I got to thinking about my little adventure, and how far I travelled since last year.  I wish that they made an odometer for this sort of thing (hint: great invention idea).  There needs to be some sort of way to measure how far a person goes as an entrepreneur (I know, that is what profit is for).  If I had to guess, I would say that my growth over the last year spanned from the east coast to the west figuratively.

Now, I am not saying this because I want to give myself a big pat on the back, but rather because I want to make mention of those that helped me from the beginning.  It can be scary to branch out on your own - Right? It was at this point that I realized that this week was about paying it forward…all the way back to the beginning.

There really are a lot of people that assisted me and gave me the confidence that I needed in the early days, but ONE awesome mompreneur sticks out in my mind.  Not only is this mom entrepreneur incredible, but she also has ties to StartupNation……Leslie Haywood, founder of Grill Charms.  I came across Leslie in the Forum Discussions here at SUN, and I knew that I saw her somewhere - oh yeh, on the ABC show - Shark Tank!

If you know me just the tiniest bit, you know that I am not shy.  So, I looked up Leslie’s site for Grill Charms and emailed her. I figured “what could I lose!”  There were some steps in between (more on that below).  I wrote Leslie a little introduction about myself and what I was up to in the start-up/inventing world, and would she ever have time to lend me some wisdom?  Guess what?  Leslie got back to me!

Now, Leslie does business mentoring in her local biz community, but she was willing to chat on the phone for a bit with me and point me in a few directions.  That was ENOUGH, and was all I needed!  We arranged for a time, and Leslie and I had a quick chat by phone…..she recommended some resources, shared some of her ups and downs, and most of all - delivered enthusiasm.

What is the point of all this?  First of all, a big thanks to Leslie!  I only hope that I can do the same for others in the way that Leslie gave me a quick dose of encouragement.

Secondly, when starting a new venture, it is crucial to network and put yourself out there. Except, you cannot just start cold-calling people all over and asking for help and advice.  You need to be studious in your homework when networking, and you will get good results.

Here are some tips for networking and reaching out for advice or help:

1. When looking to connect with someone you do not know, DO your research.  Check out their website, Read up on their business & be able to have a knowledgable conversation.
2. Choose people that have experience in your vertical or your niche that will be honest with you about the market.
3. Note this new person’s style.  Are they formal, casual, or do they love abbreviations?  When you Reach out to this person use their style.
4. Thank you’s go a long, long way.  If you successfully connect with someone who helps you out, make sure to thank them!  Manners still go a long way!
5. When you become successful, remember who did what for you AND pay it forward.

This week is National Small Business Week, and although I did not attend the official meetings, I did follow some of the live feed and news coverage.  It is exciting to see so many successful people in Small Biz.  So, in my own little way, this is my way of celebrating the champions of Small Business, and lending my experience to those starting out.  Rachel

To read more about my experiences and more about networking, check out http://backngroovemom.com

Guy Kawasaki is no stranger to entrepreneurship, having co-founded several businesses including Garage Technology Ventures, and Alltop.com, which is, as he describes, an “online magazine rack” of popular topics on the web.  He’s written ten books including The Art of the Start, The Macintosh Way, and his latest, Enchantment, The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions, releasing March 8^th, 2011, available on Amazon.com, and in bookstores everywhere.

I’ve read hundreds of business books, but never have I read a book like this.  In a nutshell, Enchantment is all about how to make people fall in love with you, and when people fall in love with you, you can accomplish anything.

This book is part inspiration, part motivation, and part practication (I just made up a new word).   With inspiring stories and practical steps, Kawasaki explains all the tactics you need to put together and launch your own enchantment campaign.  Kawasaki’s lessons are taken from his experience at Apple, but many of the stories are very personal stories from average, every day people.  (These stories happen to be some of my favorite parts of the book.)  Buy the book on Tuesday March 8^th, or any day and you will be able to experience “enchantment” for yourself.

In honor of the release of Kawasaki’s new book, I asked him to give us his perspective on small business marketing today.  Here’s his insightful and unedited response.  Enjoy!

