Nan Palmero, MBA

Pause The Music

My mornings usually start the same way; with me sleepily stepping into the gym. I turn on my music, put one foot in front of the other on the “dreadmill,” lift weights, get cleaned up and head to work. I’ve met a few people at the gym, but chat rarely. You can count on a “good morning” or “hello” and a warm smile as I rest during reps, while the headphones blare. I may be guilty of yelling my greetings due to the volume (don’t judge me). Today, though, I plopped down on a machine, started my exercise and a friend came and sat beside me, so I pulled the headphones off. After we exchanged pleasantries, I kept the music off. I noticed something. The sounds of people breathing, the weights clanging, more huffing, sighing and grunting from those people around me. The silence and the sounds between those seemingly random noises affected me.

You typically hear people talking about cutting through all the noise and getting clarity. I think sometimes it’s more than noise. It’s music. The music is made up of the things we love, things we’re passionate about, and activities that we enjoy. It’s not noise, it’s the music of our individual life and it may just sound awful to others, so they call it noise.

I think my experience impacted me this morning because I read an interview about Tachi Yamada, M.D., president of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program. The title was Talk to Me. I’ll Turn Off My Phone. I’m fantastically guilty of NOT doing that and I’m usually doing three things at once and leave people feeling less than special. And I’m sorry. I don’t want to be that guy anymore. Technology, connectedness and being in social situations is my music. It’s time to pause the music from time to time. I’ll fail, because I enjoy my music, and I’ll try to pause it again. I’m starting today.

Passion And Action Combine For Excellence

Steven Hope walks the Chisholm Trail bearing a cross.

On Saturday, my buddy, Choco and I were driving back to San Antonio from an event we put on in Victoria for a client. As we buzzed along US 87 we spotted a guy walking with a cross. For the record, I have never stopped for a hitch hiker or a person doing something out of the ordinary on the highway. Saturday, though, was a different day. Choco and I looked at one another and decided that we should stop and have a chat with this guy to see why in the world he would choose to do such a thing. Here’s Steven Hope’s story on why he is carrying a cross.

After watching his video, you could come away with a million thoughts.
“This guy is crazy.”
“I wish I had the faith to do that.”
“Just another radical Christian”
“That’s amazing”

I simply thought “I wish I had as much passion, conviction AND action as Steven.” Most of us, simply bounce from one day to the next, guided by our social norms, bills, families and the like. Our lives turn out to be shaped much by the consequences of our circumstances, more than being shaped by a vision of what we want from our lives, our relationships and our careers.

After I turned the camera off, Steven, Choco and I discussed the amazing things that have happened to him along his 60+ city tour and how he was repeatedly delighted. Choco and I simply listened to the seemingly magical events that affected Steven. Now, I live an incredible life, surrounded by wonderful people, but I feel that I could easily take a lesson on clarity matched with action from Steven. Meeting Steven has inspired me to renew my search for even greater clarity and action. Steven’s words and actions were tied together. That’s why his message was so impactful. If nothing else, Steven’s story is a great example of how powerful it is to do what you say you’re going to do.

If you’re already acting on your passion and you know it, can you share your experience? How did you figure it out? How did you know that you were on the right track? What did it take for you to get started? Was there any confusion if you were on the correct path?

Want A Better Life? Be Likable

It’s funny how frequently we forget to apply the basics in our lives. We’re then reminded, smack our foreheads and think “DUH!” That’s probably why we were fascinated by “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” and why The Golden Rule never goes out of style. Simple things brought back to our attention create new found fascination. Well, here’s one for you. Are you interested in going far in life, getting things that you want more easily than others and having people say “yes” more frequently than they say “no”? Try this: be likable. Be likable like a happy dog that greets you with a wagging tale.

Likability can be extremely persuasive when you’re trying to accomplish your goals. Are there people that can do with out it? Absolutely! It oftentimes requires greater positional authority, though. So, for example, if you’re trying to convince someone to donate to your cause, hire you for a job, return an item after the warranty period, you need to realize that you’re selling. Former Publicis CEO, Bob Bloom writes in his upcoming book “We seldom buy from someone we do not like.” So how well are you doing selling your services, ideas and requests?

There you have it, go be likable. Are you unsure if you’re doing a good job at being likable? Smile at people all week, see what kinds of responses you get. Are you interested in really becoming likable day in and day out? Go pick up a copy of the classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. Once you get it, keep it forever and read it over and over again throughout the course of your life. If you’d like it as a PDF so you can print it or read it on your Kindle, you can pick up a copy gratis (PDF Link).

