Announcing My Online Courses – Master Business Skills in Minutes

I am proud to announce that I have posted the first two recorded video lessons for my online course: “Master Excel in Minutes!”

WebEx Navigation Pane

WebEx Navigation Pane

These courses are recorded in-depth videos that you can choose to watch online or download to your computer to watch at a later time. Some of the recordings will be offered free of charge. For others – which contain premium content – I will charge a fee. The recorded videos will be found on my website at WebEx:

http://thecompanyrocks.webex.com

New Page on My Website

You can find more information about my online courses by following this link to a new page that I have created here on my website.

Here are the direct links to my first two recorded video lessons on WebEx – be sure to click the “Recorded Sessions” on the main “Attend a Session” navigation pane at http://thecompanyrocks.webex.com:

In this format – recorded, downloadable, video lessons – I am able to go into more detail on the topic than I do with my free video podcasts. I can also cover – in depth – topics that my viewers have been requesting. For example, I can now train you in MS Office 2003 (Excel 2003, Word2003, etc.)

Contents of Recorded Video Lessons

Each of the recorded video lessons includes:

  • The recorded video lesson that you can watch online
  • The recorded video lesson that you can download to your computer to view at a later time
  • The workbooks or documents that I use during the lesson – so that you can practice the concepts that I present on the video recording.
  • A PDF containing the Step-by-step instructions for each lesson – so that you can make notes as you view the recording or during your practice sessions.

I hope that you will take a few minutes to view my first offerings in this course. After you watch the lessons, please send me your feedback, questions and suggestions for future course offerings.

Thank you!

Danny Rocks

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How to Lead a Meeting People Enjoy Attending

Don’t laugh, you can learn how to lead meetings that people really look forward to attending!

This 7 minute and 19 second video appears in my March, 2010 newsletter, The Catalyst. Please take a moment to join my mailing list if you would like to receive my newsletter each month. You can sign up right here on this page.

Successful meetings follow a process. In this video you will learn the three-step process for successful meetings:

  1. Prepare for the Meeting – Determine the purpose for the meeting and prepare an action agenda and invite the proper participants to the meeting.
  2. Run the meeting skillfully – Run the meeting in support of the action agenda and ensure full participation for each person invited to the meeting.
  3. Follow-up – Assign roles and responsibilities during the meeting. Ensure acceptance of these assignment. You are already preparing for your next meeting – to follow-up on the decisions and information from this meeting.

If you would like to learn the techniques that I used to create the PowerPoint presentation I used in this video, I invite you to visit my online store to get details about my DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007.”

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Which is more valuable – and why?

Let me ask you a question. As an employer or manager, which of these two options do you think your staff would value more:

  1. An “expected” $1,000.00 bonus at the end of the year
  2. An “unexpected” bonus of $100.00 along with a handwritten note of thanks

Certainly, option #1 has a greater monetary value. But option # 2 is likely to be remembered – and valued – more. Simply because it was unexpected and it was personalized.

Seth Godin has a wonderful posting on his blog today – “When you least expect it” – that illustrates this point. He shares a very useful formula with us:

“Formula: The value of a perk is inversely related to the expectation of that perk.”

 

Quite often, when we receive the expected service or perk we are disappointed. We expected it. But we were hoping for a little more. Sonething extra. Something different.

What remains in our subconscious is “disappointment.”

When we receive something “unexpected” it is special. It is memorable. The memory stays with us – for a long time. We value the moment. We value the unexpected gesture.

The right words – of thanks, of appreciation, of recognition – at the right time, are valued greatly.

It is not what they cost. It is the sentiment that they convey.

“Formula: The value of a perk is inversely related to the expectation of that perk.”

Try it. At home or at work. It is a winning formula.

 

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What lessons have I learned?

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It’s OK, If you’re not failing you are not growing.”

– H. Stanley Judd

Yesterday, I was writing notes to and following up with the contacts I made at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, TN. I also conducted a “post mortem” meeting – a lessons learned meeting – on the past week.

This is a very valuable meeting to hold at the conclusion of any project – and attending a convention is a project. Ask yourself – and the other people involved in the project:

  • What worked well? And why did it work so well?
  • What did not work out so well? And why didn’t it work out?
  • What can we learn from this?
  • How can we improve our performance the next time – knowing what we now know?

We learn more from our mistakes than we do from our success.

“Failure is success if you learn from it.” – Malcom S. Forbes

In the course of reviewing my performance at the convention, I was able to identify several areas for improvement. I tried my best to be candid in assessing each interaction that I had. There were many positives but I also identified several areas for improvement.