What do you see are the biggest challenges for a small business owner today?

Sales, sales, and sales. My saying is, “sales fixes everything” because as long as you have cash flow, you’re still in the game. As a friend once told me, the leading cause of failure of startups is death, and you die when you run out of money.

Is that different than what it was a few years ago?

It’s been like this since the recession hit. Every day, I wish for just one more bubble because this time I’ll know what to do!  But I believe that business is cyclical, so it’s not wise to panic. A rising tide floats all boats, but a receding tide makes the big, bloated boats hit rock bottom.

How have you seen business owners overcome these challenges?  (What’s working?)

More than anything else, these times are a test of will–how much are you willing to gut it out and grind it out. If you can survive these times, you’re pretty set to take on anything. I have great admiration for the companies that continue to put out great products and services with less money while maintaining high levels of customer enchantment. It’s much easier to write the book and make the speech than actually deliver results.

As far as marketing, what strategies do you use to market your business?

Right now, I’m mostly marketing my new book. To do this, I believe that “nobodies are the new somebodies.” That is, I don’t focus on only the so-called experts and powerful people. I like to work with as many people as possible because it’s impossible to know who will really make you tip.

Is there a strategy that doesn’t work?

I’ve never been one to throw money at a problem…for two reasons, I never had the money to throw and I hate wasting money in any case.

What advice do you have for business owners who are just starting out?

Prototype, prototype, prototype. Get to market. PowerPoint and Excel are secondary or even tertiary in importance. Get to market and get cash flowing.

Other than StartupNation, Entrepreneur Magazine, Alltop.com, what other resources do you recommend for startups?  Books? Websites, etc?

These are primarily information sources. Startups also need ways to reach and serve customers. For this, God provided Twitter and Facebook. These two sites are entrepreneur’s dreams because they are fast, free, and ubiquitous. The book that I recommend to startups is If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland. This book provided the inspiration that changed my life. It’s not solely about writing–it’s about the human spirit. Every entrepreneur should read it.

Bonuses:

Online Quiz:  How GREAT Are You?

Online Photo Contest:  Submit your Most Enchanting Photo for a Chance to Win!

“Like” Enchantment on Facebook

Wendy Kenney is the best selling author of How to Build Buzz for Your Biz, Tap into the Power of Social Media, Publicity and Relationship Marketing to Grow Your Business, available on Amazon.com.  She has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Newsday. For more information go to http://23Kazoos.com.

What’s a startup family? Well, technically I just made it up, so it doesn’t really have a definition, but to me a startup family is a group of entrepreneurs you can go to at any time about any problem, no matter where you are in your career. For me, this group consists of former business partners, CEOs I have worked with as a consultant, advisors, strategic partners and more. These are the people you can go to when you are trying to raise money for your startup and need to get connected to investors, when you’ve hit a wall with the progress of your company and need some input or even when your circumstances have changed (as they often do) and you decide it’s time for you to find a new startup to work on or even a side job to help pay the bills. Your startup family will point you in the right direction.

This may just sound like “networking”, but it’s really much deeper than that. These people go above and beyond to help you out on more than one occasion, often times without any direct incentive (financially or otherwise). In return, you do the same for them, doing anything you can to help them achieve their goals, even if it means having to take important time away from your own work at a critical time in your business. While all of this can take quite a bit of time, I have found it to be the #1 asset I have accumulated during my career to date.

How to Build Your Startup Family

Especially if you’re starting from scratch, it can take years to build, but perhaps not as many years as you might think. To me there are a handful of main steps to follow to make this happen:

1) Seize the opportunity: How many entrepreneurs or startup professionals have you met in your lifetime? If you’re running a new company and are going about it the right way, chances are that number is approximately “a lot”. Each one of these is a major opportunity to build a relationship that will benefit both of you for the rest of your lives, regardless of what business opportunities exist between the two of you along the way. Most people don’t really take advantage of these opportunities, and instead only look at the relationship at face value based on how the relationship can influence what’s happening in their business today.

