Kent E Mulkey

5 Simple Ways To Get Way Ahead In The World

2010-12-12T19:47:00.001-07:00

Say please and thank you. Most people don't.

Say excuse me. Most people don't.

Hold the door for someone. Most people don't.

Look others in the eye and say hello. Most people don't.

Ask a question and learn from others. Most people don't.

Don't be like most people. Got it?

Celebrating Aging!

2010-11-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Enjoy The Ride

2010-11-08T12:43:00.002-07:00

For the past few weeks my car has been in the shop - the mechanic told me it was the "harmonic balancer," which I had thought you could only buy in Boulder.

So, I have been experiencing a whole new world while riding the bus around Denver. Here's a glimpse of the 16/16L along Colfax Avenue:

The guy who roams the aisles selling bus tokens for pennies on the dollar.

The woman who sat next to me at 9:07AM reeking of cheap liquor and cigarettes, on her way to pick her Aid To Need Families (welfare) check.

The homeless vet who made sure people knew what stop to use, where to transfer, etc. (he sure helped me!).

The large middle eastern family that filed off the bus, every single one of them thanking the bus driver for the ride.

The guy who rode the bus downtown every day to be "green" and to save on parking costs.

To judge these folks got me nowhere, except to the next stop. To sit back, take it in and enjoy the ride opened up a whole new world...and some cheap bus tokens ;-)

The 2% Majority

2010-11-07T20:43:00.001-07:00

If you have 100 customers, 2 of them will never be happy and will complain until the cows come home, which I hear is a really long time and makes you wish you could just be a cow put out to pasture...forever.

I have allowed the 2% to paralyze me. They threaten to sue, call the media, write to the corporate headquarters, call the FBI, DEA, CIA, TSA, ATF, KKK and other people who can ruin your day.

And so you have a choice to make; allow the 2% to continue to suck the life out of you and stop you in your tracks or continue to create and risk and blow away the 98%.

Looking for Mr. Brightside

2010-11-05T19:05:00.005-06:00

Years ago I worked for a nonprofit organization who's president was named Bill Bright. Each month an employee newlsetter came in the mail from the corporate headquarters entitled, "Looking on The Bright Side."

After about 3 years a light went on in my brain; the title of the newsletter was a play on words! I mean, think about it. Never mind, you already get it.

Some call these experiences an "aha" moment. Others call them common sense. Still others might say I ain't real smart.

No matter what, I find joy in slowing down enough to observe and allow things to become clear. I used to say "crystal clear" until an employee of mine pointed out that crystal is already clear, making the saying redundant.

Still waiting for the Department of Redundancy Department to get crystal clear on it.

No Matter Who You Think You Are...

2010-11-04T09:37:00.000-06:00

Blah, Blah, Blah

2010-11-02T15:15:00.009-06:00

You've heard it all before; "The finest in senior living." "The latest in cutting-edge technology." "#1 in on-time departures and arrivals." "The highest in guest satisfaction." "This stock is a sure thing." "The best team ever assembled."

It's not that these people are lying (I choose to believe the best). They truly believe in their product and of course want to make a living. And, we so want to believe these hypesters.

It's the airline that seems to never leave the gate making the claim about their on-time departures, or the healthcare facility with an abysmal regulatory record that boasts of unparalleled patient care.

If you catch yourself making a promise that's been made before, stop. Don't spend a lot of time and effort building credibility with this sort of promising. It doesn't work anyway.

Make different promises, or even better, don't say anything. Listen to Proverbs, "Let another man's lips praise you and not your own. A stranger, and not your own lips."

In the Hebrew the verse reads - י. ְהַלֶּלְךָ֣ זָ֣ר וְלֹא־פִ֑יךָ נָ֝כְרִ֗י וְאַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ After all, I am the most brilliant Biblical scholar in the history of the world.

Astound Yourself

2010-10-21T19:13:00.001-06:00

Today I decided to get out of my own way for a few minutes and consider the good that is swirling all around me. I chatted with a woman who invested her entire day to help her disabled neighbor navigate his way around the county hospital downtown. Yes, it takes all day.

Ran into an attorney who is doing pro bono work for a single dad struggling to gain his share of time with his kids. Heard about a guy who is going to pay to have a friend's car repaired. I read on facebook the wonderful words of encouragement and affirmation people say to and about others on their "wall." Birthday comments are even sweeter!

Things are not all bad in the world, in spite of what I am often lured into believing.

Look up. Look around. You will be astounded.

44.9% Of Statistics Are Made Up

2010-10-20T11:12:00.007-06:00

I know about statistics. I took a "Statistics For Dummies" class in graduate school that I muddled through for 10 excruciating weeks. I finished the class with an 89.9% (actual stat), so the professor gave me an A-.

So don't try to argue with me about what I am about to say because 5 out of 4 people don't know statistics.

Plenty of people say they know about building a network of customers and friends. Few are actually accomplishing anything. Here's why...

48% of salespeople never follow up with a prospect
25% of salespeople make a second contact then stop
2% of sales are made on the first contact
7 out of 10 clients will not refer business to you because they feel unimportant
80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact!

How does that saying go?: "The road to a lousy business is paved with good intentions." I say I am going to write a thank you note (and not an email). I say I am going to reach out to the guy I haven't seen in months just to see how he is doing.

I say I am going to the gym. Tomorrow.

Music, Memories and Emotions

2010-10-18T13:54:00.002-06:00

You know the feeling: a song from 20 to 30 years ago comes on the radio and it takes you back to your high school prom, a summer day at the beach with friends or to the exact time and location you first fell in love. Whenever I hear the song “Jet Airliner” by The Steve Miller Band, I am swept away back to the dingy, hot pizza parlor where I worked during college. If only that airliner could have carried me away. But what is it about music that can stir such vivid memories and emotions?

A researcher at University of California at Davis thinks he may know the answer: the region of the brain where memories of our past are stored and retrieved also serves as a hub that links familiar music, memories and emotion. The study’s author, Petr Janata, explains it this way:

“What seems to happen is that a piece of familiar music serves as a soundtrack for a mental movie that starts playing in our head. It calls back memories of a particular person or place, and you might all of a sudden see that person’s face in your mind’s eye,” Janata said. “Now we can see the association between those two things—the music and the memories.”*

Other studies have shown that music influences brain waves, blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and muscle tone. It provides many important health benefits. For example: Music provides a distraction from aches and illness, raising levels of brain chemicals (endorphins) that contribute to a sense of well-being; reaches otherwise hidden areas of the brain which allows a person with dementia who is unable to speak to be able to sing; provides a wonderful way for the cognitively impaired to remain present and aware of their surroundings; encourages seniors to remain active and makes exercise much more enjoyable. What would you rather do, dance or lift weights?; music can help improve sleep quality; it lifts up one’s spirit and improves their outlook on life, and is shown to be effective in reducing depression; and, music draws people out of isolation and brings them together!

