Discovering our National Treasure

What’s REALLY written

on the back

of the Declaration of Independence?

The original engrossed parchment
Declaration of Independence
as it appears
in the National Archive

There IS a message there.

Really.

No fooling.

Sure, the movie National Treasure suggests that certain of the Founding Fathers concealed information very clandestine and powerful on the back of the Declaration of Independence.

But I regret to inform you that (to the best of my knowledge), there’s nothing quite so dramatic as presented in the plotline of the popular National Treasure movie hidden there.

Still, it is true that –

An important message IS written in a mysterious way on its back.

See for yourself...

The seldom-seen REVERSE of
the original engossed parchment
Declaration of Independence

The writing you see at the top of this image of the back of the Declaration of Independence reads:

"Original Declaration of Independence
dated 4th July 1776"

-- and, in fact, it actually appears on the bottom of the document, upside down.

While no one knows for certain who wrote it, it is known that early in its life the large parchment document (it measures 29¾ inches by 24½ inches) was rolled up for storage.

So, it is likely that the notation was added –

Simply as a label. After the signing ceremony on August 2, 1776, the Declaration was most likely filed in Philadelphia in the office of Charles Thomson, who served as the Secretary of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1789. The document probably accompanied the Continental Congress as the body traveled during the uncertain months and years of the Revolution.

“But, but …” you say -- “I see MORE writing!”

Yes, you do. In the view above, below the “label” you can discern some very cryptic “writing.”

Sorry, treasure hunters. The writing that appears at the bottom in this view is actually ink from the top of the front side that has seeped through the parchment to the back of the document.

Cool anyway, don’t you think?

CATALYST COLLECTION ACTION IDEA: I’m planning to use this fascinating factoid as a conversational gambit in the days ahead. (If you’ve invited me to your long holiday weekend picnic, you’ve been forewarned.) It’s a great starting point for conversations about what we know … what we think we know … the power of life-long learning … how to operate in an info-loaded, digitally linked world …

And more. Of course what’s equally important to explore are the ideas and ideals represented by the words written on the front of this National Treasure.

But I’m going to save our discussion of some of that for “Thank Goodness It’s Monday” on July 4.

Meet you here then.

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square
Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com   

P.S. Still crave some National Treasure symbolism? It wasn’t until December 15, 1952, that our nation’s great documents were formally enshrined in the National Archives in Washington DC. Then, President Harry S Truman, the featured speaker said:

“The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are now assembled in one place for display and safekeeping. . . . We are engaged here today in a symbolic act. We are enshrining these documents for future ages. . . . This magnificent hall has been constructed to exhibit them, and the vault beneath, that we have built to protect them, is as safe from destruction as anything that the wit of modern man can devise. All this is an honorable effort, based upon reverence for the great past, and our generation can take just pride in it.”

Of course Truman was a York and Scottish Rite Mason …

Thank Goodness It's Monday #417

HOW TO USE THE

“BEN FRANKLIN CLOSE”

IN THE 21^ST CENTURY

American Commissioners at the Treaty of Paris Conference  by Benjamin West

 

Sealing the deal are, from the left, John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and Franklin's nephew and secretary.

The right side of the painting is unfinished because the British commissioners to the conference refused to sit for their portraits.

Perhaps if Franklin had used his vaunted "closing" technique we could have had a completed painting.

We came away with a new nation instead. 

Someone actually unloaded the legendary Benjamin Franklin Close on me recently.

You know what that is, don’t you?

Of course you do. It’s a classic espoused by many legendary sales trainers and personal development folks -- Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar, Tom Hopkins and other less-known folks. There are abundant explanations and demonstrations only a mouse click away. 

But don’t leave here. Because even if you don’t know the technique –

 

I’m about to sum it up for you. With commentary. 