2) Leave a lasting impression: Chances are (especially if you’re a young entrepreneur), you’re not going to impress fellow entrepreneurs/CEOs with a list of accomplishments. You need to show very clearly that you are passionate about what you’re doing, that you have the determination needed to get it done, and above all else, that you really respect them and the time they are spending with you. Be genuine and good things will happen.

3) Nurture the relationship: This is where most people fall short. As you are continuing along your path, you need to keep track of all the relationships you have started and keep the ball rolling. Send brief updates about your progress to people you have met, and ask them if there is anything you can do to help them. Show an interest in their goals, not just your own. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it, but choose your battles. Everyone is as busy as you are (if not more so), and you want to show them you are considerate of their time.

4) Make introduction suggestions: This is a big one for me. Most people won’t ask for an introduction to someone unless they have a very specific purpose for doing so. However, if you are able to see value in two of your contacts meeting each other, suggest it to both of them. If they bite, make the intro. They won’t expect anything specific to come from meeting your contact, but especially if they end up making a life-long friend or someone who helps them on a business deal, they’ll never forget that you were the one that selflessly made that happen for them.

5) Leave things on good terms: Sometimes things just don’t work out like you thought they would. When this happens, some people can experience a certain level of frustration and potentially hurt feelings over the situation. It’s your job to go above and beyond to try and set things right and leave the relationship on good terms. It’s not always a guarantee that you can make this happen, but most people will at least appreciate your sincerity and the effort you put in to trying to make things right between you.

To close this out, I’d like to thank all of the people who continue to help me along my path as an entrepreneur. If you’re reading this and think it’s at all possible that I might consider you part of my startup family, you’re right. You have helped me in more ways than you know, so please don’t forget to ask me for help when you need it. Succeeding together is what it’s all about.

About the author

Corey Kossack is a Managing Partner at Game Change Ventures, focusing on partnering and consulting with startups in the areas of social media, consumer Internet, e-commerce and mobile technology. Corey is also a Partner at Game Change Ventures’ first Internet startup, Addoway, an online marketplace for fashion, collectibles and more that helps you buy and sell with your friends and the merchants they trust. Formerly Corey was one of the world’s largest retailers on eBay, built a $1M company from scratch at age 23, has led multiple startups and received numerous awards for his entrepreneurial achievements.

One in particular is Microsoft’s launch of its WebsiteSpark program.  The program is geared toward small web design firms of ten or less employees and allows them to tap into the full resources of Microsoft for a mere $100 exit fee after program completion.  Website Spark not only puts you in touch with Microsoft’s network of partners and experts for training and sales leads, but it also gives you the opportunity to showcase your work in their marketing and networking events.  The real beauty of the program, however, is the free access and training for their full-featured software such as Expression, Silverlight, SQL Server, Windows Server, and Visual Studio.  That alone is a goldmine to any cash deprived start-up.

While Microsoft’s new effort certainly isn’t completely altruistic, it is well received.  They are looking to build brand loyalty that will translate into lifelong Microsoft customers and who could blame them.  I commend their efforts supporting the web design and development community and I can’t wait to see how the WebsiteSpark program graduates fair in the real world.  A new era of David and Goliath has been born.

(click to watch video)

Have your heard of any other tales of big business’ helping small business? If so, I’d love to hear them!  Just comment below or email me heather@glamajama.com

“you don’t know what you don’t know.”

Those past experiences are fresh on my mind as I find myself preaching about my golden rule on nearly a daily basis. As I consult with fellow entrepreneurs teaching them how to replicate my successes with branding, social media integration, and celebrity placements, I am heartsick. I hear countless stories of companies who have learned this costly lesson too late in the game. The “killer product launch” at a tradeshow that cost $30k that no one showed up for because the owner didn’t know how to contact the media or set appointments with key buyers. The “grand opening” in small town America that didn’t even make the neighborhood newsletter. Or the Mom that licensed her invention only to find that the company shelved the product and she had unwittingly relinquished her intellectual and distribution rights. I could go on. Knowing all of this, I can’t stress my golden rule enough. Please don’t make these same mistakes.