Many senior communities host singers and musicians who play music from our residents’ earlier years. Also, a new DVD is available to meet these same needs in our residents, “Night to Remember,” a 35 minute short film musical created to aid seniors in accessing memories and emotions from earlier years. This film is a wonderful addition to any activity program. Contact me at kemulkey@gmail.com for details and ordering information. *Source: University of California Davis School of Medicine and UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento campus.

The Fun/Serious Paradox

2010-10-17T10:29:00.001-06:00

Conventional thinking says that if you want your business to be successful, you have to always be serious. Really? Someone better check with Southwest Airlines.

I can't remember which famous person said, "It's not so important to be serious as it is to be serious about important things."

There's a new ridiculously successful Mexican restaurant/tavern in my neighborhood. Queso you want to bathe in it's so good. Homemade tamales you can hardly finish. Cool decor. The staff take what they do very seriously, but they don't take themselves all that seriously. They have laugh, play, smile, hug. Ready for this? They have fun.

And of course, they work their tails off, go the extra mile, hustle all night long. They work very hard at accomplishing their mission, and have tons of fun making it happen.

Forget about conventional. Pass the queso.

Last Man Out

2010-10-14T20:28:00.001-06:00

Over the course of my life I have owned a plethora of books and tapes on the subject of leadership. Honestly, most of them sit on my shelves half-read and about one-quarter lived. Sure, I know that a leader is to be visionary, servant, decisive, teacher, guide, ad infiniteum. The following account of "The Last Man Out" tells me the real, authentic and humble approach to leadership:

The last of the Chilean miners, the foreman who held them together when they were feared lost, was raised from the depths of the earth Wednesday night, reaching the surface at about 8:55 p.m. ET - a joyous ending to a 69-day ordeal that riveted the world. No one has ever been trapped so long and survived.

Luis Urzua, 54, ascended smoothly through 2,000 feet of rock, completing a 22½-hour rescue operation that unfolded with remarkable speed and flawless execution. Before a jubilant crowd of about 2,000 people, he became the 33rd miner to be rescued.

"We have done what the entire world was waiting for," he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. "The 70 days that we fought so hard were not in vain. We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing."

The president told him: "You are not the same, and the country is not the same after this. You were an inspiration. Go hug your wife and your daughter." With Urzua by his side, he led the crowd in singing the national anthem.

Over dinner tonight I admitted to my friends that I would have wanted to be the FIRST man out. Think about the glory of being first - first to be rescued from the mine. First to hug the President of the country. First to hug my wife and kids. First to have my face shown in tens of millions of living rooms around the world. First to talk about what it was like "down there." First to wear the flag of Chile. You get the idea.

48 hours after the rescue began I honestly do not remember the first guy's name. I venture to guess that most of us will never forget about Luis Urzua. Although you may not recall his name, you will likely not forget the acts of bravery, courage, servanthood, humility and sacrifice he displayed on behalf of his men.

Yep, it's true: The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

Guess where I stand? Hey! How about you?

Getting Smart About Smart

2010-10-12T11:46:00.003-06:00

From Seth Godin's blog...

"Getting smart about the hierarchy of smart."

Don't talk to all your employees, all your users or all your prospects the same way, because they're not the same.

The Dreyfus model of skill acquisition posits that there are five stages people go through:
1. Novice
--wants to be given a manual, told what to do, with no decisions possible
2. Advanced beginner
needs a bit of freedom, but is unable to quickly describe a hierarchy of which parts are more important than others
3. Competent

--wants the ability to make plans, create routines and choose among activities

4. Proficient

--the more freedom you offer, the more you expect, the more you'll get

5. Expert

--writes the manual, doesn't follow it.

If you treat an expert like a novice, you'll fail.

The Crackberry

2010-10-06T16:24:00.005-06:00

I am beginning to see more clearly an epidemic that is poisoning our society: people really don't listen very well. In fact, not well at all.

In an age where there are more communication devices than ever before in the history of the world, it seems few people are really listening. It's appalling to me that people talk on their cell phone while the grocery clerk is scanning their groceries. In many homes the TV, laptop, cell phone, text messaging and actual live conversations (sort of) are all happening at once. But, nobody is listening.

Here's the one that takes the cake: in four separate interviews I was part of to work in seniors housing sales for the elderly, the interviewers were responding to text messages, emails and even took phone calls while they were meeting with me.

It's one thing that I don't matter to them; that's not quite so important. It is another thing altogether that the customer, an elderly person with a pressing need to move out of their home and receive more care, is not really being listened to and heard.

And guess what a seniors' #1 need is at this critical juncture in their life? You guessed it - to be listened to and understood.

America, you get a "deaf" in listening. You can do better. You really can.

Night To Remember (Trailer)

2010-10-05T10:57:00.000-06:00

Living Longer. Living Well?

2010-06-06T10:50:00.000-06:00

Eubie Blake, who lived to be 102 said, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” Due in part to advancements in medical care, our population is in fact living longer. In the next 10 years 77 million baby boomers will become senior citizens. A considerable challenge to our health care system is nearly one-third of those seniors, close to 25 million, will experience difficulty with immobility and loss of independence.

Providers of assisted living care exist to offer a distinct, viable option for those needing more help than they may be able to handle on their own, yet still live in a comfortable, residential environment. Since 1982, the Colorado Assisted Living Association (CALA) has been there to provide a unified voice for our members and the residents they serve.

Our membership is comprised of facilities ranging in size from those who care for a few individuals to those that care for hundreds. Large, small, for-profit and nonprofit there is a place for every type of assisted living community operated in Colorado. When you join CALA you are joining a professional network of assisted living providers.

CALA is experiencing revitalization on the Western Slope. It is our vision than anyone or any organization that is a provider of assisted living or who touches the assisted living community in some way may want to consider involvement and membership in CALA. Associate members include home care and hospice agencies, elder law attorneys, physicians, nursing homes, and senior real estate specialists.

Here’s how CALA can benefit you: By providing a forum for networking with providers statewide; a unified front to represent the Assisted Living industry in the community, state and local governments; a source of advice and counsel; educational opportunities; updates on legislation, regulations and items of interest regarding the assisted living industry.