The Benjamin Franklin Close is also known as “The Balance Sheet Close” or “The T-Bar Close” and, from the seller’s point of view, it goes something like this:

You’ve made your usual masterful presentation. But the prospect appears to be unable to make up his or her mind. You feel as if you’ve tried just about everything in your sales kit but still can’t get them to commit. So, as the seller in my recent experience did, you say something like:

“We all know how smart old Benjamin Franklin was. He was a very thrifty fellow and like you concerned for getting the most value for every dollar spent, wouldn’t you agree Mr. Steck?” 

(Award one-half point for seeking agreement. Deduct one-half point for heavy-handed use of my name. Deduct 2 more points for not noticing all the books about Ben in my office.)

“Back in the day, whenever he was faced with a decision – and he had some pretty big ones – he would take piece of paper, draw a vertical line down the middle and head one column with a ‘plus’ (+) and the other with a ‘minus’ (-).” 

(No points here either way, but there should be deductions in the name of historic accuracy as we will see momentarily. And the lazy-brain phrase “back in the day” grates on my ears, but …)

“In his genius he discovered that by listing all the positive attributes on the plus side and all the negative aspects on the minus side, the decision would become obvious. Pretty sound concept, agreed?” 

(Lose 2 points for working the “get agreement” strategy too often. Add back one-half for NOT using my name again.)

“Let me show you how it works. Since you seem to be having a tough time deciding, let’s list the plusses – some of the reasons you may want to do business with us. Then we’ll list the minuses. Fair enough?” 

(This getting-agreement thing is getting a little irritating although it might have been OK here IF it hadn’t been overworked earlier.)

Now, if you’re like the guy pitching me, you get out a clean sheet of company letterhead and your company-logo giveaway pen and begin to list everything good about the offer, product, service, whatever. In your best leading-the-witness style, you get the prospect to say most of them. You take your time to develop a comprehensive list.

Then you say –

“OK, let’s list the minuses.” And you hand the pen to the prospect … and push the list toward him … and you say nothing more. 

Bing-o/Bang-o! Usually the prospect can only think of objections couched in terms of price or affordability. And you’ve got the answers to those down cold, don’t you?

Start calculating your commission!

Or not. If I’ve done my writing job right, you should be thinking, “But Geoff … do we detect in your tone and presentation that you have a problem with the Benjamin Franklin Close?”

Kee –rect! It’s Old World selling that is –

 

Destined to fail. In fact, as an Old World kinda guy myself AND a Ben Franklin fan, while I was almost entertained by having it trotted out, I was mostly and ultimately annoyed.

 

The reality of 21^st Century selling is: In this computer-info-powered age, any real customer …

… seriously intending to buy

… who has done their prep before you call

… and who has allowed you in but isn’t responsive after you’ve presented

…has pretty much made up his or her mind. 

 

You’ve just not been told the decision.

And I maintain this Death-of-a-Salesman-era closing ploy is unlikely to swing things in your favor.

 

So do you just forget about the Benjamin Franklin Close and never use it?

No! No! NO! I wouldn’t waste your time reviewing it if I didn’t think there was some more-than-cautionary –

TGIM ACTION IDEA: Be like Ben. Do what Ben really would have done. Use the Ben Franklin PRINCIPLE to prepare to get the sale to “Yes!” before you even walk in the door.

No mystery, it’s in the history: In a letter to Joseph Priestly (the English scientist who discovered oxygen), Franklin commented about a perplexing decision that Priestly was wrestling with.

Franklin wrote to his chemist friend that the problem of deciding inexplicable situations is that "all Reasons pro and con are not present to the mind at the same time...." As a result, our minds are like a pendulum swinging back and forth, swayed by whichever aspect of the decision seems to be primary at the time without being able to arrive at a solution.

 

To help solve the dilemma at hand, Franklin informed Priestly that he (Franklin) would divide a sheet of paper into two columns, listing one Pro and the other column Con.

Then in the course of three or four days he would write in each appropriate column brief hints about the motives that at different times occurred to him for or against the decision. If, after careful evaluation, the Pro column contained more positive features, he would make his decision accordingly. The same evaluation process applied to the Con column.

