Maybe that person was you!

Today we’ll discuss the impression this leaves and how it affects you if you’re an offender.

Age matters
You should consider the age of the person with whom you’re meeting. When twenty somethings meet, there’s a good chance they’ll both be offenders, which means neither one will be offended! They don’t think anything of it.

A forty something might have a problem with it; a sixty something almost definitely would. But no matter what age the person is, if they don’t have their device in hand, you shouldn’t either!

The inbox on your desk
Let’s go back a generation or so. What would be the equivalent to meeting with device in hand?

Picture someone sitting in a meeting with you sorting through the Inbox from their desk while trying to conduct business or build a relationship.

How productive would that have been?

Why is it necessary?
You may think that, back then, there wasn’t the demand for immediate response like there is today. But customers have always been demanding.

We used to think that emergency meant “life-threatening”. Why do so many of us today have this compelling need to treat everything as if it’s an emergency?

You may say that you have to keep in touch constantly. You’re in a competitive business and you’ll lose customers if you don’t.

Let’s go back in time again. Back to the day when the primary means to communicate instantly was by landline telephone. If people then had the same attitude, they would have never left their offices because the phone might ring!

So people took turns answering the phone. Could something similar be done today?

What really important people think
There’s an old story about Richard Simon, of the famous publishing house Simon & Schuster. With his work done for the day, he shut off the lights in his office, grabbed his hat (hats were fashionable at that time), and headed for the elevator.

He was joined on the elevator by a young editor. The editor had a brief case in each hand and another pair pinned under his arms. Mr. Simon looked at him and in Tarzan-speak said, “Me publisher, you editor!”

We think that looking really busy gives off an impression that we’re really important. But as this story illustrates, really important people may think just the opposite!

These devices are useful tools. However, when anything gets in the way of giving people our full attention when we get the opportunity, we’ve missed the whole point.

These devises should help us keep in touch with people, not get in the way of connecting with them when we have the chance!

Get out your mobile device and connect with us! Click on our Comment link below to share your thoughts  Click on the Share This button below to Digg, Stumble, Mixx, etc.

Our bigg quote today is by Richard Moss, who said,

Will you give that gift to the person you’re meeting with or to your Blackberry?

Next time, we ask, “Is your mind like a skipping CD?” Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Related posts

Relationship Building Blocks

Lessons about Friendship from Man’s Best Friend

Can You Walk And Chew Gum At The Same Time?

TMI Is Not So Gr8 

(Image by Iafrate)

Maybe that person was you!

Today we’ll discuss the impression this leaves and how it affects you if you’re an offender.

Age matters
You should consider the age of the person with whom you’re meeting. When twenty somethings meet, there’s a good chance they’ll both be offenders, which means neither one will be offended! They don’t think anything of it.

A forty something might have a problem with it; a sixty something almost definitely would. But no matter what age the person is, if they don’t have their device in hand, you shouldn’t either!

The inbox on your desk
Let’s go back a generation or so. What would be the equivalent to meeting with device in hand?

Picture someone sitting in a meeting with you sorting through the Inbox from their desk while trying to conduct business or build a relationship.

How productive would that have been?

Why is it necessary?
You may think that, back then, there wasn’t the demand for immediate response like there is today. But customers have always been demanding.

We used to think that emergency meant “life-threatening”. Why do so many of us today have this compelling need to treat everything as if it’s an emergency?

You may say that you have to keep in touch constantly. You’re in a competitive business and you’ll lose customers if you don’t.

Let’s go back in time again. Back to the day when the primary means to communicate instantly was by landline telephone. If people then had the same attitude, they would have never left their offices because the phone might ring!

So people took turns answering the phone. Could something similar be done today?

What really important people think
There’s an old story about Richard Simon, of the famous publishing house Simon & Schuster. With his work done for the day, he shut off the lights in his office, grabbed his hat (hats were fashionable at that time), and headed for the elevator.

He was joined on the elevator by a young editor. The editor had a brief case in each hand and another pair pinned under his arms. Mr. Simon looked at him and in Tarzan-speak said, “Me publisher, you editor!”

We think that looking really busy gives off an impression that we’re really important. But as this story illustrates, really important people may think just the opposite!

These devices are useful tools. However, when anything gets in the way of giving people our full attention when we get the opportunity, we’ve missed the whole point.

These devises should help us keep in touch with people, not get in the way of connecting with them when we have the chance!

Get out your mobile device and connect with us! Click on our Comment link below to share your thoughts  Click on the Share This button below to Digg, Stumble, Mixx, etc.