For more information on CALA, please visit www.cala-co.org. Email us at info@cala-co.org, or call 1-800-866-3142.

Note: I am privileged to serve on the state board of CALA. Feel free to contact me at kemulkey@gmail.com or 970-208-2498.

My Hero Meets His Hero

2010-05-24T20:21:00.001-06:00

Last week Connor Ellison had the opportunity to meet his hero, Lance Armstrong. Last summer, I got to meet my hero, Connor Ellison.

Connor is battling a chronic liver disease that will eventually require a transplant. Last year Connor decided to be the youngest rider ever in Race Across America. He also decided to raise $100,000 for Organ Donation causes.

Yes, you got it. Connor decided.

Connor is about 85% toward his goal. Decide to contribute at http://www.teamdonatelife.com/

Know How

2010-05-07T20:23:00.002-06:00

I often notice in young leaders a tendency to take the easy way out and simply tell people what to do. "Do the laundry for 2nd floor south." "Pick up the trash on the grounds." "Create a spreasheet that tracks our petty cash account." "Develop a marekting plan for our business."

Handing out directives appears to work efficiently, until the manager discovers that the work is not done effectively and the employee is ready to quit in frustration.

Enter the seasoned manager who takes the time to show people how to do their job. I find that most new employees want to do a good job for their employer. They often don't know how.

Managers will only succeed to the degree they are able to develop "know-how" in their employees. My first boss (my dad) hired me in the summers to work at his marina on San Francisco Bay. He took the time to explain the job, show me how the job was to be done, watched me do the job, coached me on the finer points, then cut me loose to complete the job.

Consider the voice of strength and competence when you hear an employee exclaim, "I know how to do that!"

"...everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher."

The Price Of Pleasure

2010-05-04T21:16:00.000-06:00

Recently a friend of mine was complaining that she may not be able to "comfortably" afford a $5,000 trip to South America planned for the Fall. I have been pacing back and forth in my house trying to justify the $2,500 I am itching to spend on a new bike. I mean after all, the cycling is amazing here on the Western Slope.

Madison and Allie spent an entire evening flying paper airplanes out my back door, for absolutely nothing at all. The squeals of delight that echoed through my house as their hair blew in the wind and their homemade, old-fashioned, conventional-shaped paper airplanes flew in the thermals was nothing short of glorious to experience.

This evening I chose to sit down on my new adirondack chair (only $16.99 at Home Depot) on my back patio and just take it in - Madison and Allie flying airplanes, the tender leaves on the aspen trees shimmering in the breeze, the Spring snow on Grand Mesa and the deep satisfaciton of doing a day's worth of meaningful work.

Now that I've saved so much by sitting around, certainly I have the money to buy my new bike!

I'm Fired!

2010-05-03T20:16:00.001-06:00

In the past two months our company has turned over about 25% of our employees. Sure, not such great retention numbers for Q1 2010. And, it's costly on many fronts - vacation payout, recruiting costs, interview time, training, background checks, employee morale, unease in our residents, etal.

People leave jobs for a veritable plethora of reasons: layoffs, pregnancy, relocation, laziness, stealing, etc. In spite of what many people out there who used to work for me want to believe, I have never really fired anyone.

PEOPLE FIRE THEMSELVES.

If I'm doing my job as an operator reasonably well, it generally comes as no surprise when the time arrives to separate an employee from the company. In other words, people should never be surprised.

Just last week I invited an employee to sit down with me to talk about his performance, or lack thereof. He was moody, volatile, gossipy, lazy...you know, some of the stuff that causes a person to no longer have a job. Well, he stormed out of my office, slammed doors in the break room, cursed my name (what else is new) and stormed off the property. The guy fired himself by exhibiting the very behavior that was problematic in the first place. I merely handed him his final paycheck, with a smile.

Try out my theory. Watch the poor performers perform poorly. It's as if they leave on their own. Well, almost.

Who Says You Can't Live Forever?

2010-04-28T20:24:00.001-06:00

I'd like to introduce you to Charlotte. In about a month from now, Charlotte will be taking up residence at our community in Palisade, in Room 5. Perfect view of Mt. Garfield from her window. She will be able to get the scoop on all the comings and goings around our campus. Her room overlooks the courtyard. Prime real estate! But Charlotte doesn't care about any of that stuff.

What matters most to Charlotte is a) having a space for her organ, b) room for her treadmill, and c) having plenty of room for her friends to visit. Her priorities are very clear - her soul, her body and her sense of humor.

Two of her closest friends already live with us, and since Charlotte has a car (a 1995 Mercury with 40K miles on it), they plan to cut loose in the town of Palisade. Charlotte knows her limits - no driving at night and never all the way to Grand Junction, ten miles away.

Oh...almost forgot. Charlotte is 97 1/2 years old (she emphasizes the 1/2). She nourishes her soul and spirit, tends to her body and refuses to compromise her sense of humor.

'Nuff said...

Avoid Becoming A Dinosaur

2010-04-25T20:18:00.002-06:00

My mother tells me that she is planning to travel here to the Western Slope later this year. Part of it is certainly to visit me, her favorite child, but she also has a mission to accomplish. Mom wants to visit Dinosaur National Monument, the very last thing to do on her bucket list.

Here's just a few of the other places on her list: Crazy Horse National Monument, The Pyramids, The Galapagos, Great Barrier Reef, Kenya, Ireland, Niagrara Falls, Australia, Costa Rica, Grand Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Alaska, Columbia River cruise, Carlsbad Caverns, Death Valley, Machu Pichu, Mt. Rushmore, Great Lodges of the West, Yellowstone, Black Hills, and of course Bakersfield, CA.

At 82, my mom runs circles around most of the world. She inspires me to keep learning, even though as kids we dreaded all the family vacations in the family truckster to see things like steam coming out of the ground that smelled like rotten eggs. How nice.

My mom isn't planning on kicking the bucket any time soon. I bet she will even make up a new list once she has completed all the items on this one. Top of my bucket list? Visit Dinosaur National Monumnent with mom, of course.

After all, I am her favorite. Right mom?

The Real Work

2010-04-21T21:24:00.003-06:00

I find it rather bland to simply take care of the mechanical, mundane stuff of work. It's like reading the "Things To Do Around Town" section of the Grand Junction Sentinel. Things like adjusting the program calendar for residents. Or finding a new location for the med carts so our houses don't look so clinical. It can even become a rote task to execute pre-determined staffing models that will both ensure resident care as well as meet a budget proforma.