I know it might seem like an extra check to write when your bank account is already maxed out, but it will end up saving you money and heartache in the end. The money is there, you just need to re-allocate it. Instead of focusing your efforts on making a “big splash”, maybe focus on ensuring a return on investment? A solid marketing plan to leverage your event/news/product launch?  Or making sure all the legal and accounting issues are resolved so you actually get to keep your money?  Seek the help of professionals who have been there, done that.  After all, “you don’t know what you don’t know.”

Need help with your business? Contact me here: http://su.pr/2GXnYX

“As three women in a male-dominated industry, we took a risk by starting a company together. My partner Rae is a single mom of three children (one severely handicapped) and I have a speech disorder that makes it difficult for me to communicate, statistics say we probably should have kept day jobs.” — Lisa Barone

Starting a business during a recession is a risky thing to do, but also the optimal time for new ideas, better services and plucky folks to connect. Top of mind for this crew is empowering others to take smart risks. “We did it and we want others to know they can do that too.”

Behind The Scenes

Rae Hoffman	Rhea Drysdale	Lisa Barone
Rae Hoffman is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Outspoken Media, Inc. In 1997 Rae started a small website about her son and his medical condition that became one of the first international support groups on the topic. It earned national media coverage and helped further medical research in the field… More about Rae Hoffman	Rhea Drysdale is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outspoken Media, Inc. Since 2004 Rhea has grown her understanding of on-page optimization, online reputation management and social media with both in-house and agency positions. Rhea loves working with clients… More about Rhea Drysdale	Lisa Barone is Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer of Outspoken Media, Inc. Lisa has been involved in the SEO community since 2006 and is widely known for her honest industry observations, her inability to not say exactly what she’s thinking, and her excessive on-the-clock Twittering… More about Lisa Barone

OutspokenMedia works with clients to develop marketing strategies that encourage them to do great things and to care about their niche communities. The Outspoken blog was developed to prompt action in the community as well as teach. Outspoken presents How Tos to small business owners helping them market their own businesses and get more from online.  The recession has given entrepreneurs an even larger opportunity to go out on their own and succeed. It hasn’t taken it away.

Here is a bit from my interview with Lisa from OutspokenMedia.com…

When did the idea for starting your business come to you?
Having my own business was never something I was aspiring to. I was very much content in the stability of being an employee and receiving a steady paycheck. However, in January I was three months into a new job (a job I had moved from CA to NY to take) and came to a point where I knew in my heart it wasn’t going to work out. So the decision was to stay in a job I wasn’t comfortable in to keep a paycheck or venture out on my own in a bad economy.  It may seem crazy to some but, I chose the latter option.

Luckily, it didn’t take more than a few chats with my then-friends, now business partners, Rae Hoffman and Rhea Drysdale to be confident that we could do something together. So really just like that, we formed Outspoken Media, a new kind of Internet marketing company.  Deciding to start the company was probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. Committing to myself to something that huge was an enormous undertaking for me. But I’m very glad I did it.

What do you do?
My official role at Outspoken is that of Chief Branding Officer, which to me means that I’m responsible for starting conversations. Whether that’s for us or for clients, through the blog or on Twitter, or through any other medium, my job really is to build brands and conversation through communities on the Web.  I help people their evangelists and build bridges.

What’s the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome to start your business?
Learning how to wear so many hats.  Before I’ve always had very specific job descriptions. When the business is your own, you find yourself taking on tasks you never imagined.  There’s a constant learning curve.

What’s the most satisfying thing about running your business?
The freedom to do what I feel is right.  I’m a blogger and a bit mouthy, so working for someone else always meant that I had to temper that. I had to watch what I wrote, watch what I said, pick my battles, etc.  Now I get to blog as me and for me, which I think makes my blogging more genuine and more engaging for readers. It probably doesn’t sound like that big of a change, but to me it’s been night and day and something I’m incredibly grateful for.  I can’t always say what I want to in real life due to my speech difficulties, so having total freedom of my written voice means everything to me.  It’s empowered me.

