Everyone has a name – but not everyone LIVES their name.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do people think, feel, say or do when they hear your name speak?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “8 Ways to Guarantee Long Term Name Recognition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Download Scott The Nametag Guy’s (Unofficial) 9th Book for Free, RIGHT NOW!

This book took exactly one year to write.

I wrote it because it wanted to be written.

I wrote it because I couldn’t (not) write it.

I wrote it because I finally gave myself permission to be radically honest.

I wrote it because I wanted to create a sequel to Make a Name for Yourself.

That being said, I want you to have the book.

For free. Right here. No strings.

See, everyone else in the world is complaining how crappy life is. And I’m tired of it. So, I decided to actually DO something about it.

Maybe it’s time you kicked yourself in the ass too.

I triple dog dare you.

Download the book here:

HELLO, my name is Scott’s…
Live your name.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have a name or are you living your name?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Download this book here, then send it to anyone you know who’s having a tough time right now. Tell ’em The Nametag Guy sent ya.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Who’s quoting YOU?

Check out Scott’s Online Quotation Database for a bite-sized education on branding success!

www.stuffscottsaid.com.


9 Words to Eliminate from your Entrepreneurial Vocabulary

1. Answers. Overrated. Questions are all that matter. Here’s why: Questions advance sales. Questions change relationships. Questions contain energy. What’s more, questions are bridges, catapults and fuel. They create buy-in, earn respect, invite dialogue and transform organizations. When was the last time your precious answers did all that for you??

2. Balance. It’s for ballerinas. Besides, you can be off balance and still be on purpose. That’s called alignment, and it beats balance any day. Your challenge is to figure out what your life looks like when the integrity of its foundation is in tact. Are you on a path that aligns your actions to your values?

3. Dabbling. Go all out or go home. Be dedicated or be eliminated. Throw yourself wholeheartedly into the game. That’s what it takes to win. And if you don’t want to make this a business, don’t bother. Are you willing to go pro?

4. Formulas. They’re non-updatable, unshakable and inelastic. They’re inflexible, choreographed, canned, insincere, inauthentic and preplanned. They’re often resisted, debated and creates defensiveness. And their rigid, rote learning limits people’s possibilities and stifles their creativity.

Practices, on the other hand, work. They come in the form of simple, doable and human actions. They insinuate instead of impose. They’re adaptable and apply to various situations and people in their own unique way. They’re also easily digested, self-evident, non-threatening and encourage people’s creativity. Which of the two are YOU using?

5. How. How is dangerous. How is a dream destroyer. How is the difference between an Idea Guy and an Execution Guy. And the problem is, too many people are at war with HOW when they should be in love with WHY.

Look: You don’t have to know what you’re doing. You don’t have to know where you’re going. You don’t have to know how you’re going to get there. You just need to move – and you need to know WHY you’re moving. Because if you focus on the WHAT, the HOW will eventually appear. Are you stopped by not knowing how?

6. Knowledge. Anybody can bring it to the table. The real question is: Have you taken action upon your knowledge? That’s the difference between knowing and doing. That’s the difference between information and insight. Experience. Application. Execution. Actionability. Do you just offer expertise and information, or can you deliver REAL insight?

7. Resume. A thing of the past. If you want to persuade potential employers, prospects and customers to hire you, remember this: Your resume is most effective when someone OTHER than you writes it.

So, your resume is your Google ranking. Your comments section on your blog. The testimonial page on your website. Your resume is what people are saying about and after your name. Don’t you think that if someone wants to hire you, she’s going to validate your credibility from multiple sources?

8. Satisfaction. Proves nothing. Even “loyalty” isn’t all that powerful anymore. What you need is customer insistence. Absolutely gotta-have-it factor. Absolute gotta-work-with-this-guy factor. You need people slam their fist down on the boardroom table and say, “We need to hire THIS guy!” Are your customers satisfied, loyal or insistent?