The real work is altogether different. It's risky, requires boldness, demands truth telling, asks for forgiveness and affirms others colorfully. And it builds a team. The real work virtually guarantees cohesion.

Unfortunately, the real work is often that which is left undone. Why? It's easier to pretend to be working by simply making rules, completing to-do lists, checking email, creating a new form, telling people what to do by leaving notes by the time clock, telling employees that what they are doing might get them fired, leaving early at the end of the day, ad nauseum.

Real work engages the heart. And where the heart is there is vulnerability, and an amazing possibility for connection among your people. That's how I choose to do it, even when there is defensiveness, tears, anger, rationalization, fear...and teamwork.

Do the real work. It's the work of people. It's worth it. You're worth it.

Speed Kills

2010-04-19T19:14:00.003-06:00

Today I was handed a dose of my own medicine. For over 20 years I have quoted Steven Covey where he talks about being efficient with things and effective with people. Being efficient means taking the least amount of time needed to accomplish a task, like reading email, sorting the mail, vacuuming the carpet, etc.

Being effective means taking all the time it takes to develop, coach, counsel or disicpline an employee. This morning I laid an egg on that one. In my Monday morning rush to get the week moving, I plain ran over an employee. Well, two employees. One quit. The other likely quit as well, at least emotionally.

When it comes to people, consider their world first. Words of truth need to be spoken, and sometimes the medicine is tough to swallow. Speak with kindness and understanding

Breathe. Light a candle, Put on a Yanni CD. Do some yoga. Take a walk. And slow down.

Paralysis Of Analysis

2010-04-17T10:18:00.010-06:00

This morning I spent a few minutes performing a few highly complex mathematical calculations so I could get a better idea just how fast certain things travel in the world. My tools - one $4.95 Office Depot calculator, one tall cup of coffee and one razor sharp mind.

Here are the results: The speed of light is 671,000,000 mph; the speed of sound is 768 mph; the speed of a NASCAR race is 190 mph (no wonder I hate NASCAR; its too slow); the speed of world record sprinter Usain Bolt is 27 mph; the speed of a wagon train (which is still an accepted form of travel in western Colorado) is 2 mph.

Sadly, the speed of business is often about .000001 mph. It is evident that most don't what to do, so they do nothing. Many businesses are just "hanging on" until the economy changes. Others have given up - you can find them at Starbucks with their laptops, appearing to be working.

I have chosen what I believe is a much more prudent way - be fast. By that I mean we cut expenses we don't need, like bottled water. We trimmed our payroll by 10% until we can justify adding back the hours. Our food costs were lowered significantly just by monitoring our portion sizes. Advertising makes us look nice and shiny: we have chosen to build referral relationships instead.

Sometimes my managers will ask me the timeline in making these changes. My answer is the same every time - now, and fast.

I reassure our folks that in one, two and three years from now we will be have very different conversations about the state of our business. I have no doubt that all of our campuses will be at capacity. We will bring back some of our programs and perks, perhaps even the bottled water.

In order to lead your organization to success, you have to be decisive, alert, bold...and fast.

Sorry For Nuttin'

2010-04-07T21:54:00.004-06:00

Over the past 30 years I estimate that I have been responsible for the oversight of well over a thousand employees. Until today, I would have told you that I had seen and heard it all.

Today beat them all by a Grand Valley mile. It started last week when I issued a written warning to an employee who was...ready...NOT doing her job. In fact, she was sitting doing nothing, and made no effort to get off her a** when I walked through the room.

I received a call from her manager this morning while on the way to work telling me that the employee was not going to report to work until I apologized to her.

Of course I didn't, but here's what I wanted to say, "You are lucky you have not been sued for resident neglect." That's how seriously we take our call to provide a safe, nurturing and enriching community for our customers.

Born To Fly

2010-04-02T13:16:00.008-06:00

I absolutely love what I get to do for pay every day. Some foolish people say they love their job SO much that they would do it for free. Well, I wouldn't. But, after 30+ years building my own career, I am now privileged to help others build one of their own.

Think about all the wonderful things you can do for your people: coach, train, support, affirm, teach, encourage, cheer, resource, assist, defend...its what people need most, in heavy doses.

And they will fly. Don't you dare tell MY people they can't be exactly who they are and do exactly what they are doing.

Watch out or the bird of happiness might do a little something on your head.

Keep walking...and look up.

High Water

2010-04-01T18:43:00.004-06:00

A guy named Laurence Peter came up with his very own Principle, which states: "People rise to the level of their own incompetence." His basic theory is that people receive promotions as long as they are performing well in their current role. Eventually, however, some people continue to receive promotions even though they are no longer competent to perform their duties.

I had an employee once who was the maintenance director at one of our properties, but never actually seemed to do much in the way of real work. The gutters were in desperate need of paint, the wood planters were falling apart before our eyes, the parking lot was cracked and crumbling, the dining room floors were disgusting. He just couldn't get his team to get projects completed

He was a director of a team of one - himself!

Every time I asked him why certain work projects were not being completed, he said things like, "It's hard to schedule projects because I never know what's going to happen around here." Curious, I asked for specifics. "Like... a flood," he said.

The last time there was a major flood in that area of the country was in 75,000,000,000 BC. Or thereabouts.

Before your people rise to the position of Chief Obstruction Officer, steer them in a new direction. Commit to helping them discover their talents. Don't hesitate to place them in a role that won't create a logjam in getting things done. Or, "make them available to the industry."

Keep walking...even as the water rises.

Marketing Budget: $1.75

2010-03-31T20:59:00.005-06:00

Pick up a book from the bestseller rack at Barnes and Noble and you can learn the latest and greatest marketing strategies that will guarantee record profits for your company.

The folks in Palisade don't care one iota about any of it. It is all about friendship in Palisade, especially down at the coffee shop at 3rd and Main. Call it word-of-mouth, networking or referral development and they will roll their eyes. Who cares about the buzzwords and hocus pocus formulas.

The other morning I stopped by to pick up a coffee to go. I finally got out the door over an hour later. The folks at the coffee shop were curious about the new guy in town. I left knowing that they will do whatever they can to make our business succeed, the senior care center "down across the highway next to the feed store."

These guys know the meaning of the phrase, "People do business with their friends."

The Eyes Have It

2010-03-27T22:07:00.003-06:00

Today's newspaper reported that the unemployment rate in my town is inching upward to around 10%. Given yet another oil bust on the Western Slope, the real numbers are certainly much higher.