Has running your business been what you expected it would be? How?
There’s a lot more to it than I ever thought. I knew that it would be long hours and that it’d grueling at times…I just thought at some point that would stop and that I’d have a day to catch my breath. That day hasn’t hit yet. My biggest lesson has been that it just never stops. There’s always something to do, something more than needs tweaking, an email to respond to, a blog post to write, someone to reach out to, etc.  I’ve learned that running your own business really is a 247 job. I love it. It’s been great and incredibly rewarding, but there’s so much more to it than I ever knew.  Every so often a crisis will break out and I’ll turn to one of my partners and say, “someone should really take care of that!”, and then I remember that I’m that person. If I want something done, I’m the person to do it.

How did you fund your business in the beginning?
I think that’s the beauty of the Internet, you can start a business with very low capital.  Because we’re a service-based company, the only initial costs we had were those involved with skinning the Web site. The domain was already bought, we had hosting, etc. From there the “cost” really is time. It’s been working to build the brand, getting our name out, letting people know we exist, and taking on clients.

What is your passion?
Using my voice in a way that helps others.  I love that the blog allows me to share advice, concerns, issues, etc, with people and to have an impact on their day or to touch them in some way. There’s no greater feeling than that.

What makes you get up in the morning?
My business partners and knowing that we’re capable of doing great things for clients, in a style that’s true to us.  It’s nice believing in what you do and the way you do it.

1. Why will people pay you? (money, votes, donations)
2. What does it cost you to sell your item…margins?
3. What protects you from competition, price-feature battles?
4. How will you turn an agnostic audience into loyal customers?

Early on when transactions had no costs, doing anything at a huge scale was very cheap. In order to be successful (a subjective term), you didn’t have to be very big at all. Some efforts don’t look at revenue as the only sign of success, and it’s probably safe to assume they have no real business model.

Identifying tribes and determining the success of working with them is not a new idea; the concept of tribe mentality or acting in a way that benefits the tribe has been around since cavemen. But, the concept of bringing people together, of building tribes, makes the internet is the best friend of people focusing on the third component, differentiating yourself from the competition. Once a network is in place, it is extremely difficult for someone else to disrupt it. I’ll add to this that the network must be active, relevant and provide value. 

The internet, it’s “isms” and even some of our online behaviors are permeating our culture. It is affecting business models offline as well. Local t-shirt and records stores, traditional advertising firms, and political campaign have different business model than they did ten years ago—can you imagine Dukakis, Stockton, Bush Snr, or Dan Quayle, figuring out what tweeting means?

Viral marketing and the growth of cash-free marketing means that people can spread an idea farther and faster than ever before. It also makes it far cheaper for a competitor to enter the market.

Here are three examples of companies leveraging online to create mini movements:

What mini movement is driving your business?

Traditionally, companies that “do good” are generally non profits, and when people find out that a traditional small business is also “doing good” they feel like somehow the company must be taking advantage of the community it is serving if it is also turning a profit. I do not believe this to be the case and formed my consulting company based on the premise that small businesses would contribute to a triple bottom line if they knew where to find it.

Creative Capitalism has been around for a while. Formerly known as social entrepreneurism, it is a concept newly labeled by Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and other market leaders and the premise is that “we should attempt to stretch the reach of market forces so that more companies can benefit from doing work that makes more people better off.” The book is available on Amazon (unsure of where the profits go). So far, it’s a pretty foreign concept to most bottom-line discussions. Having spent time reviewing the giving trends of big tycoons in the past (land trusts, libraries, parks), there is something different about the timing of this idea: the generation that is receiving it.  