9. You. I don’t know if you got the memo, but YOU are overrated. It’s nothing personal. I’m sure you’re a very smart, cool person. But nobody cares about you. They care about them. They care about money, sex and happiness. And the minute you start to embrace that reality, the minute your world will change forever. It’s amazing how far a little humility will go. Have you gotten over yourself yet?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How much money are you losing by having a weak entrepreneurial vocabulary?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “99 Questions Every Entrepreneur Should Ask,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

How to Close the Gap between Your Onstage Performance and Backstage Reality

I have three questions for you:

1. Are the stories people tell about you the same stories you tell about yourself?

2. What’s the gap between how you want to be seen and how others experience you now?

3. And how does that gap between your onstage performance and your backstage reality affect the daily lives of the people you serve?

Frustrated by your own answers?

That’s not entirely surprising. As Stanley Bing explained in Zen and the Art of Managing Up, “The distance between what you believe you are and the actual reality of your true nature will make you angry.”

Here are few suggestions for narrowing that gap:

1. Allow your truthful self-expression to inspire others to do (and BE) the same. Because when you applaud the gifts of YOU, you are able to applaud the gifts of those around you.

2. Let people experience that they can change your mind. Sometimes we’re too close to the parts of ourselves that drive other people crazy. As Robert Sutton suggests in The No Asshole Rule, “Stop doing things that provoke people who don’t know you well to mislabel you as a jerk.”

3. Listen careful to how people describe the way they experience OTHER people. Then, ask yourself how well – or how poorly – you’re performing in those same areas. Use others’ behaviors as mirrors to reflect your own image back to yourself. List them out, identify the attributes and then begin to embody or eliminate them in your own life.

4. Make people feel essential. People feel more comfortable around those who make them feel good about themselves. Period. So, in addition to making people feel valuable and important and special, you also need to go out of your way to make them feel essential. Like you couldn’t imagine (not) having them around. Like you don’t know where you’d be without them. Like the organization would crumble to the ground without their unique contributions. Essential. And you do so by simultaneously applauding everybody’s brilliance AND tolerating everybody’s liabilities.

5. Share comments that honor the other person’s unique feelings, thoughts and emotions. However you respond, just make sure there’s an undercurrent that communicates, “This is how I truly feel about what you’ve just offered me.”

6. Stay sensitive to this person’s immediate experience of you. People rarely forget how you treated them the last time. Therefore: Everything is a performance, everything matters and everybody is watching.

REMEMBER: Being approachable isn’t enough. You need to be perceived as being approachable as well.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How will you close the gap between your onstage performance and backstage reality?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “33 Daily Practices for Boosting Your Managerial Magnetism,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

How do I approach the office bully?

Every science class you’ve ever taken in your life will confirm the following biological truism:

What feeds, grows. What starves, dies.

The secret is to show bullies that you’re not an easy target. Ideally, they’ll eventually become tired and move on.

If you don’t, taking their bait is letting them get away with it. Growing up with an older brother, I can attest to that.

Bullies want attention and a reaction from you. And if you don’t give it to them, they can’t win. Because reactions feed mean people. That’s what they want.

So, instead of getting sucked into their vortex, consider these suggestions:

1. Preface and reciprocate. An excellent technique from The Verbal Art of Self-Defense is to say, “OK, let’s talk about this. You go first and I won’t interrupt. Then when you’re done, I’ll see if I have any questions.” Wow.

2. Ask for clarity. This will frustrate the person who relies on clouding every interaction to feel in control. Try asking, “Can you give me a specific example of that?” Odds are, they can’t.

3. Change the pattern. If you don’t give him the response he expects, you will disrupt his rhythm and break his patterns. This is best way to get someone’s attention. Then, as a result, HE will have to react for once. Ha!

4. Yuk it up. The secret to taking the sting out of potentially threatening remarks is found within your own humor. Especially when it’s used in a safe and unassuming way, this keeps you at protective distance that can’t be breached.

For example, if someone comments, “Ginsberg, you’re such an idiot! You can’t do anything right! What do you have to say for yourself?” you might respond, “Oh, you’re just jealous…” or, if you prefer a more extreme response, “Hey! It’s not my fault my mother ‘experimented’ with crack while she was pregnant with me!”