But the unemployment rate for Ortiz is 100%. No matter how hard he tries, he can't buy a job.

I first noticed Ortiz about six weeks ago, at the corner of 12th St. and Patterson Road. His clothes were clean and sharp, all ready to go to work...if only he could find it.

As much as I tried to avert my eyes from the guy on the corner, I could not avoid the words on his cardboard sign, "Anything Helps." He obviously wasn't a great marketer, but he was believable. His face told the story of pain, loss, hope and longing for some semblance of peace.

Don't shrink back from making eye contact with the needs around you. One thing is for certain - YOU can make a dent, even in the life of one person. You will forevermore see the world in a new light.

Doing It Right

2010-03-24T21:42:00.001-06:00

This afternoon I had a chat with one of my residents about his recent trip to Shoe Carnival to buy a pair of shoes. There was only one problem - my friend only has one leg - his left.

So he picked out a nice "pair" of shoes that had a price tag of $50. Obviously the clerk could see that he only had one leg, so my friend began to bargain. Apparently that is an acceptable practice at the Shoe Carnival. He walked out with a pair of shoes that retailed at one time for $80, listed at $50 at Shoe Carnival and sold to my friend for $20. A $60 savings.

But there's more. Now he is placing ads in the local paper to sell all of his right shoes for $20 each, which of course means that he pays absolutely nothing for his footwear.

I'm still not sure what to make of it, but I DO know he is doing something right. What are you doing that is right in your life?

P.S. - I will be opening my first Sock Circus store in late 2010.

Packed Out House

2010-03-23T21:13:00.004-06:00

What drives you - to pack the outhouse, or see a packed out house? You get the difference. Some people make their plans fit the size of the house.. Others make the house fit the size of their plans.

One choice really stinks. The other choice wonderfully refreshes.

Its energizing when I embrace a vision that forces me look up, see farther and feel deeper. Recently I joined the board of the state assisted living trade association (CALA). Why? These folks are going somewhere, and the house being built is a mansion, not a little biffy.

Keep walking...and look up.

Row Your Boat

2010-03-22T20:49:00.002-06:00

There are few things that thrill me more than seeing ordinary people take on extraordinary challenges:

My son was one of the smallest kid in his class. Today he is competing in the octagon as an Mixed Martial Ars fighter.
Five months ago Angela worked the night shift as a caregiver. Today she is the manager of all the staff in that facility.
I know a guy who filed for bankruptcy three years ago, losing virtually everything. Today he is a partner in a company.
Five years ago Dave was told he would never walk, talk, read or write again. Today he does all of them, and is an amazing dad.
Just five months before competing in Race Across America, Jason didn't even own a bike. He has now completed the race three times.

"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ARK. Professionals built the TITANIC."

Given the choice, I'll take a group of people who possess raw idealism, loads of energy and boundless determination any day. The professionals often tell me they know best. Right.

Keep walking. Watch out for my son.

High Wattage

2010-03-21T11:47:00.027-06:00

Occasionally I will drop by unannounced at one of our communities, just to see what's going on around the place. Are the residents clean, active and happy? Is the staff emotionally involved in their work? Do the buildings smell fresh? Does the food taste OK?

I think it was some really famous and certainly quotable person who said, "Don't expect what you don't inspect." We certainly expect an exceptionally high standard of care and service in our company. The bar will always be set high - not to show people how much they have failed, rather to show them how much they have achieved.

Yesterday I stopped by our community in Palisade (the peach and wine capital of Colorado). Here's what I found: staff scurrying around trying to complete their tasks to care for residents and pass medication, the smell of home-cooked food wafting down the halls from the kitchen, a group of residents playing Wii Bowling, a couple of residents digging in a garden...and two burned out light bulbs.

Its easy to replace the lightbulbs. It is not so easy to replace bright, shining employees who are always reaching higher to create loving communities of care and service for seniors.

Steven Covey suggested we be efficient with things (light bulbs) and effective with people (employees). Invest the time it takes to develop people to become beacons of light for your organization.

Leading People Rightside Up

2010-03-16T23:35:00.001-06:00

Throughout my career I have directed orgnaizations that ranged from 5 to 350 employees. In large organizations in particular, because there are so many people to manage, a common knee-jerk reaction when employees mess up is to hang them by their toes in the break room so everyone can shame them. Its not exactly prime for morale, but it does get the message across - Don't screw up...ever.

But great supervisors take a different tack. They look in the mirror first to see if their employees have been adequately trained and resourced to do the job given to them. Recently I had to assess a situation where an employee failed to follow a protocol that was designed to help assure resident safety. Was she instructed and trained by our supervisors?

In this case, the employee was in fact oriented on our protocol. She simply did not follow it. The problem had to do with her motivation and her attitude. Unfortunately, she didn't care about following the company rules, lied about the situation and blamed others for work that wasn't done.

She doesn't work for us anymore. Duh. I have no tolerance for people who just don't care about performing the duties of their job thoroughly and with passion in order to provide a community of care for our residents.

Before you rush to judgment, gather together your key supervisors and make sure you do your job first - train, support, encourage and resource your people. Most of them will flourish.

Hang the rest by their toes.

But keep walking.

The 5 Minute Therapist

2010-03-15T21:15:00.004-06:00

Today I talked with a woman who worked for over 16 years as a checker in a supermarket here in town. Over the years Terri developed a cadre of fans who refused to go through any checkout line other than hers. It made no difference to shoppers how long the line was at her checkout stand. Managers finally gave up trying to encourage shoppers to use other checkout lanes, even when there were no other customers in line.

How in the world did all of this come about? Terri smiled, made eye contact, called them by name and simply asked them how they were doing. That's all? Well, not really. Terri meant it. She possessed empathy, creating a profound connection with her customers in just 3-5 minute encounters.

Think about it! People were willing to stand in long lines at the grocery store in order to experience authentic connection with another human being.

It doesn't take a long time to show empathy. It takes real time.

P.S. - Terri was scorned by management for the phenomenon at her checkout line. Just think what would happen in that store if the management instead tried to clone her. Can you imagine the amazing success of that store if all of their checkout lines were jammed with happy, connected customers who were thrilled to stand in line?

The 90-90-90 Rule

2010-03-14T22:27:00.001-06:00

Just about 10 years ago, when I switched direction in my career to begin working in seniors housing, there were times I thought I would be crushed under the weight of all there was to learn. So I took small bites out of the elephant and practiced things that needed to be applied today.