 

Franklin admitted that his decision-making method was purely procedural, and that it could not advise him what to do, but only how. He did inform Priestly that "when each (Pro and Con reason) is thus considered separately and comparatively, and the whole lies before me, I think I judge better and less likely to make a rash step...."

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Use the Pro-and-Con Column mindset as a sales preparation tool. Use it as a strategizing device. Use it to get yourself ready to make the big sale. Create those columns on a piece of paper or your digital device, and then start listing …

►   … the prospect’s needs

►   … the decision makers

►   … the questions you want to ask

►   … personal “things in common” to discuss

►   … the benefits and main points you want to cover

►   … why you believe they will buy

►   … the reasons this particular prospect may not buy – and your responses 

Thus prepared with Ben’s help, you are now ready to make the call and the sale without resorting to a default gambit.

And, if on the call you see a bunch of Ben Franklin books in the prospect’s office and you want to bond with him (or her), relate your knowledge of the real Ben Franklin PRINCIPLE and lock up the deal.

One more point in, well, closing: 

Is it stating the obvious? The decision tool aspect of the Ben Franklin PRINCIPLE is not limited to business choices. It can be helpful in most areas of daily living. It works to keep you rational. Taking the time to deploy it correctly also discourages rash “I want it now” acts.

If you would not be forgotten

As soon as you are dead and rotten,

Either write things worth reading,

Or do things worth the writing.

Ben said that (in his Poor Richard persona). And did both.

Hope this TGIM helps us do the same.

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com 

P.S.  About those column headings: As Ben says, they should be Pro and Con, not Plus (+) or Minus (–) although –

Ben the Scientist did make the choice of which type of electricity is called "positive" and which "negative" around 1750. In the end further discoveries established that he misunderstood just how electricity flows, but he was ballpark right for his day. We should all be that clever.

Thank Goodness It's Monday #385

HOW TO NEGOTIATE

SO EVERYONE COMES OUT AHEAD

Yup, I’m back on that track. I'm inspired -- once again -- by all the hoo-hah coming out of the nation’s capital these days. And I’m pondering why these beltway folks –

Just don’t get it.

In the business world that I occupy a pretty good definition of “Effective Negotiation” would be: 

A process by which two or more parties

use a problem-solving approach

to build something better for all.

Obviously we’re not talking political parties here.

So let’s just review with our personal/professional circumstances in mind.

The concept of effective negotiation doesn’t mean you’re not going drive a hard bargain to get what you want. And it doesn’t mean you won’t be willing to take any concessions you’re offered. 

It does mean you go into the negotiation process intending to use effective – maybe even “tough” – techniques that should enable you to control the process and lead it toward the outcome you want. 

But you’ll do this in a principled way.

To guide us, here’s a rundown of --

8 Principles Of Effective Negotiation

#1: There’s a solution that can benefit everyone. That’s true in most cases. So it makes sense to go into a negotiation with a problem-solving mindset; looking for ways both sides can be better off. 

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Don’t operate in terms of you vs. an opponent. Think instead, “you and the other problem solver.” You might even disarm future conflict by announcing this point of view at the outset.

#2: Anything can be negotiated. (Alright, almost anything.) Just don’t accept the established order. Rules are made by people and people can change them.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Anything and everything can be up for grabs. A printed policy … price tag … instructions from higher ups … budgets … salaries … a sign on the wall – none of these are inviolable. They can all be changed by someone willing to invest the time and energy necessary to do it.

#3: Attention must be paid. To get anyone to sit still for a serious discussion, you must first get his or her attention. You do that by letting that person know you can help or hurt them in some way.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Since our emphasis here is on something better for everyone, emphasize how you can help. Then you will not only get attention, but – ideally – receptive, positive attention.

#4: Needs are seldom what they seem. What the other problem solver says he or she wants may not be what he or she really wants.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Is there any history with this kind of issue? People are fairly predictable. Think back on what your counterpart has said or done in the past. Most folks are likely to do the same tomorrow as they did yesterday. And don’t forget psychological needs such as ego and self-esteem.

