by Richard Flint Seminars
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Human Disposal Donna called me today and I could tell by the sound of her voice something was wrong. She was speaking so fast that it was challenging to understand what she was saying. “Hey,” I said when I could finally get a word in. “Slow down. What are you talking about?” “They put a note on my front door this morning. They are kicking me out of my apartment.” “What do you mean they are kicking you out of your apartment?” “The note said I had sixty days to get out. They are kicking me out of my apartment.” “Why?” “Remember I told you sometime ago they wanted to take these apartments and turn them into condos?” “Yes, I remember you telling me that. Is that what they are doing?” “Yes! Two hundred and fifty families got the same notice. Richard, that is 250 families being displaced. That’s families with kids in school; that’s families that have lived here since these apartments were built. It is 250 families that have 60 days to find another place to live. Do you know how hard that will be? There aren’t that many apartments around here. I don’t know what they are going to do. Wait! I don’t know what I’m going to do. This just doesn’t seem fair.” That’s two hundred and fifty families given 60 days to reinvent their lives. Fair? I am not sure if fair is a word many companies understand today. I wonder what is happening to us? Each day you pick up the paper you read about another company slashing their workforce; taking those people who have been the backbone to their success and just disposing of them like they were disposable. I listened with great interest as Ford announced the closing of 14 plants and the displacement of 30,000 workers that could represent as many as 100,000 lives. I wondered at what point did those who helped you create success simply become a disposable item? I listened as a couple of the airlines hammered their unions into wage concessions only to turn around and announce giant bonuses and huge stock options for management. I wonder why do they call themselves more important than the worker who shows up each day and delivers the product that makes their job possible? What has happened to us? What has happened to corporate integrity? What has happened to being accountable as leadership to make decisions that keep the company profitable? Why should being financial irresponsibility at the top create human disposal at the bottom? What has happened to a sense of right and wrong? Doesn’t the loyalty of the worker who comes to work each day and performs their job matter any more? What is happening to us today? Right or wrong, here is what I think is happening. First, technology is replacing humans. Which came first – technology or people? I thought technology was there to help people, not to dispose of people. BUT, think about it. You don’t have to pay benefits to a robot. You just program the robot, turn on the switch and they do their job. You don’t have to deal with their emotions, their needs, and their desire to have more. They are simply a machine and the physical cost is viewed to be less than having a human in place. So, let’s just dispose of the human. Next, many people in top leadership roles are number driven, not people sensitive. I was walking with the owner of a medium size sales company and as we were walking through the business, he didn’t know the names of the people who sat at the desks, but he knew what each desk cost him. To him, each person was a price tag, not a person to bring value. Years ago, many in the leadership role were “people” people. They understood the place people played in the growth and success of the company, BUT today many leaders view people as a number on a spread sheet which is viewed as an expense, not an asset. This makes them disposable. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in making a profit. That is why we are in business, BUT I also believe in holding those people accountable who have mismanaged or misspent the money that could have been reinvested in their people. When others have to suffer because of the irresponsibility of those who call the shots, something is wrong. I also believe the unions in this country have lost their primary mission – take care of the worker. Many unions have become more involved in protecting their existence than really looking after the best interest of the member. I have a real challenge when the message is we will say we care about you, but this is more about our existence than it is your job. When unions were first created, they served a big need. Workers were being taken advantage of; working conditions were not what they should have been. The unions came with a crusade and created a presence that made a difference, I am not sure that is true today. I don’t believe their crusade today is really about the worker; unions have lost so much presence they are working today to survive. With that attitude their members have become human disposal. The result of all this has been a work environment with lessened quality, angry people, the lessening of a work ethic, management that is unprepared to respond so they react, and foreign competitors who are smart enough to seize the moment. In reality our greed has become our greatest enemy. We are so driven by the all mighty dollar, that we have sacrificed the strengths that used to make us the leader of the free world. Not today! We are creating more and more debt; we are losing ground in the world market and what are we doing? Are our leaders in Washington facing the issue? No, they just want to spend more in order to get us out of debt. I remember having a conversation with my friend John Emmitte about creating a profitable company, He said, “Richard, business is real simple. If you spend more than you are making, you are in trouble. If you are keeping more than you are spending, you are okay.” Why don’t our leaders understand that? I know; they will say it isn’t that easy. WHY? Everyday they make decisions that either feed confusion or strengthen clarity. It is that simple. We like the confusion because it creates the political games. It allows each party to blame the other party for being financially irresponsible. Don’t they get it! It is not about blaming; it is about establishing a common agenda designed to stop the nonsense that has been made okay. It is time the rhetoric of blame stops and they start acting like people who want us to be around tomorrow. Let’s stop talking about what our grandkids aren’t going to have and start working to be accountable to those who elected them, not the special interest groups that are lining their pockets with money paid for favors. It is not about the government doing more and more; it is about creating