There was one critical principle that I clung to with my life: "90% of the time, people make a decision whether to move their mom to your community within 90 feet of the front door and within 90 seconds after entering your building." I figured that if we passed this critical test we would greatly increase our chances of success.

In my work as a consultant I have conducted several "mystery shops" of seniors housing properties, I have exprienced many of my subjects as abysmal failures in applying the 90-90-90 Rule. The parking lot is often scattered with trash. Nobody is around in the lobby to greet me when I enter the building. The list is endless. And operators across the country wonder why their occupancy is not growing and their business is not profitable.

In a struggling economy and an often overbuilt market, there is at least one thing we will seek to do well every single day - make our community warm and inviting and greet people eagerly when they come through the door.

Keep Walking.

Just Coffee.

2010-03-13T13:37:00.002-07:00

Due to the I-70 rockslide, I had to take the 110 mile detour through the metropolis' of Meeker, Craig, Steamboat, Kremmling and Granby to get back to Denver. In Meeker I stopped at the local General Store to get a few snacks to eat for the rest of the trip. What I wanted to get was a "large, no-foam, skinny, half-caff, caramel macchiato with two pumps of white mocha, extra hot."

The Grumpy Old Man behing the counter was not at all amused and said to me, in a barely intelligible voice, "This is a general store, partner."

So I drove on in to Steamboat and stopped at the Specific Store.

"All In"

2010-03-06T08:49:00.004-07:00

Recently I met with an Executive Director who told me she wants to be the best leader she can be for her senior community and the surrounding area. I told her that it will require her to dig down deeper than she ever thought possible to develop the knowledge, skills and ability to inspire others toward remarkable success. She said something like, "I'm all in." I believe her, because she backs down from nothing. Now we can do some real work to help her get where she wants to be.

But first she must cross the Icy Bridge.

Traveling along I-70 just west of Vail, Colorado there is a road sign that reads: "Bridge Ices Before Road." Of course there is an explanation of this phenomenon that has to do with Physics, but here's what it says to me: It is possible that you may not make it safely to the other side.

On the road to effective leadership, there comes the inevitable "slippery bridge" - those who make it across must exercise sound judgment, possess a bundle of courage, take big risks, ask for the help and the support of others and keep before them the thrill of leadership that comes on the the other side.

Push through the fear. And keep walking.

You Can't Fail

2010-03-04T19:57:00.006-07:00

I remember years ago attending various team building and success-oriented seminars where the participants would invariably be asked, "What would you try if you knew you couldn't fail?" An assumption in this exercise is that you could, and probably would fail at times if you risked and tried something new and daring. My gut gets fearful just thinking about the likelihood of impending failure.

What if instead you ventured into something new with the underlying knowledge that there is no way to fail. Listen to the question this way: "What will you try knowing you won't fail?"

In my work consulting with senior housing operators I choose to live in line with language that eliminates failure. I receive plenty of feedback from my efforts that is instructive in knowing how to proceed. Certainly, it doesn't mean that I will only offer great ideas and try things that work out perfectly. What it does mean is that I am free to be creative, generous, playful, foolish and brilliant. And to be wildly successful in building people and organizations.

Keep walking. You can't fail.

Golf Is A Simple Game

2010-03-02T20:06:00.035-07:00

The big sports news today is that Tiger is back home...on the range working get back in golf shape. Well, how nice. I'm in "pear shape", but the press pays me no attention. I can't imagine the rigor, discipline, time and focus it will require of him to return to the superior form of being the world's #1 golfer.

For Tiger, the game of golf is not his toughest work. Not by a long par 5.

The past few months has been the time when Tiger has done what is perhaps the hardest work of his life - to look inside himself, to see what has worked and what has not worked in his life. He has had to face his own demongs, his wife with truthfulness, the media and the public with an apology. For the record, Tiger owes me no apology. A new car and a condo in Hawaii would be nice, but only as a gift.

Doing significant work, whether it be the work of our soul, to build a business or to raise great kids...is real work. Its meaningful, life-changing...and hard.

Ten years ago I directed the start-up of an assisted living community in Sacramento. The CEO of the company told me when he hired me that it would be the hardest thing I have ever done. Well, it was actually harder than that, and one of the most meaningful, rich, life-changing experiences of my career.

Look, I know golf is hard, because I played it...once. And I do hope Tiger returns to the top of his game. I have a hunch that for the rest of his life golf will be a whole more simple compared to the work of exposing, healing and growing his heart and soul.

I just want to make sure I am at the top of mine, and doing work that really matters - work from the heart.

Keep walking.

Wii For The Blind?

2010-02-28T14:57:00.014-07:00

In my work with clients in the senior living arena, I often ask sales teams to talk about what business they think they are in. What are they really "selling?" The answers I get are as varied as the weather patterns in Colorado: "I am selling spacious apartments." "I am selling a 'cruise ship on land';" the senior community where she worked looked more like the S.S. Minnow after it's three hour tour, but I did see the Howells in the dining room. Some sales people actually believe they are selling themselves, which is very 70's...and wrong.

No matter what your business, what you are really selling is solutions. Providing the solution(s) is the easy part. The real work is in uncovering the needs (problems) of your customer.

When I first worked in senior housing over 10 years ago, I was so enamored with our product, I thought we were actually in the business of selling grand staircases, sparkling chandeliers, roll-in showers and chef-prepared meals. One time I witnessed an overenthusiastic salesperson attempt to sell our wonderful "feature," the new Wii bowling (the rave in senior housing these days), to an individual who was legally blind.

If you really want to sell the right solutions, be sure to ask the right questions. Asking questions and listening to another's situation takes t-i-m-e. Fight the temptation to jump to your "pitch", assuming you already know what the customer needs.

In my graduate training in counseling I was trained to slow down and listen to people, which meant not talking all that much. Can you imagine? Afer that, offering a solution is pretty straightforward. Often times the customer comes up with the solution on his/her own. The blind person who was looking for a senior living community was most concerned about no longer having to navigate stairs. We could have provided a solution for her need, if only we had paid close attention and actually listened.

Some famous person said that it is virtually impossible to listen your way out of a sale. Say that again?

Keep walking.

The Man In The Mirror

2010-02-27T13:44:00.007-07:00

If you promise not to tell anyone else, I will let you in on a little known secret about the single greatest problem I have faced as a leader. Ready? Its myself. My natural talents (and my grandiosity) lend themselves to wanting to create gargantuan change in people and organizations in a way nobody else has ever acheieved. I don't really care what they said about Rome; I am different. I can do it...in a day.