The 30 and 20-somethings have grown disillusioned with where the 1980s consumption and 1990s holding on behavior have gotten us. Those that have the means to get out and travel, see the disparity in the world, come back and want to do something about it. With technology to reflect back their experiences they are twittering, facebooking, myspacing and texting what they are seeing to one another – and a small group are doing something about it.

Why profile TOMS?

Two reasons: 1) Anyone who has seen true the true spirit of leadership in play knows it is the eagerness to lose oneself in the group for the good of the group. This quality is best exemplified in Blake Mycoskie for the simple reason: that is where the heart of his business began. One for One, from day One. 2) Any size business should learn that a social model (something that takes into account the community in which it survives) thrives 10-fold compared to businesses that have tunnel-vision on bottom line sales. There is something to be said for karma.

About the Company

TOMS Shoes promises to give to children in need a pair of shoes for each pair it sells. The company  has given over 140,000 pairs of shoes and expects to give more than 300,000 pairs this year.

TOMS Shoes launched in Venice, California and sold 10,000 pairs during the first year in business. As a result, Blake returned to Argentina in October of 2006 with family and friends and unveiled the second phase of his business plan: the Shoe Drop Tour. To meet demand, TOMS now offers Shoe Drop Tours throughout diverse regions of Argentina. These are volunteer opportunities where TOMS Shoes supporters hand-deliver shoes to children. Since its beginning, TOMS has given over 140,000 shoes to children in need around the world. 

Here is a bit of my discussion with Blake:

Why shoes?
BLAKE: Walking is the primary mode of transportation in developing countries. Children walk miles just to get food and water, to make their way to school, or to reach medical help. In some communities, children can’t even attend school unless they have proper footwear. And the leading plague in these countries is soil-transmitted parasites. Shoes are such a simple answer to these problems children face every day.

See TOMS educational videos: One Day Without Shoes and Why Ethiopia (warning on the second video for graphic images)

Technology is required in today’s job market. Is TOMS Shoes looking to attract a blended workforce, or does the average age of the workers in the company reflect a standard .com?
BLAKE: For the first few years, our staff reflected the young, evolving company that we were. But as we grow, TOMS is definitely looking to attract a diverse workforce. We’ve become much more aware of our needs, and therefore able to hire individuals with specific skill sets, relevant experience, and worthy knowledge. I am still the CEO and Chief Shoe Giver, and I continue to immerse myself in TOMS because it’s my passion. I have creative ideas and feverish curiosity, and my team is receptive to that. But I definitely have trust in those who are facilitating the every day, drafting direction, and establishing strategies.

Your company is for-profit. What sort of profit sharing model exists for the employees and how did you arrive at the decision to not do a nonprofit?
BLAKE: My earnings from other businesses I had started before TOMS are what kept us afloat in the earlier days- TOMS was not funded by an outside 3rd party. I never had to present a business plan or get approval, I just had trust in myself and the One for One concept. Of course people laughed when I said TOMS would give a pair of shoes away for every pair we sold, but now TOMS is proving One for One as a viable business model. Our customers have been amazing supporters since day 1.

I created TOMS as a for-profit business to ensure a sustainable way of giving. We’re able to give shoes weekly in Ethiopia, and monthly in Argentina. I also wanted to prove that you can build giving into your business model from day one and still be profitable. We get a lot of inquiries from all types of organizations wanting to get involved with TOMS in one way or another. It’s a blessing, really, but we have to be careful in these first critical years of building our brand.

You are an example of an individual whose actions will help define the generation they are in. Your generation is described as both the “me generation” and the “giving generation.” How do you think your generation should be characterized?
BLAKE: This generation is one that thrives off of action. We don’t dream about change, we make it happen. We don’t imagine a way to incorporate giving in to our daily lives- we do it. TOMS has so many young supporters who are passionate about the One for One movement, and who share the story and inspire others every day they wear their TOMS. Seeing them support this business model is proof that this generation is ready and able to create a better tomorrow.