The one area that I had identified after an earlier convention, I am already working towards improving. I am diligently writing notes to follow-up on each conversation that I had at the convention.

So, please excuse me for now. I must complete this task. I am taking advantage of this opportunity to improve my performance.

Do you conduct “post mortem” meetings at the conclusion of your projects? If you do, please take this opportunity to share your thoughts on the process with our readers.

Thank you!

 

 

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Create new habits – when we don't have to think about what we do!

Greetings from Australia!

I am reaching the end of a two-week tour of speaking and training sessions. I have had a great time! I’ve met lots of terrific people; had some wonderful meals; and… am close to reaching the desired state of “not having to think about what I do naturally” –  when it come to driving … on the opposite side of the road! Signaling when I intend to turn right – or left! Does this lever turn on my windsheild wipers, or turn on my turn signal? What used to be on my left (in Los Angeles) is now on my right…

This is harder than you think! All change is difficult.

It takes a long time to reach a level of competence – where you can do the things that you need to  be doing – without having to think about them!!! And… to not have to think about the things that you shouldn’t be doing.

Pheww!!! I have a headache now!

And, so should you, after trying to read – and, hopefully, comprehend what I just wrote!

How hard is it to “break” ingrained habits? Quite difficult indeed!

How difficult is it to create new habits? Difficult… but it can be done. It requires concentrated and sustained thought and practice!

Think of the (good) habits that we have acquired. The things that we do without having to think about them – we are unconsciously competent! For example:

  • Indicating that we are going to make a left or right turn.
  • Actually making a left or right turn – and driving in the correct lane when we make the turn!
  • Remembering to (actually) look both ways before crossing the street. I am very lucky to still be alive to write this post after being in Australia for two weeks! I still forget to look to my “right” before crossing the street!

As a professional trainer, I tend to forget how difficult it is to create new habits. I tend to get frustrated when my class does not quickly adopt the new habits that I so logically present and propose.

I still resist saying, “break old habits!” But… I tend to presume that it is easy to adopt new habits. It is not! Not now, not ever!

Either way … it require thought, dedication, and applied effort – sustained over a two-week period before we can start to become unconsciously competent with our new habit!

I hate “breaking old habits.” I prefer to create “new” habits. But … I have to admit – it is easier said than done!

During my training sessions on this trip I have acquired a new appreciation for how difficult it is to acquire new habits. It is harder to do so than I ever said that it would be. I am humbled by the experience!

For example:

  • Every time I get into my car I repeat to myself, “It is DOWN RIGHT silly to be LEFT UP on the rooftop.” This little “saying” helps me to remember the direction of my turn signals – DOWN to turn RIGHt and UP to turn LEFT. At home, in Los Angeles, I never give this a second thought. Here in Australia, not thinking about this (seemingly) inconsequential action could get me into serious trouble.

So… I now have a greater understanding for the difficulty of putting into practice the new habits that I want  to adopt. I need to invest a considerable amount of effort into thinking about what I am going to change – and why it is important!

In Australia, if I fail to think about what lane I need to turn into, I can cause an accident. If I negelect to remind myself that my Right Turn Signal is UP – I can cause others to have an accident.

I consider myself to be an intelligent man. I consider myself to be open to  and willing to change habits.

So… why am I still having to think about these changes in habit after two weeks? Because… change takes time to accomplish – even when you are open to change. Especially when you are commited to change.

Change does not happen over night. Not even over a fortnight! But I am getting more comfortable with it each day.

 

 

 

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Why customers line up to purchase your product

I had a lovely day walking around the streets of Brisbane, QLD Australia this afternoon.  Great weather, nice parks, lots of people on the street.

About halfway into my walk I came across a long line of people. Why were they lined up? Probably to see a new hit movie, I thought. A new store opening, perhaps. The crowd was younger (than me) but they were much more reserved than I expected. After all, if you are going to a movie, you are usually with your friends and talking – in anticipation or just socializing.

This line of people was different. Quiet, intent and patient.

Imagine my surprise when I saw what they were waiting in line to purchase …Krispy Kreme Donuts!

Yes, the “Hot Light” was on – signaling that they were “fresh” from the oven. But this was a beautiful sunny day – and the early afternoon. And, this was in a pedestrian mall in an urban setting. Not, to my mind, the expected result. I like donuts in the morning. I like them hot and fresh. I like to enjoy them along with a cup of coffee and the newspaper.

