Mike Robbins Gets It!

Mike Robbins definitely gets it! Mike is yet another example of an individual who understands that there is a very real economic downturn occurring, but he has chosen to prosper nevertheless. And, prosper in the full dimensions of the word!

Mike Robbins is a rising star in the self-development world. Mike's first book, the Focus on the Good Stuff; The Power of Appreciation was a best seller.

Two years later, his second book is about to be published and it is so timely. Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken: Transform Your Life with the Power of Authenticity can now be preordered from Amazon.

Think about the examples of lack of authenticity we read about every day in conjunction with our financial system (Madoff et al), our sports (Alex Rodriquez et al), our political system (too many to list), etc. Think about what this kind of behaviour by "role models" is doing for future generations.

Now none of us can cure the world...but what we can be, as Ghandi said, the change we want to see in the world. And, therein lies the power of Mike's latest book. Just in time...an author, who is known for walking his talk, serves up guidance on how to lead an authentic life. Truly divine timing. Never has there been a time where there was a greater need for authentic role models, in every area of our lives.

Mike is a great example of someone who will prosper in these tough times. Mike is all about serving others...through his writing and speaking.

Prosperity is not just about the size of your bank account. Prosperity is about realizing the awesome blessings with which we all are bestowed.

In tough times, it is all to easy to be all about oneself. As counterintuitive as it may seem, I believe that prosperity will flow to those who serve others. Too altruistic? Well, what is a job? Is it just a paycheck, or is it an opportunity to be compensated for your service to others?

Mike Robbins gets it! Are you serving others to the best of your ability...or have you decided to prosper in isolation?

Coming Next: I will be saluting successful entrepreneur Michael Feuer in the next installment of my series on examples of individuals, from all walks of life, who "get it." The series starts here.

Ken Potalivo Gets It!

Ken Potalivo definitely gets it! Ken is yet another example of an individual who understands that there is a very real economic downturn occurring, but he has chosen to prosper nevertheless. And, prosper in the full dimensions of the word!

Ken Potalivo is a well known executive coach who runs Pro Growth Team, an organization that assembles and supports groups of talented professionals in their pursuit of growing their business.

I was introduced to Ken's work through Bob Tormey, one of the most talented financial executives that I know and a real champion of Ken's work. Since I counsel professional service firms and their partners (a closely related market to the one in which Ken operates, I always very carefully read Ken's blog posts.

His latest on the potential waste in all the networking going on really struck my hot button. In Beware of Networking, Ken alerts his readers that:

"In a challenging economy, it is easy to get caught up in the vortex of networking with the belief that more is better. In reality, it can end up costing you a great deal of time and energy and possibly your business if it is not properly directed."

Amen! I have vented before on the misuse of networking, especially in connection with job searches. I use the word 'vent" very intentionally as it breaks my heart to see networking so misused....by so many.

I am delighted that Ken is up on his soap box educating professionals that networking is at best a mean to an end, not the end all.

Following the herd is never my idea of the right path. Heck, the herd may just be headed to the slaughter house.

Going crazy networking will certainly have you traveling with the herd, if that is where you want to be.

Ken has it very right. Create a thoughtful plan for prospering in tough times and then decide exactly the role networking will play in helping you achieve your plan.

Sound wisdom from a very, very smart man!

Coming Next: I will be saluting one of my favorite author/speaker Mike Robbins in the next installment of my series on examples of individuals, from all walks of life, who "get it." The series starts here.

Mark Cuban Gets It!

Mark Cuban definitely gets it! Mark is yet another example of an individual who understands that there is a very real economic downturn occurring, but he has chosen to prosper nevertheless. And, prosper in the full dimensions of the word!

Mark Cuban is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the last twenty years. He was the co-founder of MicroSolutions, a leading national systems integrator, which he later sold to CompuServe. Mark subsequently co-founded Broadcast.com, the leading provider of multimedia and streaming on the internet. That company was sold to Yahoo just four years later for five billion dollars worth of Yahoo stock! Two years later, Cuban co-founded HDNet, an all high-definition television network on DIRECTV.

In January of 2000, Mark purchased the Dallas Mavericks and quickly turned that NBA basketball team into a perennial championship contender. Mark holds the record for owner fines from the NBA for his proclivity to "tell it like it is." Love him or hate him, one has to respect all that Mark has accomplished in his business career.

Recently, Mark posted a great challenge on his blog, Blog Maverick. He calls his challenge the Mark Cuban Stimulus Plan Open Source Funding. He challenges entrepreneurs to post business plans that will stimulate other entrepreneurs, because of his belief that entrepreneurs will play a key role in leading the way out of this downturn.

Now besides offering to fund a plan(s) he really likes, Cuban is stimulating entrepreneurs with both his challenge and his very thoughtful list of business requirements. His requirements focus on creating a business model that is quickly cash flow positive. In a world where so many are looking for bailouts and handouts, I so love Mark Cuban's idea of getting people focused on self-help (my December post on self-rescue has turned out to be one of the most popular of the posts todate).

Just with his challenge, Mark Cuban is likely to stimulate a whole bunch of businesses created to prosper in these tough times. Brilliant. Just plain brilliant!

Mark Cuban definitely "gets it."

Coming Next: I will be saluting executive coach Ken Potalivo in the next installment of my series on examples of individuals, from all walks of life, who "get it." The series starts here.

Brad Swift Gets It!

Brad Swift definitely gets it! Brad is yet another example of an individual who understands that there is a very real economic downturn occurring, but he has chosen to prosper nevertheless. And, prosper in the full dimensions of the word!

Brad is the founder of the Life on Purpose Institute which does wonderful work helping people to find their passionate purpose. He is also the author of Life on Purpose: Six Passages to an Inspired Life.

Brad and some of the life coaches he has trained co-host a weekly radio show Living and Working on Purpose broadcast on Exceptional Wisdom Radio. And, Brad writes a thoughtful blog about Living a Life on Purpose.

Among the things I admire most about Brad Swift is that he is one of the pioneers at recognizing that there is opportunity for all kinds of social good to come from this downturn. As I do, he expects more people to question what their life is really all about because of the circumstances they are now experiencing. The rampant materialism that has driven much of our society in the last decade is likely (hopefully) to be offset, in part, by a greater focus on spirituality.

I love that Brad has stepped up his personal giving by increasing the ways that the fine work of the Institute is available at costs affordable to people at any income level.

Brad is a wonderful reminder that "prospering in tough times" is not just about money. Some of those who will proper most in this downturn will be people who understand that serving others is a path to prosperity.

Coming Next: I will be saluting entrepreneur extraordinaire Mark Cuban in the next installment of my series on examples of individuals, from all walks of life, who "get it." The series starts here.