I am different alright, and a fool to think that I have some superhuman power that can effect lasting change overnight, as if I rule the world. Here's the rub: trying to keep up with this all-powerful, all-knowing ideal compromises my authenticity.

Plus, the job of ruling the world has already been claimed by someone else.

In the book The Adversity Paradox, the authors write that we have lots of mirrors in our lives - parents, coaches, teachers, clergy who look us in the eye and tell us what we're doing well and how we could do better. But the older we get and the farther up the career ladder we go, we tend to leave those mirrors in the drawer. The best leaders get accurate and timely feedback.

It does not need to be lonely at the top. An authentic leader lives grounded in reality, which only brings power and clarity to his ability to impart vision, develop people, build a team, exercise sound judgment and communicate effectively.

Keep Walking...in a new direction.

Always Carry A Briefcase

2010-02-26T21:42:00.007-07:00

My friend Eric Swanson says that the definition of an expert is someone who carries a briefcase and travels more than 50 miles from home. I carry a briefcase (with a shiny new laptop inside) and travel close to 250 miles one way each week for work. If Eric is correct, and he usually is, then I guess that makes me an expert.

If only it were that simple.

Becoming an expert at anything is a grueling journey. Expertise takes thousands of hours of study and preparation, practicing your new found knowledge, falling flat on your face a bunch of times, asking for help from others and then eventually experiencing some semblance of proficiency.

Today I talked with a relative of mine who is an Account Manager for a beverage distributor. She is the top performer in her division and wins countless awards for her work. How does she do it? She told me that she shows up each day 100% mentally engaged in her work and invests at least eight full hours (usually more) each day. She builds strong relationships wherever she goes so that she can leverage the success of her own business as well as that of others. Tonight she is reading books about her product as well as studying for a mangement class offered through work.

She has earned the title "expert." Of course, she is my daughter. I bet she even carries a briefcase.

Keep walking...in a new direction.

Stay Curious

2010-02-25T21:28:00.001-07:00

My mother is the most curious, knowledge-hungry, growth-oriented person I've ever known. On family vacations as a kid it seemed that just about every time we fell asleep in the backseat, mom was stopped at what we later renamed "hysterical landmarks." I mean, class was always in session with this woman! Just yesterday she sent me a picture of her kayaking across a lake to do a little birdwatching. Going on 83 and NO sign of slowing down. She has just one more adventure before she completes her "Bucket List:" she is going to Machu Pichu in the Fall.

I got my sense of curiosity from my mom. I came by it honestly. Right now I am reading about how people change. I am learning about a whole new part of Colorado as I do some consulting for a senior housing provider. Last night I got back from a Christian Men's Retreat in the mountains. I have launched a new business called New Shoes.

New Shoes is about asking clients to step into new ways of being and behaving, and asking them to step into the shoes of the customer and walk awhile. Or as comedian Steven Wright said, “Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do criticize him, you’ll be a mile away and have his shoes.”

Keep Walking.

Green Light

2010-02-18T12:11:00.004-07:00

I've been noticing lately a powerful resistance people have to change. Yet there is a wonderful paradox in play: the resistance is actually a green light that change is already in progress. If there was no push back to the opportunity for someone to change, then I would know that change did not matter to them at all.

I see this with clients; they know that change must occur for their businesses to be successful and for them to have some semblance of job longevity. But to actually try something new? No way. I say at least not yet.

Dr. Marvin called it "Baby Steps" in his groundbreaking book that helped Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) heal from his phobias. I call it trying it on. Experience the resistance.

Keep walking.

Lace 'Em Up

2010-02-14T12:36:00.001-07:00

In the 2010 Olympic Winter Games you will notice, if you pay close attention, that the difference between winning a gold medal and finishing third with a bronze medal is razor thin. Sometimes .0001 seconds, or .25 inches. Often a winner has to be declared by photo-finish technology.

Can you imagine training for four years and miss a medal by just one millimeter, one goal, or a thousandth of a second?

In training senior housing teams for success, they often miss by a mile. And it doesn't seem to really bother them, as if success is granted to the lucky ones. Is some of it luck? Sure it is.

Here are some ways successful people get "lucky" - They show up early and leave late. They pay attention to the details. They surround themselves with other successful people. They go through times of failure. They continually try new things (in snowboarding new moves and tricks come along constantly, which raises the level of performance for everyone). They form a bond with their teammates. They practice a jump, course, ramp, run or a routine until they get it...perfect.

Like never before, success requires us to sweat the details. We see it in the most amazing athletes in the world. We can actually see it in ourselves, if we change our minds about how to be at the top.

Step into some new shoes. And start walking.

No More Beige!

2010-02-04T15:33:00.001-07:00

No wonder I feel so tired at times. I spent far too many years working my tail off to just fit in...somewhere! With the cool kids, the religious conformists, the folks who kept their heads down and their mouths shut, the ones who tried to follow all the rules and the guys who dressed in the finest clothes you could go broke buying from Nordstrom.

None of it worked. I am really bad at following all the rules and keeping my mouth shut. Sure, this edgy way of living has caused me some trouble along the way. And it has also breathed incredible freedom into my existence to create, dream, connect, feel, and produce great results. Trying to fit in is boring, and it leads to a life of mediocrity. Average. Beige.

Please, any color other than beige.

Orange County, CA is beige, where far too many people open their beige garage door in the morning, get in their beige mini-van with a cup of beige coffee in hand to drop off their kids at the beige elementary school then drive to work and sit in a beige cubicle all day except to eat lunch in the beige break room. I used to live in Orange County. I was very, very beige in those days.

I want to stand out. It's really the only way to attract the kind of attention that will allow you to connect and create success in your life.

The speed and style of business simply does not allow for rule-followers, the drone factory worker, the guy in beige.

I say go for pink.

Quieting The Lizard

2010-01-28T10:21:00.001-07:00

You may know about Seth Godin, who in my opinion is THE marketing guru to follow. Read his blog, read his books. His stuff will turn your head inside out, your life upside down (or rightside up). You will scratch your head a lot and be forced to think differently about your life and your business. Virtually every day I face my resistance to be bold, to go for broke, to speak out and speak up and not compromise my convictions...