#5: It’s best to remove the decision maker from the actual negotiation. That way you can always say, “Top Gun would never go for that” or, at least, “Let me get back to you after I’ve shared it with Top Gun.” And, because Top Gun is not there, no one can work on changing his or her mind. 

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: On the other hand: You don’t want to negotiate with a second party. You want to engage with the person who can make the decision. Find out who that is beforehand and strive to deal directly. Conversely, if you’re the decision maker, resist this maneuver. Have someone represent you.

#6: Have plenty up your sleeves. If you have only one option, then you are apt to want it too badly … care too much … and be willing to give away too much to get it.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Set high goals. Assume you’ll be successful. But don’t count on it. Go into any negotiation with more than one option. If you must “know one thing” know the minimum you believe is acceptable.

#7: Wave your big stick. The amount of clout your counterpart thinks you have can greatly influence the outcome of a negotiation. Clout comes not only from your position in the organization you represent but also from other sources. 

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Make clear you have the background and experience to be considered expert. If you doubt your clout, you can establish it (real or imagined) by showing that: Others like your ideas and are on your side… established policy, traditions and culture support you… fairness dictates that you are right.

#8: Put time on your side. Keep it there. Think and prepare for “the long haul” from the start.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Agreements tend to be reached when someone is running out of time. The more time you can get the other party to invest in the discussion, the more he or she will want to get to an agreement.

And speaking of time ... 

Wow! Look at the time. Shall we negotiate an end to this TGIM? 

Here’s the wrap up. Many factors affect the course and outcome of negotiations, of course. Recognizing them and preparing in advance are key to influencing the situation to suit  and reach your desired outcome. 

Competitive negotiators attempt to get their way by being aggressive. They convey anger, resolution, and a feeling of tension. While this may intimidate their counterparts into agreement, more often it will alienate and antagonize the opposition and make negotiations difficult, if not impossible.

Cooperative negotiators seek common ground and fair solutions. They attempt to reach agreement through trust, openness, and reciprocation. This principled style is more apt to result in effective negotiations with effective outcomes, particularly if the other side is also cooperative.

And, amazingly, everyone comes out ahead.

Come, let us reason together. Now if only our legislators would understand that.

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com

P.S. “Start out with an ideal and end up with a deal.” Karl Hans Albrecht said that. Who? Albrecht is the richest person in Germany; an entrepreneur who founded the discount supermarket chain Aldi with his brother Theo. He ranked 10th on the Forbes 2012 list of billionaires.

Thank Goodness It's Monday #395

HOW TO REACTIVATE

LONG-DORMANT ACCOUNTS

Now that prosperity appears to be stirring anew in many parts of the economy, it’s a good time to take a look at old “dormant” accounts. These are the customers who once did a greater volume of business with your company than they do now. 

Watch this: Some business people tend to ignore dormant accounts, treating them as a lost cause. Others, who have power over such things, succumb to the urge to reassign the accounts to the most novice players on the team. 

Big mistake. No matter where you stand or how you feel about the subject, here’s how to turn the enterprise’s inactive/barely active historic clientele into bigger sales dollars and profits.

TGIM ACTION IDEA: Consider dormancy as hibernation – a prolonged period of sleep – at least as far as your business is concerned. Since the “official” observance has only just passed, take a “Groundhog Day” approach.

 

 

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Initiate a great reawakening. Be aware that, although it’s asleep with you, an account may still be doing a lot of business with competitors. If you (or the folks you lead and/or manage) want to revive the full potential of the dozing previous purchasers and  get them back on the track to more sales and profits, try these steps:

● Become a detective. Find out all you can about the current state of the accounts. Perhaps start in accounting and review old records. 

Some Qs to review:

Q: What was the account buying and why?

Q: Is it clear why the account is dormant?

Q: What was its annual volume?

Q: Who in your organization had last contact?

Q: Has anyone got “exclusive” responsibility now?

Q: Is the account’s industry moving up or down?

Q: Has growth been evident?