Such humorous comments prevent the launch of your biochemical “fight or flight” stress response. Most importantly, they allow you to remain in control, to remain intelligent and to preserve the dignity others will attempt to take away.

5. Don’t show a tolerance for interruptions. Get people back on track by counting behaviors and making them aware of their conversational narcissism. Here’s a handy guide I published about how to handle the office interrupter.

6. Remember that clueless people don’t want to see clues. Jerks are defensive, and being defensive means they’re afraid of letting new ideas into their mind. The secret is to drop hints, not bombs. Introduce clues slowly and give them time to respond.

7. Reframe their nastiness. In the book How to Make Piece with Anyone, author David Lieberman suggests the following language: “Thanks for telling me. Most people would be afraid to tell me because they think I’d get all upset and defensive. Where did you learn so much about (X)? How would YOU have handled it? You have such great (X) – I wish you’d tell me your secret.”

This response pattern works for several reasons. First, it’s complimentary. And gratitude diffuses defensiveness. Second, it proves that you’re not taking ownership of the other person’s emotions. Third, it appeals to the other person’s ego (which is exactly what they want anyway) by asking for their expertise. Remember: Don’t defend and don’t complain against it.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you approach the office bully?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “26 Rapid-Fire Strategies for becoming the Most Approachable Person in Your Organization,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

If they can’t come UP to you; how will they ever get BEHIND you?

Buy Scott’s new book and learn daily practices for becoming a more approachable manager!

Pick up your copy (or a case!) right here.

NametagTV: Frontline Best Practices, Vol. 2

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Watch the original video on NametagTV!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When was the last time you made your customers GASP?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “12 Ways to Out Service the Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

The world’s FIRST two-in-one, flip-flop book!

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19 Do’s and Don’ts of Award Winning Entrepreneurship

DON’T allow people to make you feel bad for being awesome.
DO personally amputate anyone who doesn’t believe in or support you.
And surround yourself with people who love and inspire you.
Who could you call at 2 AM?

DON’T be so interested in creating a work of art.
DO be interesting in becoming a work of art yourself.
And just know that it’s never truly finished.
What did you create today?

DON’T be selfish with your knowledge.
DO share your expertise generously so people recognize it, become addicted to it and eventually depend on you for it.
And the world will open up to you.
What did you teach today?

DON’T be the most unique.
DO work the hardest at your uniqueness, know it well, amplify it, commit to it and stay consistent with it.
And the market will reward your handsomely.
What value are you prepared to deliver to others so that they will voluntarily give you their money?

DON’T feel the need to justify yourself to, waste your time on, or become upset if, you piss off people who don’t know how to value you yet.
DO the thing that makes people watch you with breathless interest.
And that select pool of individuals will be all the support you need.
To whom are you a rockstar?

DON’T feel the need to tell people everything you know to convince them.
DO regularly put yourself in front of economic buyers so when they DO feel the need, you’re the trusted advisor they think of first.
And that will be all the marketing you’ll ever need to do.
Do you have marketshare or mindshare?

DON’T just sit in bed mulling over things.
DO get up and go think on paper.
And your ideas will be executed significantly sooner.
How much money have you lost because you didn’t feel like writing your ideas down?

DON’T live your life in boxes.
DO realize you don’t need anybody’s box.
And you will be set free.
Do you pick the box that says, “Other”?

DON’T get fancy and try to appeal to everyone.
DO be courageous enough to go with something simple and focused.
And your message will have the best chance of getting through and sticking TO people.
Does your marketing pass the 5th Grader Test?

DON’T spend any extra time trying to impress yourself.
DO make a conscious effort to inspire and wow the masses.
And incidentally, you WILL be impressed.
Whom have you made gasp this week?

DON’T obsess over the need for approval from anyone other than yourself.
DO learn to affirm yourself by applauding internally.
And you’ll get standing ovations every time.
Are you your own #1 fan?

DON’T recreate what’s always been recreated.
DO produce something people have a yearning for.
And you will capture the world’s imagination.
Do you bring a new lens or just regurgitate recycled wisdom?

