Kent Blumberg

Giving = Network Success

Over on "The Kiss Business too", Karin has written a nice post about the Givers Gain Principle.  With that as inspiration, I'm going to spend this week on the ways in which giving to others can power your networking success to new heights - and ultimately get you what you need.

Today I'll share a bit of my own philosophy, plus links to what others say about giving to your network.  Wednesday's post will cover my ideas for actions to take in face-to-face networking, and Friday will highlight some ideas for giving in the virtual networking world.  Hopefully you will have ideas of your own to add to the mix.

Saturday Snap - Alligator Eye

This week's shot was captured on my Canon EOS 20D at Alligator Bayou on March 17, 2006 late in the afternoon.  (Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of the shot.)

How to prepare and deliver a great speech

You've been asked to give a speech.  Great news!

Or is it a disaster waiting to happen?

I love to speak.  (In fact, my wife would tell you I love to talk a little too much.)  Part of my love of public speaking is that I am fairly extroverted and a bit of a ham.  But most of it is because I have learned how to prepare a speech in order to maximize the chance it will be worth hearing.

Here's how to do it.

Five things to learn more about in 2007

I love to learn.  Frankly, I believe once you stop learning, you start to die.  So here are five topics I plan to learn more about in 2007. 

Customer Relationship Management for the small business

How are you tracking your customer relationships?  Have you got books and books of business cards?  Have you looked at Act! and thought it looked too complicated and expensive?  Or are you just trusting to your memory to keep everything straight?

If you could use a free, on-line tool to track and manage clients and contracts, take a look at Jibber Jobber.

Saturday Snap - Temple of 10000 Buddhas

Three or more times during the week I write a bit about tactical leadership, strategy or performance management.  But work isn't everything I do with my time.  Among other things, I am an avid photographer.  Each Saturday, mainly for my own enjoyment, I post one (or more) of the photos I'm most proud of.  Please feel free to:

• Ignore them, or
• Enjoy them, or
• Share them (as long as you don't use them for commercial purposes, and do tell people where you got them).

As always, click on thumbnails to see bigger versions.

Five things you might not know about me

For some weeks, there has been a game of tag running around the Blogosphere and I've been hoping I would get the chance to be "it."  (Is that sad, or what?)

Anyway, Carolyn Manning, of Thoughtsphilosophies.com gave me that chance.

WRAP your messages

Ever wonder why your messages don't get through?

Karin Hermans, author of a business novel called "The Kiss Business" and of the blog, "The Kiss Business Too" has taken Seth Godin's approach to Permission Marketing and gone him one better. The result is a useful way of thinking about any communications, whether with customers, employees, family or community.

She calls it the WRAP principle.

Drucker - "Identify the Future that Has Already Happened"

Peter F. Drucker said, "...the most important work of the executive is to identify the changes that have already happened..." and to exploit them.  (The Daily Drucker: 366 Days of Insight and Motivation for Getting the Right Things Done, 2 January).

What changes have already happened in your business?  How can you exploit them?

Helping new leaders get a great start

You've spent months recruiting a new team member, not to mention the cost.  Finally, you've got a deal, and your new recruit starts soon.  What can you do to help your new employee get a successful start?