● Narrow your list. Fire up the computer and start searching. Pick up the phone and start dialing for dollars. Your primary objective at this early stage: Eliminate (or postpone pursuit of) accounts that don’t show promise. And put the balance in descending order of 2013 potential. Then go after the top of the list.

● Develop an action plan tailored to each account. If the account was yours and you once knew their hot buttons, push them again and see what happens. If they don’t click, default to the “We’ve got something new that may be beneficial for you” approach. (Just be sure you can back it up.)

● Try the old contact first. If the account went sour because of something that went wrong on your side and an apology is in order, issue it on behalf of your company. Or recognize that there were differences that you feel can be easily resolved. 

Bad news: Expect some rejection and be ready to respond to: “We’ve got new sources we’re quite happy with.”

Good news: You won’t always get rejected. Some accounts will welcome you back with open arms, especially if you’ve apologized. That may be all some of them have been waiting for.

● Ask for an “update” appointment. If you feel you don’t really understand them or their needs at this point, say you’d just like to be brought up to speed during this interview. If you have something new to share, tell them you’d also like to keep them updated. 

Emphasize that it’s an “information sharing” call, not a sales pitch. That takes the pressure off and makes the first reconnection easier to get.

● During the appointment listen, listen, LISTEN. Go with the intent to learn anew. Be interested. Take notes, it shows interest. Don’t overstay your visit unless asked. Be prepared to share your own “what’s new” but don’t press and insist on leading with it or even revealing it until you’ve got a clear picture of the account’s current state of affairs and interests. 

● Before leaving -- Seek to determine what your potential competitors are offering (best price, easier terms, faster delivery, etc.) that holds the biggest appeal to your would-be-revived account. Then --

● Ask for permission. To continue the dialogue … connect with more specifics … to work up a proposal. At the very least, if you determine to go forward, lock down a precise “who will do what” and “when” – specific date and time -- you will reconnect. 

● Deliver on your part of the bargain – and then some.

Wrapping it up: Why look backward to and invest so much time and energy in clients who have faded and all but abandoned a working relationship over time? 

TGIM Takeaway: Because it’s still at least one step closer, and at least one step easier than starting from scratch, zip, zero, zilch and cold calling a total stranger. 

Even if the last contact with the long dormant account was totally acrimonious, at least you have that acrimony in common.

And that’s a great starting point for progress.

 

It doesn't matter what the shadow revealed. Get digging for those Groundhogs NOW!

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com

 

P.S. “Let’s take this opportunity to honor the movie Groundhog Day and pretend everything I did the last time we saw each other never happened.” That’s an unattributed quote floating out in the blogosphere. It appears to be referring to personal relationships. But it also seems also like a pretty good mindset (and maybe even opening line for someone with a wry movie-wise sense of humor) for reestablishing long-dormant business relationships.

Thank Goodness It's Monday #368

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM

BIG, “OLYMPIC” DISAPPOINTMENTS

The games of the XXX Olympiad began disappointingly for me. 

·         Not that the opening ceremony wasn’t an amazing-but-sometimes-baffling theatrical/historical extravaganza.

·         Not that the filtered-by-commercialized TV, small screen experience could have been better.

·         Not that the entrance of the sky-diving-in-pink Queen far exceeded the distracting and superfluous Rowan Atkinson flatulence “humour” (note the Brit spelling).

·         And more such …

No, no, no and no.

What I wanted – and felt disappointed by because I did not get – was:

Roger Bannister

Roger Bannister
May 6, 1954
Miracle Mile 
3:59.4

If you have even an inkling of where I’m going with this, then perhaps you were disappointed as I was.

Where was Roger Bannister? He was present, but not specifically honored. Many (including British bookies who, pre-ceremony, had him as the 1:1 favorite) suspected he would be the individual given the honor of lighting the Olympic flame in the stadium. 

Why? On May 6, 1954, the Englishman, Roger Bannister, set a record many think is – 

The most remarkable

human achievement

in any sport.