Not here. Not on this beautiful day in Brisbane. No place to sit and read and sip a beverage while you enjoy your Krispy Kreme. Lots of people lined up to purchase. Lots of desire and anticipation. Lots of donuts sold. Somthing special was definitely going on…

Buy why? Perhaps it is the “law of scarcity.” This was the only Donut shop that I observed on my walk. I saw lots of (mostly empty) Starbucks cafes. There are a lot of McDonald’s restaurants here. But only one Krispy Kreme!

Back home in the USA, Krispy Kreme was quite the “thing” when they first expanded beyond their home base. I live in Califormia but had experienced Krispy Kremes for years when I visited North Carolina. My wife is a native of Low Angeles and she went “wild” when she had her first Krispy Kreme – with the “Hot Light” on – when we made a trip to the Carolinas. She couldn’t wait for their first store to open in Los Angeles.

But then… they over-expanded. All at once – almost overnight – they went from being something special to being, well… everywhere. In every neighborhood. In grocery stores.

They were everywhere – and yet nowhere. They lost their special appeal – before they gave the market enough time to realize how special they were. They didn’t give their product enough time to become special. They were more interested in growing fast. And they quickly lost their appeal – to many people.

So, it was a shock for me to see this line. I wasn;t expecting it. In my mind, I had written off Krispy Kreme as “yesterday’s news.” As a failed company. As a company that became so fixated on growth that they abandoned the details that had set them apart.

I investigated the Krispy Kreme website and found my answer. They just opened their first store in Brisbane on April 29th – two weeks ago! People camped out overnight in order to be the first in line to “experience” a Krispy Kreme.

The “Law of Scarcity” at work! Let’s see how long this will last here in Brisbane. Will they resist the temptation to “grow big fast?” Time will tell/

Too often, we become obsessed with  growing our business – more customers, more sales, more locations, more money. But we forget about what made us get into business in the first place. What made us special.

Today – halfway around the world – I witnessed a “throwback” in time. I was tempted – for a few moments – to join that line. To rekindle the spark of remembrance of my first Krispy Kreme 30 years ago!

But I didn’t. That spark was extingusihed a few years ago. Krispy Kreme went from being an extraordinary experience to something quite ordinary – nothing special. They violated the “Law of Scarcity.”

I had too much on my mind today to wait in line. I was exploring a new city – to me – and I didn’t have that much time to wait in line. That “magic act” had disappeared for me. Krispy Kreme was no longer special for me. My time was in short supply. Time, for me today, was my own “Law of Scarcity.”

 

 

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Learn to speak with your handshake

What does your handshake say about you? How do your clients and colleagues react to your handshake? Do you give your colleague the same handshake that you extend to a new client? If not, why not? How do you react when someone gives you a “dead fish” handshake? Cold and clammy, I’ll bet!

Want to know more about the “dos and don’ts” of handshaking? Click here to view a slide show of handshaking examples – good and bad –  on the Business Week Magazine website.

How many times a day do you shake a person’s hand? So many times that you probably don’t even think about it.

But you should think about it. Not about the number. You need to examine how your personal handshaking style. You need to be sure that you convey a positive message when you “speak” with your handshake.

Here is why:

New research by University of Iowa business professor Greg Stewart confirms that a firm, solid handshake is an important part of a successful job interview, while a dead fish can end the interview before it even begins.

More important, in fact, than dress or physical appearance, the handshake seems to be a trigger that sets off an interviewer’s overall impression of a person.”

I encourage you to look at the handshaking examples in the Business Week slide show. Here are a few tips:

  • Both men and women should be proactive – don’t wait for someone to shake your hand. Extend your hand first.
  • Ensure that your handshake is firm – not strong – and that you make full-palm contact. The web of your hand touches the web of the other person’s hand.
  • Always make eye contact with the other person when you are shaking hands. This means that you must stand up to greet the other person when you shake hands.
  • Smile when you shake hands.
  • Always keep your right hand available to shake hands.
  • Be aware of “personal space” when you shake hands. In normal situations people will stand about two feet apart. As your relationship develops this distance will narrow.
  • Regardless of your gender, make sure that your handshake is firm. This conveys the message that you are confident and that you are assertive.
  • Start talking – say your name, for example – before you end your handshake.

Your handshake is your calling card. It reflects your personality. It is difficult to “fake.” It leaves a lasting impression of you.

What impression do you want to make? Learn to “speak” with your handshake.

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How to compete with competitors

“If you’re playing your competitor’s game, you’re going to lose.”

– David Yoffie

Follow the leader is a fine game to play – if you are a child. It is, however, a losing strategy in life and in business.