Photo by San Antonio Photography

Little Extras Make The Difference

Last evening I was reading some of Ed Wallace’s Business Relationships That Last where he spoke of Max the Cab Driver. Max would pick Ed up in a British taxi in immaculate shape with bottled water and an ear ready to listen to Ed’s life stories. He would remember the little details such as Ed’s newborn, so he would gently tap on the screen door to not wake the baby. After Ed’s first ride with Max, he hoped to book him for the next week. Unfortunately, Max was booked typically booked two to four weeks out. Max explained that the extra little efforts he made were the same ones that people do for their friends. This was how he turned “fares into friends.” What do you do to enhance your personal brand or your company’s offering that is a small extra to make your customers feel as if they are getting a friend’s bonus? How has it paid off for you? Share in the comments!

photo by Caro Wallis

Rules Are Ruining Your Life

WARNING: Don’t let your kids read this until they’re no longer living in your house.

Rules are helpful. They put order in our lives. They reduce risk and minimize variance. “I’m sorry, I can’t give you a free room, the rules don’t allow it.” In fact, I will enact rules to suit me and you likely do the same. At trade shows and conferences, I hate carrying the terrible and bulky marketing materials that the drones distribute. To ensure that I don’t have to bother, I carry an impossibly small bag that fits a few choice items and say “I’m sorry, I’m unable to carry anything larger than what can fit in this bag.” “Oh, of course, sir. Absolutely.” Rules can be established willy-nilly. Our society has built us to believe that if a rule exists, there must have been a far smarter person who developed the rule for a greater good. Although this may be true at times, I suggest that some many of these rules are ruining your life… well, at least your day, and that many of the people that developed many of the stupid rules ranged between myopic and mouth breathing fools.

Today is the day you can break free from these chains. Do you want three breakfast coupons during your stay, but your room doesn’t include them? Ask for them. And be specific about the exact number you want! Do you need to get an exception to a minimum seating rule because your group has no budget and can’t pay out of pocket? Ask specifically for an exception. I constantly hear, “but the rules RIGHT THERE say you CAN’T do that!” I don’t care. At the end of the day, I’m going to ask for what I want and need, then let the person receiving my request make a judgment call on whether my personalized request will be granted. But what happens if they say “no?” *GASP* You now have two choices. Option #1 – Say “thank you” and carry on. Option #2 – When a “no” is unacceptable, do what the kids do…ask dad. Or in this case, just ask someone else who has the authority to give you the answer you want and need.

It’s a new year, go ask for an exception this week and remember that it doesn’t always work. As I like to say: You win some, you win some later.

Photo by Joe Shlabotnik

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The New Sap, The Dead Leaves

Last week, we talked about corporate culture’s existence and it’s potential effects on the people who come into contact with it. There are certainly issues that each organization faces from this culture and the decisions made along the way. An old adage says that the new ascending sap crowds off the dead leaves on the tree. It would be next to impossible to knock all the leaves off with a stick, but the sap can clear them all.

Similarly, you’ll find that with your organization, “dead leaves” have accumulated on the branches. To properly push the new sap through your organization, you’ll have to make the tough decisions. For some, this could mean revamping the vision or purpose of the company, adjusting responsibilities of key players, or possibly, sell the mills a la Kimberly-Clark. What have you done to move the old leaves off the branches? What is keeping you from doing so?

photo by essjaynz

Communism and Corporate Culture

Wenceslas Square | Prague

Recently, my wife and I traveled to Europe. One of our favorite places that we visited was Prague in the Czech Republic. The city was magnificent and we’re dying to return. I did notice a few differences while there and after our return. The most interesting was how quiet the people were while walking in the streets. If you walk San Francisco, New York or San Antonio, you’ll overhear conversations between people at coffee shops, on their cell phones or with the other people walking along. Interestingly, in Prague, even on the busy Wenceslas Square, you primarily heard foot steps and doors opening and closing. Rarely did you overhear conversations. I later found out from my friend, John, that it was rude to ask Czech’s about their lives prior to 1989, before the fall of Communism. Interestingly, Communism also helped shift a city that was formerly the capital of the Holy Roman Empire with some of the most beautiful cathedrals we’d ever seen, to 61% of the population becoming Atheists.