He ran the first sub-4-minute mile in recorded history.  

His time: 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. 

Yes, I know: The story of Roger Bannister and the “breaking” of the 4-minute mile barrier is a bit “old.”

But it has an Olympic twist that is seldom discussed, but should be. 

Bannister was an Olympian in 1952. But he did not win the Gold as you might have expected from the first man to run a less-than-four-minute mile. 

Nor did he win Silver. 

He did not even win a Bronze medal. 

However –

(and, as you can see, it’s a big “however”)

He's pretty sure his Olympic-sized disappointment was the reason he pursued the supposedly impossible mark. 

Olympic “Ah Ha” moment: "I failed, came in fourth in the 1,500 meters," Bannister told author James M. Clash. "Very disappointed is an understatement. But if I had gotten a Gold medal, I probably would have retired and never pursued the four-minute mile."

TGIM “Ah Ha” moment: Disappointment should not curtail us in the everyday pursuit of our hard-to-achieve goals. We should see the opportunity in not fully realizing a goal and apply a bit of mental judo to building what-not-to-do-again and what-to do-differently skills to avoid a disappointing performance on the next big challenge. 

Like breaking the 4-minute barrier. “The mile” isn’t run in the Olympics or the world championships.  So the 2012 Summer Olympics won’t change the current record. 

But the details of the Bannister story are still worth knowing and drawing inspiration from. And, at this point in these track-and-field-focused Olympic days, they’re particularly appropriate.

It begins like this: Accurate times for running a mile (1609 meters) weren’t recorded until the late 1850s. The first accurately recorded “record” time for the mile was 4 minutes 23 seconds in 1858.

Nearly a century later an under-4-minute mile was thought to be beyond the physical limit of the human body. 

Here, in his own words, is Bannister’s recounting of the situation:

“The world record was four minutes, 1.4 seconds, held by Sweden's Gunder Haegg. It had been stuck there for nine years. It didn't seem logical to me, as a physiologist/doctor, that if you could run a mile in four minutes, one and a bit seconds, you couldn't break four minutes. 

“But it had become a psychological as well as a physical barrier. In fact Australian John Landy, having done four minutes, two seconds, three times, is reported to have commented, ‘It's like a wall.’”

But in the face of this, Bannister recounts, “I just couldn't see the psychological side.”

Clearly Roger Bannister’s post-Olympic feat is irrefutable evidence that failure isn’t fatal. Clearly he had an understanding of the Motivational, Inspirational Poster Point: 

Believe

that you can reach a goal

that was previously perceived

as unreachable.

And while that’s a useful mindset and basic starting point for overcoming disappointment and enjoying lofty achievements, it’s only a foundation.

TV Time Out: Now might be a good place in the story to take a bit more than 4 minutes and, if you are so inclined, see the race itself and hear Bannister commenting on his run, here: Bannister Miracle Mile.

Or you can skip it and keep reading. 

Just watch this: The fact that Bannister, after a disappointing Olympics, set an imagined-unachievable goal for himself and then accomplished it IS NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT here.

IMHO: For TGIM purposes the more impactful, good-for-you-and-me point is –

What happened next. Just six weeks after Bannister broke the 4-minute barrier, Landy, the Australian, set a new, faster mark with 3:58. 

But wait, there’s more: Within the following 12 months, dozens of athletes went on to break the 4-minute mile. 

Fast forward to 2012: The world record for the mile as of this posting is held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco at 3:43.13. (Svetlana Masterkova of Russia holds the women's record of 4:12.56.)

TGIM ACTION IDEA: Barriers? What barriers? What was once felt to be impossible is commonplace today – the standard of all professional middle distance runners. 

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Even seemingly insurmountable barriers can be overcome with knowledge, understanding, dedication, practice, coaching, advancing technology and – 

Teamwork. “Wait,” you say. “One man’s triumphant crashing through a human speed record is about teamwork?”

You bet. If you watched the record-breaking race or read/hear virtually anything Bannister has to say about it, he specifically comments on the importance of his teammates and the pacesetters – Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway -- in creating his under-4-minute Miracle Mile performance.