People connect with TOMS beyond just owning another pair of shoes. There’s something more every time you slip on a pair, every time you share the story, every time you suggest a pair of TOMS as a gift because no matter what brought you to purchasing a pair of TOMS, you are making an impact on a child’s life. Will there be saturation of cause-based marketing? Most likely, but TOMS has paved the way for other entrepreneurs to incorporate giving in to their businesses.

The One for One mission is sticking with this generation, and causing a new way of thinking. We grew up with parents who were taking those first small steps, and now we are just charging full speed ahead towards a better tomorrow. We have to. One for One is proving that you can bring closure to an issue by incorporating a conscious decision in to the actions you already take- whether its as a consumer purchasing a product, or a business looking for ways to inspire a better tomorrow. It makes consumerism and philanthropy come together full circle.

Carpe Diem!

Quote to consider

No written word, no spoken plea Can teach our youth what they should be; Nor all the books on all the shelves It’s what the teachers are themselves. Given to John Wooden by his Father upon Graduation And now to You

He is, quite simply, the greatest basketball coach ever. The numbers speak for themselves: 10 NCAA championships in 12 years, including seven straight national championships, 38 straight tournament wins and 88 straight wins overall. You don’t build a record like that without being a great leader and without being able to mold and shape raw talent into cohesive teams that make winning a part of their very existence. A day after his 95th birthday, UCLA’s head basketball coach emeritus brought his leadership lessons to UCLA’s Alumni Weekend Conference, where he shared his thoughts on team spirit, teaching and — most important to him — poetry, during a conversation with author Steve Jamison and a group of business school graduates.

I don’t like to give advice. I’ll give opinions.

You’ve got to get across to each individual that what we are interested in is what is going to work for all. You have to think for the group and not just of yourself.

I once heard team spirit defined as a willingness to lose oneself in the group for the good of the group. I used that for a spell, but it wasn’t quite what I wanted somehow. Eventually, I decided that I would eliminate the word “willingness” and institute “eagerness” — an eagerness to lose one’s self in the group for the good of the group.

[A leader] is just part of the group. You have to be firm but not stubborn. Stubbornness we deprecate, firmness we condone. The former is my neighbor’s trait; the latter is my own.

We’re all different. The good Lord in his wisdom didn’t create us the same. Some players, for example, I had to pat on the back constantly, and there are others I had to pat a little lower and a little harder. You can’t treat everybody alike. You have to try to give everyone the treatment they earn and deserve under your supervision.

When you have to discipline, do it privately and not before others. Don’t embarrass them before their peers.

• Complete Interview
• Coach Wood web site (warning he has audio on his web site)
• His books

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Obama is Lincoln v2.0

Taking a page out of Lincoln’s Handbook on How To Be A Good President, Obama is everywhere in the community: at dinner, on The Tonight Show, at the soup kitchens, in meetings, on The Hill. He’s like the “Where’s Waldo?” of Presidents. He’s also taking the regular temperature of the people and choosing questions from You Tube videos that were voted on by the public.

Lesson: Listen to your customers

Listening to and accepting outside-in thinking is the hallmark of great leadership. Yesterday, the Washington press corps was upstaged by these 3 questions. What was most interesting was the reaction of the press. Oh how banal, a question from the public! Must we? Hearing 3 college girls who probably stayed up all night rehearsing their questions – oh the torture … 

In this moment, the American People were saying: “I’m a sophomore in college, how will I pay for my college tuition?” The question, while simple, highlighted that the press hasn’t been covering what is really top of mind to the people. To be honest, we don’t care about who sat on a woopie cushion in the last senate meeting, whose suit pants are too low cut, or who is having a bad hair day. And no amount of Magic Maps (which is the ultimate PT Barnum hand waving, imo) are going to make us care.

My point:

• Obama is a great source of inspiration on the topic of leadership
• This example illustrates how important it is to always keep the pulse on the community you are trying to reach (size does not matter)
• Insiders, for all their value on “how things work today” often lose their way from the true concerns of the organization or machine they operate in, and it’s important to always reach out and have direct contact

What tactics do you use to stay in touch and how effective has it been?