DON’T apologize for the one thing you are that consistently wows people.
DO give your audience permission to be taken over by your performance.
And they will stand in line and pay higher prices than they know they should.
How often do people see you, being you, in your element, doing what you do?

DON’T compete.
DO create.
And you’ll redirect your energy into something you can win at, every time.
What did you create today?

DON’T spend most of your time planning.
DO spend most of your time building.
And action will become the engine that drives your credibility.
Do you really need to attend another mastermind meeting?

DON’T be stopped by not knowing how.
DO flirt with impatience, ambiguity, irrationality and insanity.
And you’ll discover that logic is overrated.
How much money are you losing by waiting until you know what you’re doing?

DON’T become so absorbed in the limitations of your condition that you don’t explore the creative possibilities of the situation.
DO move in the direction that helps you build your usefulness.
And in so doing, you will be performing an act of worship.
Why were you designed to cure?

DON’T fill up your time with mindless efforts to prove yourself.
DO fill up your time with mindful efforts to improve yourself.
And every day, part of you will get stronger; and part of your life will get better.
How did you add value to yourself today?

DON’T be limited by the thoughts others have tried to set in motion for you.
DO ignore the would-be deflectors of your one true dream.
And plunge forward into the vortex of swift, focused action.
Whose life are you living, really?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your entrepreneurial do’s a don’ts?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “65 Things I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me When I Started My Company,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Nine Ways to Leave a Legacy of Openness

1. Accept bad news without the need for sugarcoating. That way, your people can give it to you straight. They can feel comfortable reporting negative information without the fear of being reamed by your emotional reactivity.

So, if you want this to happen, you have to demonstrate that you support failure. And a great place to start is by sharing a few of your own screw-ups FIRST. Sometimes that’s all the permission people need. Do you respond well to good and bad news?

2. Acknowledge others’ contributions to your worldview. Let people know their thinking has affected you. Here’s how:

(1) Show them the notes you took when you were listening to them
(2) Tell them how you recently quoted them during another conversation
(3) Share with them the insights you’ve stumbled upon after being inspired by something they said.

That should do the trick! Who’s toggling your brain?

3. Allow nothing to be meaningless in your sight. Ideas. Problems. Experiences. And especially people. They’re ALL good to you. They all have value. They all serve a purpose.

Because your attitude is: Everything matters. Everything has meaning. Everyone teaches you. Remember: Unconditional Positive Regard. What do you see when you see people?
4. Allow your stories to be open to new interpretation. When you tell a story, follow these steps. First, pause when you’re finished. Give the people listening to you the space they need to process and contribute.

Next, let feedback in. Listen. Consider new lessons you could have learned from the story. Play with newfound applicability. Then, write these new interpretations down. And thank people for adding value to your experience by saying, “I never would have thought of that!” or “Cool! Another lesson.” Are your stories up for discussion?

5. Ask for time to think about what they have said. This is another great move for making space in the conversation. It also prevents foot in mouth disease by buying you some time to process.

That way you can react less and respond more. What’s more, it builds a sense of curiosity and excitement in the mind of the listener, making you more listenable. Remember: Don’t be so quick to rush into the silence. How do you answer questions?

6. Be a rock people can count on. That means stillness. That means emotional objectivity. That means listening with the ears of your heart. That means not interrupting, fixing, judging or taking over the conversations. That also means staying solid to your core and reflecting people’s realities back to them so they can process their own solutions. Whom are you a rock to?

7. Develop the capacity for self-observation. Become the audience of your own drama, not just the actor. That way you can better understand how people experience you, as well as how they experience themselves when they’re with you. What side of the stage are you on?

8. Disagreeing is tolerable – disagreeing without proposing solutions isn’t. Think of it as a Positivity Ratio: Every time you disagree, promise yourself and your team that you’ll always bring two or three solutions along with you. That keeps receptivity high. Are your disagreements derailments or springboards?

9. Don’t be threatened by people who are smarter than you. Otherwise you’ll end up keeping people around you that are inadequate so you feel better about yourself. And that only leads to poor performance. Are you willing to be the dumbest guy in the room?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What will be your legacy of openness?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “71 Words Employees Never Want to Hear Their Manager Say,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

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