TGIM Challenge: Who’s on your team? Whose team are you on? Are you helping each other or hindering your combined efforts. Are you all moving forward in a concerted, coordinated effort to avoid the disappointment of falling short of a goal? If not, why not? 

Learn from Olympic performances. Over 10,000 competitors with World-Class Goals and accomplishments must be doing something effective. And even the least successful athlete will acknowledge the absolutely critical support of teammates.

And speaking of World-Class Goals: How are doing with yours at this Olympic Summer Slump time of the 2012?

Disappointed? 

Then JDS. (For those who need reminding: Just Do … “Stuff”) It’s OK to be refreshing and rethinking, refiguring and rejiggering your goals. In fact it’s more than OK; it’s absolutely the right thing to do.

Just ask Roger Bannister. 

On the 50th anniversary of running his Miracle Mile, Bannister was interviewed by the BBC's sports correspondent Rob Bonnet. At the conclusion of the interview, Bannister was asked whether he looked back on the sub-4-minute mile as the most important achievement of his life. 

Surprising answer: Bannister replied to the effect that no, he rather saw his subsequent forty years of practicing as a neurologist and some of the new procedures he introduced as being more significant. His major contribution in academic medicine was in the field of autonomic failure, an area of neurology focusing on illnesses characterized by certain automatic responses of the nervous system. 

So Bannister worked at proving that neurologic failure doesn’t have to be fatal either. 

Maybe he’ll be lighting the torch at the next gathering of the Royal Medical Society. 

I’ll be cheering for that, too.

Geoff Steck   
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com

P. S. It’s not as if Bannister was totally without Olympic achievement and playing a key role in an opening ceremony. Prior to his 1952 attempted run for Olympic Gold, a 19-year old Bannister was helping the British organizing committee at the 1948 London Olympiad.

His running skills came in handy at the Opening Ceremony, when the Brits suddenly realized they didn’t have a flag to carry in.

His Olympic boss told young Bannister to hustle back to the car park and find his vehicle, which had a flag in the back seat. Bannister found the car but didn’t have a key. So he grabbed a brick and broke a car window to get the flag. 

“A policeman who was in charge saw, and an Army sergeant had to restrain him and say what we were doing,” Bannister reports. 

No disappointing performance then. In the face of mounting time pressure he ran back to the stadium and delivered the flag just as the British contingent was marching into the stadium. In newsreel footage of the event, you can notice the Union Jack is smaller than the flags carried by other countries.

Thank Goodness It's Monday #295

 FIRST THINGS FIRST:

START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

Remember your first day? Maybe first day at school … first day in a new neighborhood … first day at sleep-away camp … or the first day you drove by yourself … or the first serious date when you got to the end of the evening and wondered if you were going to share that first serious kiss?

Too many of us forget to remember the stress and strain of such new starts -- especially the “first” I’d like to focus on today:

First day on a new job. I’m hoping that many TGIM readers have been on the gainfully employed side of the equation during the recent tough economy.

But this Spring is full of new promise. So I’m going to couch this message in terms of how to do your part and assist others as they ease back into the ranks of the employed now that the outlook is brighter. And perhaps – if you’ve been among the actively working – there will be a bump up in your opportunity and responsibility that will qualify you for the label “new in a job” as well.

The sad truth: Some organizations go to great lengths to select the most qualified candidates when they need new people. Then they sit back and tend to let the new person sink or swim.

Unfortunate result: Many candidates who might have proven super contributors with just a little guidance get discouraged, produce disappointing results, and – dispirited and demoralized – quit or have to be let go.

So let’s rephrase the opening question and make it a specific --

TGIM ACTION IDEA: If you’re anywhere near a newly hired or newly promoted employee in the days ahead, remember your first day in a new job or new position. It’s traumatic to leave an old job (or a stretch of no job at all) and take on new challenges.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Do unto and for these others as you wish others had done unto and for you in those new-on-the-job days. New employees (and newly promoted employees) need emotional adjustment and information to smooth the transition.