Our bigg quote today is by Richard Moss, who said,

Will you give that gift to the person you’re meeting with or to your Blackberry?

Next time, we ask, “Is your mind like a skipping CD?” Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Related posts

Relationship Building Blocks

Lessons about Friendship from Man’s Best Friend

Can You Walk And Chew Gum At The Same Time?

TMI Is Not So Gr8 

(Image by Iafrate)

Communicating is easy, right? The person doing the talking thinks it is! They state their message. Done! The problem is on the other side … how is that message interpreted?

This is especially true when communicating across departments. People with differences – in skill sets, backgrounds, education, and vocabulary – often have difficulty understanding each other.

The book, The Geek Gap, provides a great example. It illustrates the differences between techies (geeks as the authors say) and managers (suits to use the authors’ term).

Knowing how to close the gap is a critical skill for your company’s sake, but also for your own professional advantage. So how do you do it?

First, seek to understand.
We’re borrowing this term from Stephen Covey’s great book,  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Different departments tend to attract different personalities.
Think about your stereotypical geek. They like to solve problems, to fix things. They’re intelligent, but often introverted. They like to work on projects. They’re detail-oriented.

Now think about your stereotypical manager. They rely on their ability to influence people. They’re also intelligent, but more likely extroverted. They bring projects in for others to do. They’re bigg picture people.

Obviously, we are grossly oversimplifying here. And we’re purposefully stereotyping to make a point. We can all think of all kinds of people who don’t fit these traits.

But let’s continue stereotyping to keep making the point!

Geeks see technology as an end unto itself. Suits see technology as a tool to accomplish their goals. Geeks are the craftsmen, suits are managers.

To geeks, the goal is to build that perfect product or system that functions just the way it was designed. To management, the purpose of that perfect product or system is solely to meet larger business objectives.

Each side needs to learn to respect the point-of-view of the other. Suits respecting the craftsmanship and geeks seeing how their work contributes to the mission of the organization.

Second, come to value each other.
These diverse points-of-view strengthen the organization. If we’re both exactly alike, one of us isn’t needed!

The craftsman won’t quit until the end product is virtually perfect. There’s a pride of workmanship. The joy is in the creation. It’s about bringing an idea to life.

The manager won’t quit until the goal is met. He or she takes pride in getting things done efficiently and achieving results. The joy is in creating opportunities for people. It’s about moving the organization forward.

Geeks need the suits or they wouldn’t have any projects to work on. Suits need the geeks or the projects wouldn’t get done. It’s the two working together that creates something greater than they could do on their own.

Our bigg quote today is by George Bernard Shaw, who said:

Magical things happen when you communicate effectively. Learn the tricks of the trade so you can pull the rabbit out of the hat when you need it.   

Next time, we’ll answer a question from a listener who just lost her job unexpectedly. Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Related posts 

Relationship Building Blocks

Do You Know Too Much? 

(Image by happyeclair, CC 2.0)

Some things are teachable; others have to be learned. Today, we’ll discuss things you have to learn on your own. Hopefully, you’ll do it while you’re still in college! If you’re already out, check this list to see how you’re doing!

#1 – Learn how YOU learn.
Do you learn best by reading? Listening? Watching? Or some combination? You’ll save a lot of time, money, and frustration later if you learn this now.

#2 – Learn HOW to think.
Most students focus on WHAT to think. Get a well-rounded education so you can cut to the essence of any issue. You fully understand a topic when you can debate both sides of an argument equally well.

#3 – Learn self-discipline.
Know how to set goals and schedule yourself to achieve them. Stick to the schedule you’ve set so you can focus on your priorities and balance work with fun.

#4 – Learn how to build YOUR brand.
You are the CEO of most important organization – YOU, Inc. For what will you be famous? What makes you unique? How will you let the world know?

The choices you make are critical. It’s good to be a member of an organization; it’s better to be a leader in it. Choose internships and summer jobs wisely because they reflect on your brand, too.

#5 – Learn how to communicate effectively.
It’s true – you learn a LITTLE bit about this in college. But how you communicate reflects on your brand. For example, if your written work is full of typographical errors and grammatical mistakes, the reader may assume that you’re sloppy or apathetic. Also understand that HOW you say something is just as important as WHAT you say.

#6 – Learn how to build your network.
Take every opportunity to reach out to people with common interests. It’s amazing how few students get to know their professors. They are great mentors even after you’re done with college!