a society where people don’t believe “the government owes us.” It is time we start taking back, rather than giving more away. Why won’t those who call themselves leaders stand up and start acting like leaders. What does that mean? Leaders lead! They don’t run their mouth spewing words that they don’t mean. They don’t tell people what they want to hear; they are committed to doing what it takes to create improvement. Leaders enable people! They don’t make people dependant on them; they teach them how to stand on their own two feet and then offer them guidance. Leaders adapt! Great leaders don’t wait until the bottom has fallen out to act. They are visionary; they live with their imagination wide open; they respond through concerns; they don’t wait for the crisis to hit and then look around for a target to blame. Leaders make decisive decisions! They don’t live in a world of opinions where today this is the flavor and tomorrow this is the flavor; they see what needs to be done; join forces with other prepared leaders and together in collective genius, make decisive decisions that will resolve the situation. How many issues are we still arguing about today that should have been resolved years ago? Listen, when winning is more important than resolving and moving forward, people are going to get hurt. Leaders educate! They don’t sit around and try to explain their opinion. They arm themselves with facts and move forward with implementation. They don’t drag people; they educate them and then hold them responsible for their knowledge. Leaders respond, they don’t react! They are prepared for their role and they trust in their ability to do the right thing. They don’t worry about whether is it popular or not; they see what needs to be done and with ethical presence they move forward. Leaders surround themselves with quality people. It is not about always agreeing; it is about respecting each other and building a common agenda where everyone is committed to the journey of improvement, rather than the moment of winning. This is not a game; this is about human lives; it is about ethics; it is about restoring the value of a human life; it is about treating people with respect; it is about treating people with respect, not like they are human disposal. (I would love to hear your thoughts about this information. Email me at Richard@RichardFlint.com) What happens when leadership becomes a position and not a responsibility? The environment becomes people showing up each day and bringing their personal agenda to the workplace. The result is chaos and not growth. What happens when the person in charge works harder at being a friend than they do at being the leader of the people? The result is a lack of respect that is manifested in the behavior of the people. What happens when the person in the leadership position tolerates behaviors that go against the stated rules and/or guidelines? There are no rules, so the entire environment is filled with emotional collisions. What happens when the leader is fearful of making a mistake and won’t make a decision until there is no choice? The result is an environment held hostage by sameness. This is one of the great challenges I find faced by many people who have the position of being the leader, but not the respect of those they are there to lead. Leadership must be based in respect; it must be grounded in a commitment to improve, not continue sameness designed to keep repeating the emotional disappointments of yesterday. To gain this respect, a leader must:
When the leader doesn’t lead, the people will wander through the environment without any understanding of why they are there and what their presence can bring. (I would love to hear your thoughts about this information. Email me at Richard@RichardFlint.com) In the past two weeks I have had eight emails from people who were disappointed in their upline. In all of them I heard basically the same story. “I came into this organization because I believed in the product, the opportunity and the people who presented it to me. They promised they wouldn’t bring me in and then disappear. BUT when I have needed them, they have been too busy working with other people. I may not be their top person, but I trusted them and what they said to me.” Building an effective network marketing business is more than recruiting people. It is about developing those you have recruited. I have heard it over and over again that network marketing is a numbers game. Do you need to be constantly looking for those who are interested in hearing your story? You bet! But you must also be helping those who are just starting to write their story. Without the growth of their personal story new people have nothing to share. Without leadership helping them (not doing it for them) lay the right foundation, they will die from disappointment and frustration. Don’t recruit and then desert; that is just another form of human disposal. (I would love to hear your thoughts about this information. Email me at Richard@RichardFlint.com)
Strategies for Successful Selling I was standing at the USAir ticket counter chatting with the agent as she was checking me in. I noticed she didn’t seem to be very happy, so I leaned in, smiled and ask her, “Are you having a good day?” Without looking up she responded, “I am not sure.” “What do you mean?” “My day is controlled by the person standing in front of me. With you I am having a good day, but that could change with the next person.” I thought to myself, what a sad statement from one who is paid to help people. Know what I believe? The customer shouldn’t make the rep’s day; the representative should make the customer’s day. Every interaction is a sales interaction; every time two people come together something is being sold. It could be a smile; it could be a thought; it could be a product; it could be an idea. Selling is not just someone trying to get someone to do business with them by purchasing their product. Selling is about establishing that presence that has continuing presence. When you expect others to make your day, you are going to have some very long and frustrating days. When you are there to help make the other person’s day, you are going to have opportunities to help others discover that on any given day there are things to enjoy. Selling is about making their day a little better because you paused in their life. When you can achieve that, you have had a great day. (I would love to hear your thoughts about this information. Email me at Richard@RichardFlint.com) A Personal Message from Richard I celebrated my 61st birthday this month! WOW! On February 3rd I paused and reflected on what I feel I have accomplished in my short time on this earth. May I share with you the top things I am the