In my experience, I have found it easier to compete when I have been the under-dog. Less was expected of me. My goals were sharper. I looked for every opportunity to take advantage of the weaknesses of my competitors. An under-dog can do several things to gain market share:

  • If your competitor processes orders in two days, strive to turn orders around in one day.
  • If they open late and close early, do the opposite – open early and close late
  • If they offer a wide selection of products, do the opposite – find a niche market and carry a deep selection. And hire staff who care deeply about your niche and passionately serve your customers.
  • Find out what your customers value the most – and fill it for them.

Don’t play your competitors game. Play your game! Find your competitive advantage. Give your customers lots of reasons to do business with you.

Worry about your customer – not about your competitor.

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Why are we meeting?

“The two words information and communication are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things.Information is giving out; communication is getting through.”

– Sydney J. Harris

What do you think about meetings? Think about a recent meeting that you attended. Did it save you time? Or was it a waste of your time?

I hear a lot of groaning and complaining about meetings. Is this a fair description of the meetings at your business?

“Meetings – where minutes are kept and hours are wasted.”

As a manager, do you confuse information with communication? Are you giving out? Or are you getting through? Does your team merely pass along information? Or have they learned how to effectively communicate with each other about what is really important?

Business Week Magazine has an interesting article – “How to Make Meetings Matter” – online. It’s a short article. I recommend that you click through to read it as well as the accompanying eight-step “Playbook.”

Properly structured, meetings are the way the we do business. Properly run, meetings are also the place where a company’s culture is perpetuated. In the Business Week “Case Study,” the C.E.O. of the company that altered its meetings says, “it’s about building a tribe, not broadcasting information.”

 The “classic” article on meetings is – “The Seven Sins of Deadly Meetings – and Seven Seps to Salvation”– by Eric Matson. It was originally published in FastCompany Magazine in 2005. Click through to read it – and learn from it!

The Seven Sins are:

  1. People don’t take meetings seriously
  2. Meetings are too long
  3. People wander off the topic
  4. Nothing happens once the meeting ends
  5. People don’t tell the truth
  6. Meetings are always missing important information, so they postpone critical decisions
  7. Meetings never get better

How many deadly sins did you commit during your meetings this week? At least one, I am sure. What are you going to do about it? Look at Sin #7. You can start by reading Eric Matson’s article. Make that your first step to salvation.

Your team members will thank you for it – by starting to take your meetings seriously – Sin #1. Because they are starting to see that you do!

Please take a few minutes to share your meeting stories with our readers. You can write a meeting “horror” story. Or you can share a meeting “success” story. add you comments below.

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Why do busy people get more work done?

“Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference.”

– Nolan Bushnell

I attended a conference last week and a number of people asked me the same question, “How do you find the time to post a new article on your blog each day?” Even some members of the trade press asked me this question.

The simple answer is, I schedule the time to write the articles. You can never “find the time” to do something. If you really want to get it done you must schedule it.

For example, If you say, “Let’s get together soon,” you will never get together except by accident. You will not “find the time” to do so. You must say, “I would like to have lunch with you next week. Do you prefer Tuesday or Thursday?”

There is an old saying:

“If you need to get a job completed, give it to the busiest person that you know.”

There is also a corollary saying: ”

Your most productive day at work is the day prior to your vacation. You make more decisions. You delegate more tasks. You leave your office with a clean desktop.”

Patsi Krakoff  of “The Blog Squad” has a terrific article on this topic – “Blog Writing: How to find the time…”I recommend that you read it, even if you do not write a blog. Patsi explains why we are attracted to activities that give us an immediate response. And why we delay activities, such as writing a blog, that do not offer the same immediate gratification. Here is a short excerpt:

“I don’t think time is really the issue. It’s seeing results. You don’t have to “find the time” for something that’s important for business. You certainly find time to deposit checks into your bank account, so why would you wait to post “when you have time?”

I think the issue is not seeing the potential payoffs from blog writing because they are long term and subtle.”

I realize that maintaining a daily regimen of posting on my blog is important to my business as a speaker, trainer and consultant. Because I place a high priority on delivering relevant content on a daily basis, I schedule the time to research and write my articles. I am successful at doing so – for the most part. I do not always have enough material planned in advance for those days when “stuff” intrudes on my life. But I am learning to make improvements there.

I picked up several good ideas last week at the conference. But if I am going to take action on these ideas, I must schedule the time to beging to implement them.  As Nolan Bushnell said, I must be “the person who gets out of the shower, dries himself and does something about it who makes a difference.”

 

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