Proof positive: Surveys taken in even more prosperous times found many employees stayed in a job not because, as it was assumed, they were satisfied with their current employment status, but because they were fearful of exposing themselves to new challenges elsewhere.

It’s understandable. Any new person in a company has a lot to learn, no matter how experienced in the field. At the very minimum there are always special company procedures and unspoken customs, facts, policies – not to mention new names, faces and personalities. So those who do make a change are understandably nervous, a fact that their new bosses (you?) shouldn’t ignore.

Here are some TGIM TIPS for “breaking in” new coworkers the right way:

● Train new people. Obvious, right? But too often neglected.

Instructing the uninitiated in both ends of the on-the-job spectrum -- how to master the dullest parts of the workday and the most complex aspects of what a job comprises -- can be time-consuming and patience-trying. And many execs and supervisors would rather not be bothered going through the process. But routine isn’t routine until it’s been mastered. And until it’s mastered, it requires massive amounts of attention and effort.

Training and indoctrinating new employees at the outset is an investment that pays off many times over in better long-term performance and better working relationships. And it’s not just a “first job” need. Even higher echelon executive hires and specially skilled personnel deserve and will benefit by comprehensive company-wide orientation.

● Progress over perfection. New people often do things wrong. But if they’re expected to learn from their mistakes, they need to be informed of their errors. Encourage progress, while playing down mistakes.

On the other hand: Too much nitpicking at one time can be discouraging and shake the newbie’s confidence. So make a point to praise the things that are done right and considerately correct only one misstep at a time.

● Be a mentor. Assign a mentor. There’s nothing like an experienced guiding hand to help a stranger learn the ropes and feel at home – yours and/or trusted, skilled coworkers.

If only so much of your time can be spent with a new employee, assign one of your best people to shepherd the new person along. And make sure that all veteran employees understand that their responsibilities include being available to provide guidance. Then reinforce the lesson for the entire crew by making the initial new-person introduction yourself, stating specifically in his/her presence how the team stands ready to help.

● Don’t expect too much too soon. Don’t overwhelm the new hire or newly promoted employee with tough jobs right away. Let him or her gain confidence by succeeding in the early outings, mastering something that’s more easily mastered before being challenged with a more burdensome load.

Case in point: Sure, Suzie exhibits all the geeky tech skills you think the company needs to implement the business-winning website it longs for. That’s why you were willing to shell out considerable money for her service. But before she can do the best job, she needs to be familiar with and comfortable in her surroundings. Even if she’s done her pre-hire homework as an outsider, the digital world Suzie must create requires massive insight into an unfamiliar company culture … getting a handle on the customers themselves plus incorporating how settled-in flesh-and-blood sales pros and customer service reps and financial minds and top brass interact with themselves and the market.

So make haste slowly. Although you’re keen to have a kick-butt web presence a.s.a.p., don’t expect too much too soon. Otherwise you’re as likely to have a gorgeous disaster as a glorious success.

On the other hand:

● Capitalize on the fresh perspective of a new employee. Having modest expectations for new hires at the outset doesn’t preclude quickly taking advantage of new insights their newness might provide. They may well see things about the operation that others may have become blind to. They may have better approaches based on their past experiences. So --

Don’t try to indoctrinate people without seeing the merit of their fresh point of view. Remind “old timers” that “freshness” is one of the qualities the company expects to acquire with a new hire. All should be alert for that in the introductory encounters. Listen to learn and benefit. Don’t resent their “at my old place we did…” ideas out of hand.

In conclusion: People can become so familiar with the operation that they often forget they had to learn the ropes once. Take pains to get new employees accustomed to their new situation. Put them at ease; start off on the right foot to get the biggest long-term return for every penny and minute invested in a new hire or new promotion.

Now, about that first kiss …

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373

tgimguy@gmail.com   

P.S.  ““Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.” The best-selling author Stephen R. Covey made that observation.