most proud of? First, that I didn’t listen to the message my mother programmed me with. It would have been so easy to have just accepted her thoughts about me and wasted the greatest of all gifts – life! Second, that I haven’t wasted my mind. I am proud of the books I have written, the tapes and cds I have done, the articles I have published and the lives I have touched. My mind is a great gift. In many ways I have surprised myself. I am a talented person who has chosen to use those talents. Third, I have trusted God for the leadership of my life. My self worth, my talents, my creative mind aren’t there by accident. I was placed on this earth to make a difference and to do that I have to constantly strengthen my spiritual side. When I am writing or speaking, I know I am being directed. I know God is leading me down a path designed to stand in front of those who are seeking their path out of their wasteland; I know God has brought me to each venue I stand in. I understand the responsibility that goes with sharing my presence with others. I am also proud that I am not fearful of being me. I am a unique individual who has a unique place on this earth and I want to daily expand my presence so I can have a presence that is present when I am not present. Sixty-One! Know what? I am young and I don’t plan on getting old!! I have a question for you. What are you most proud of about your time on this earth? (I would love to hear your thoughts about this information. Email me at Richard@RichardFlint.com) A Message From Dan Carapellucci The Race for Performance by Dan Carapellucci I’ve always loved horses, and in the 1970’s my passion included sulky racing. I learned a lot as the owner of thirteen horses and a couple of key horse concepts carried over into my people management career. In racing, you’re trying to coach top performance from a horse. Horses, many times, will start out in a lower classification race, working their way to compete in higher caliber races. I knew an owner who had a tendency to go for a bigger purse, so he challenged his horses into higher classifications before they had proven themselves at a lower level. As a result, his horses commonly finished in the lower half of the field, completely frustrating the owner. Something critical happens to a horse that never wins a race - it doesn’t know that it can or is supposed to win so it continues to be satisfied with mediocre performance. In effect, it’s conditioned to believe it should have all those other horses ahead of it. The owner would have been wiser to allow the horse to perform in a classification where it could learn to win before demanding higher performance. Having been raised in an old-world, Italian construction company, I was taught to push my crews with tough words and strong demands. But my horses taught me two things that I did not learn from my management mentors:
In our competitive markets, if we want to win the “performance race” we have to help our people see themselves as winners. Dan Carapellucci, ABR, CRS, DREI, GRI (I would love to hear your thoughts about this information. Email me at Dan@carapellucciseminars.com )
“...the class not only taught what it needed but you come away with more than anyone can ever imagine that you would. You look at life and yourself in a whole other prospective and want to make things better for yourself. Richard Flint is a man that is on this earth for a reason and anyone that comes in front of him will become a better person and there is no price tag to put on that. So I just hope I will be able to meet this man and hear his words again; ... I would drive any where, any distance to see this man again. THANK YOU WITH ALL THAT I HAVE,” — Vince W. A Client’s Thought “... One thing I did not expect is to have my eyes opened to things that will dramatically improve my marriage and family life. I feel like the information presented will not only help me to excel professionally, but make all of the difference in the world in my personal life as well. ... I am no stranger to self-help books and seminars. Mr. Flint's course of study far exceeds any that I have heard or read to date! I am excited about the possibilities, as he addresses real issues where they really matter instead of just pumping you up for a day.” StarMaker 2006 Summer Conference Well, have you registered for StarMaker yet? If you haven’t, what are waiting for? What if you could spend three days clearing your confusion and strengthening your clarity about your life? What would that be worth to you? What if you could bring your children and expose them to a clear understanding of what it means to dream and create the pathway to achieving that dream? What would that be worth to their future? What if you could spend three days and then leave knowing what you need to do with your life? What would that be worth to you? That’s StarMaker 2006! You need to be there; it is not just another conference to go to; it is a gathering of people who want to define achievement with their behavior, not their words. It is an opportunity to strengthen your understanding of you and leave knowing you are ready to create that presence that has presence when you are not present. It is July 21-23 in Asheville, North Carolina. It is a time for you to expand your understanding of you and your purpose for life. Are you ready for that opportunity? Are you ready to face yourself and honestly look at what you are doing with your life? If so, I’ll see you in July in Asheville at StarMaker 2006, Understanding the Meaning Of Dreams, Goals and Achievement. (Please don't procrastinate! Seating is limited.) Designing And Achieving Your Dream
Why do most people struggle with direction? Why do most talk about improving, but repeat their frustrations? The answer is the lack of a defined dream. Everyone has a dream; it just gets buried in their non-productive design. Here are a few questions Richard asks: This 8 CD program is about recapturing your dream. It examines the process for living your dream and bringing happiness, personal fulfillment, and freedom to your life. Richard's Suggested Reading For The Month Find out how to help other people have a better quality of life and make some extra cash at the same time. Richard’s Affiliate Program is an opportunity to build a partnership with Richard and help him reach those who need his information and insights. You know the power of his message and now you can help others know it too.
Richard Flint Seminars 11835 Canon Blvd., Suite C-105 Newport News, VA 23606 1-800-368-8255 or (757) 873-7722 Fax 1-800-232-8255 o (757) 873-7772 Questions? Call Denise at 1-800-368-8255 or email: MindJogger@richardflint.com Newsletter Date: February 15, 2006 |
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