It’s important to cultivate relationships. Take an interest in them. For your network to work when you desperately need it, you’ll need established relationships.

There are no six steps to Kevin Bacon when it comes to networking. You need to get one step removed from the person you need to contact. If you know me, and I know somebody, you have a good chance with that somebody.

#7 – Learn how to find your initial vision.
Your vision consists of your passion, your values, your competencies, and the environment you face. Here are some great resources to help you:

• Find your passion by visualizing your future

• Find your purpose

• View our extensive list of core values

• Learn how to discover your strengths and weaknesses

• Understand the opportunities and threats in your chosen career

Your vision will probably change over time. However, developing the skills to discover it and work toward it are essential to your bigg success.

Did you dig this article? Then Digg it! Just click on the Share This button below!

Our bigg quote today comes from the great Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said,

Education is a life-long adventure to discover yourself and uncover your full potential.

As he moves on from the game he loves, superstar quarterback Brett Favre taught us a lesson on peak performance. We’ll discuss it in our next blog.

Brett’s moving on to the perfect job. One with two vacations a year … six months each!

Until next time, here’s to your bigg success! 

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Related posts

3 Tips To Thrive In Your Career

Facing Off Against Faceless Competitors

Jungle Love – Living With Coopetition

How To Get Promoted To Senior Management

How Do You Learn To Be An Entrepreneur?

What Makes You Tick?

John Wooden’s Pyramid Of Success

Is Your Star Shining Bright?

Don’t Shy Away From Networking

(Image by gadgetdude,CC 2.0)

Some things are teachable; others have to be learned. Today, we’ll discuss things you have to learn on your own. Hopefully, you’ll do it while you’re still in college! If you’re already out, check this list to see how you’re doing!

#1 – Learn how YOU learn.
Do you learn best by reading? Listening? Watching? Or some combination? You’ll save a lot of time, money, and frustration later if you learn this now.

#2 – Learn HOW to think.
Most students focus on WHAT to think. Get a well-rounded education so you can cut to the essence of any issue. You fully understand a topic when you can debate both sides of an argument equally well.

#3 – Learn self-discipline.
Know how to set goals and schedule yourself to achieve them. Stick to the schedule you’ve set so you can focus on your priorities and balance work with fun.

#4 – Learn how to build YOUR brand.
You are the CEO of most important organization – YOU, Inc. For what will you be famous? What makes you unique? How will you let the world know?

The choices you make are critical. It’s good to be a member of an organization; it’s better to be a leader in it. Choose internships and summer jobs wisely because they reflect on your brand, too.

#5 – Learn how to communicate effectively.
It’s true – you learn a LITTLE bit about this in college. But how you communicate reflects on your brand. For example, if your written work is full of typographical errors and grammatical mistakes, the reader may assume that you’re sloppy or apathetic. Also understand that HOW you say something is just as important as WHAT you say.

#6 – Learn how to build your network.
Take every opportunity to reach out to people with common interests. It’s amazing how few students get to know their professors. They are great mentors even after you’re done with college!

It’s important to cultivate relationships. Take an interest in them. For your network to work when you desperately need it, you’ll need established relationships.

There are no six steps to Kevin Bacon when it comes to networking. You need to get one step removed from the person you need to contact. If you know me, and I know somebody, you have a good chance with that somebody.

#7 – Learn how to find your initial vision.
Your vision consists of your passion, your values, your competencies, and the environment you face. Here are some great resources to help you:

• Find your passion by visualizing your future

• Find your purpose

• View our extensive list of core values

• Learn how to discover your strengths and weaknesses

• Understand the opportunities and threats in your chosen career

Your vision will probably change over time. However, developing the skills to discover it and work toward it are essential to your bigg success.

Did you dig this article? Then Digg it! Just click on the Share This button below!

Our bigg quote today comes from the great Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said,

Education is a life-long adventure to discover yourself and uncover your full potential.

As he moves on from the game he loves, superstar quarterback Brett Favre taught us a lesson on peak performance. We’ll discuss it in our next blog.

Brett’s moving on to the perfect job. One with two vacations a year … six months each!

Until next time, here’s to your bigg success! 

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Related posts

3 Tips To Thrive In Your Career

Facing Off Against Faceless Competitors

Jungle Love – Living With Coopetition

How To Get Promoted To Senior Management

How Do You Learn To Be An Entrepreneur?

What Makes You Tick?

John Wooden’s Pyramid Of Success

Is Your Star Shining Bright?

Don’t Shy Away From Networking

(Image by gadgetdude,CC 2.0)