Interestingly, I find that companies are similar. We’ll notice in some companies that people are more matter-of-fact with their way of presenting thoughts and ideas, while others are more diplomatic. In some, the people are chatty, while others, like Dave Ramsey’s company have a no tolerance policy against gossip (one warning, then you’re fired).

Whether you realize it or not, your office and your company has a culture. It may be affected by a leader that is no longer there, but people remember “the good ol’ days” or how they felt when the one person was there that made it miserable for the rest of the team. It’s important to keep this culture in mind especially during hiring. Nearly all new recruits will second guess their decision for coming to work at a new company within the first thirty days. Have you taken a step back to evaluate the culture that your company keeps? Is it one that’s kept with pride? Are there things that need to be changed to better fit the goals of the company?

photo by Ashley Palmero

Swinging to the Next Vine

Whether you choose to listen to music, read books and blogs or just hang out with friends, the story remains the same: it’s the journey and the experience that you should enjoy the most. Interestingly, the older I get, the more I see this and the more I’m also reaching for the next goal. It’s an interesting split trying to appreciate the day to day as we’re driven by the upcoming accomplishment. Not surprisingly, though, once we get there, we feel a sense of relief followed, at least by me, with a sense of concern. I begin to ask “what’s next?” I’m already looking for the next opportunity to move the ball forward, which can become frustrating, scary and exciting all at the same time. Unfortunately, at these moments, when I’m trying to figure out which vine I want to swing to next, I end up missing out on the day to day.

So, I turn to you, my friendly reader. What do you do to ensure that you don’t miss the fun moments along the way when you’re too busy moving to the next adventure to pay attention to the here and now? Do you have a support system that disconnects you from time to time from your future endeavors to help you celebrate the day? Do you mentally make the leap? Share with us in the comments!

Photo: Tarzan by Disney

Focus Your Lens, Help Others Do The Same

In photography, you’ll find endless types of lenses. Interestingly, you can be standing in the exact same spot but different lenses will capture different parts of your subject and each can tell a varied story.

In our lives, we find that people are very similar. Each person is going to approach a situation with their own lens. Factors including personal experiences, education, abilities, limitations, friends, family will all help shape a persons lens. At a basic level, it’s important to recognize that people simply have different lenses with which they see the world. This will help you develop patience when someone’s lens is conflicting with yours. The faster you can remember this in a situation, the easier it will be to overcome and succeed. Once you’ve recognized these different lenses, the next step is to recognize how to help people leverage their lens. Where is the best place to put that person to excel, helping propel them to greater success? Pay attention to their feedback when you’re doing this to ensure that you’re helping them play to their strengths.

Recognizing your lens of how you view the world, doing the same in others and helping position those people will drive your success as well as those around you.

Photos by Paul Ackerley

Decision Making Skills from President Clinton

One of the struggles I’ve continued to experience in my life is making tough decisions. We’ve all had to make them. They’re those decisions where no matter how much you research, talk to your trusted advisers in your life and ponder, you don’t seem to get very close to knowing the “right answer.” Sure, you recognize the choices you have. You weigh the pros and the cons of each, but there doesn’t seem to be a clear result for either choice, until the choice has been made.

Before I can get to my insight, I have to rewind a bit. I was in New York City last week for the Search Marketing Expo where our client, Pear Analytics, was presenting. My friend, Peter, in New York, helped me get in to see former President Bill Clinton speak at the World Business Forum. Now, no matter your political affiliation, seeing a US President speak is an opportunity to appreciate. President Clinton spoke of his time in office and his initiatives now to make the world a better place. The part that resonated most with me, though, was what he said regarding decision making as a President. He explained that 90% of the decisions for a President are already made by the time they hit his desk. You rely on your advisers heavily during this time, check a box and sign your name and you move on. Being President isn’t about this, though, it’s about the remaining 10% of the decisions. This 10% is where the tough decisions are made. You don’t really know the exact outcome; the best you can do is study, understand, listen to your trusted advisers and make a decision. At times, he says, you’ll make the wrong choice, but you have to adjust from there and continue forward. As he said, being the President is being the Chief Decision Maker.

Hearing this provided me some comfort in my decision making process. If a Rhodes Scholar and former President of the United States says that you’re not always going to know the right answer, make an informed decision, then adjust accordingly, it tells me that I certainly am also afforded the same latitude. To some, this information may seem self-evident. In fact, I hope it is and that you’re further along in your evolution than I am. For those that struggle with those tough decisions, take heart; just do the best you can and adjust accordingly.

Thanks again for the opportunity, Peter, it was life changing.