How can I explain the never-ending irrationality of human behavior?
We say we want one thing, then we do another. We say we want to be successful but we sabotage the job interview. We say we want a product to come to market, but we sandbag the shipping schedule. We say we want to be thin but we eat too much. We say we want to be smart but we skip class or don't read that book the boss lent us.
The contradictions never end. When someone shows up and acts without contradiction, we're amazed. When an athlete just does the sport, or when a writer just writes the words, we can't help but watch, astonished at the purity of their actions. Why is it so difficult to do what we say we're going to do?
The lizard brain.
Or as Stephen Pressfield describes it, the resistance. The resistance is the voice in the back of our head telling us to back off, be careful, go slow, compromise. The resistance is writer's block and putting jitters and every project that ever shipped late because people couldn't stay on the same page long off to get something out the door.
The resistance grows in strength as we get closer to shipping, as we get closer to an insight, as we get closer to the truth of what we really want. That's because the lizard hates change and achievement and risk.
The lizard is a physical part of your brain, the pre-historic lump near the brain stem that is responsible for fear and rage and reproductive drive. Why did the chicken cross the road? Because her lizard brain told her to.
Want to know why so many companies can't keep up with Apple? It's because they compromise, have meetings, work to fit in, fear the critics and generally work to appease the lizard. Meetings are just one symptom of an organization run by the lizard brain. Late launches, middle of the road products and the rationalization that goes with them are others.
The amygdala isn't going away. Your lizard brain is here to stay, and your job is to figure out how to quiet it and ignore it. This is so important, I wanted to put it on the cover of my new book. We realized, though, that the lizard brain is freaked out by a picture of itself, and if you want to sell books to someone struggling with the resistance (that would be all of us) best to keep it a little more on the down low.
Now you've seen the icon and you know its name. What are you going to do about it?

Noticing

2010-01-19T10:43:00.010-07:00

Every day I am presented with the opportunity to help someone. Sometimes I do, I don't other times. I say I care about the homeless in my neighborhood, yet sometimes I just walk right on by them without saying a word.

Yesterday I saw a guy sound asleep on a chair at the back of the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Downtown Denver. The man was apparently homeless; he was dirty and greasy and stunk to high heaven. I just walked away. Why?

I have devoted much of my life to caring for the elderly. I am embarrassed to admit that sometimes I don't stop to help them. Why?

Daniel Goleman, of Emotional Intelligence fame, talks in depth about the subject of compassion. Watch his presentation here: Daniel Goleman on compassion | Video on TED.com

Take time to wake up, look up (or down)...and notice.

Having The Least Means Being Grateful The Most

2010-01-18T20:32:00.003-07:00

A part-time math tutor in England came up with some strange formula to determine that today, January 18th, has been given the name "Blue Monday," allegedly the most depressing day of the year. It has to do with some combination of weather, breaking one's new year's resolution, debt from the holidays and other senseless factors. Anyway, here is Mr. Arnall's formula: [W+(D-d)] X Tq / MXNa. Here's a little secret; real math dudes like me say the formula makes no sense.

Sadly, for many people, every single day is a like a Blue Monday. I hear whining about how hard their job is, how boring their job is, how underpaid they are, how they can't wait until 5:00pm, how they can't wait until Friday, etc. Makes me want to scream. Well, I have. Man, if some people only knew how fortunate they are to have a job when 1 in 5 people in America do not.

This week on the West Coast it is raining cats and dogs (there is no clear etymology for this phrase. Thanks for asking. I checked). California, as much as you don't like to hear it, you do need the rain! No more complaining on Facebook how its time for sunshine and summer weather; this is January for crying out loud.

But here's what really gets under my skin. Seems some folks find it their mission in life to complain...about something, anything, everything. The weather, their job, the price of lettuce, the line at their favorite restaurant, their home not selling, their raise wasn't what they expected, their new iphone is not downloading certain apps, the bike shop didn't open early enough.

Its funny (but not really), some of the guys who live around my neighborhood simply never complain about anything. They are most grateful for whatever they have: a new coat, a hot meal, a warm place to sleep, a buck for some coffee, or somebody to make eye contact with them and simply smile. Yep, you got it - these guys have no place to live. We call them homeless.

So here is a fascinating paradox - Those who have the least express gratitude much more than those who have the most.

Please Don't Forget

2010-01-17T21:21:00.026-07:00

The other day I read a somewhat troubling article in the New York Times about the plight of the elderly who live on farms and rural towns across America.. Small towns that used to be a hub of activity and support have virtually disappeared. The cafe on Main Street, where seniors would gather for coffee and community are now long gone and boarded up.

Many counties just don't have the financial resources to serve their needs, such as home nursing care, meals on wheels, companion care, transportation and even senior centers that once buzzed with activity in towns that no longer exist.

In states like Wyoming, where folks eked out a hard fought and humble living working on ranches that were often passed down to them from many generations ago, the sunset years are simply not what they hope they would be. Their children and grandchildren have gone off to college then chose to settle in Denver, Los Angeles or New York, never to come home to place from which they came, like Torrington, Wyoming.

Yet, as much as we might prefer to write about them, talk about them and analyze their situation, there remains a responsibility for their families and those of us in senior care industries to do something.

My take is that any one of us will simply not get the job done by ourselves. Resources have to be pooled: from for profit companies, dwindling county services, volunteers, family members, law enforcement and others.

I don't want to be one who forgets our elders. In 30-40 years, if I live that long, I don't want to be one who is forgotten. Living out my latter years all alone is my single greatest fear (I hope my kids read this!).

Please don't forget the vulnerable people in our society: the people on the streets, the elderly, those with critical and terminal illnesses, the mentally ill, the poor, the lonely, those with broken hearts...

I Would Rather Be Boiled In Oil Than Ask For HELP.

2010-01-11T20:02:00.007-07:00

In the English language there is a simple, one syllable word that millions of people, including me, are deftly afraid to say: "help." A word so tiny that even a mouse could say it. For much of my life I would have rather died than ask anyone for help.

"What if they see me as weak?" "What if they see me as needy?" "What if they say no?"

What if... they say yes?

Recently I decided to try an experiment; on the subject line of some of my emails I have written something like, "Reaching Out For Help." When leaving a voice mail for someone I have said, "Please call me back as I need your help/advice/insight on _____."

The responses have been nothing short of astounding. Virtually every person has responded favorably, and quickly. Do you wonder why? I think its pretty simple; people really like to be helpful. They love to share with others what they know.

Now you know what I know.

2 Ears, 1 Mouth. What's That Again?

2010-01-07T10:00:00.010-07:00

Recently my mom went to visit a few senior living communities near her home in the Bay Area. She tells me that she was going for the free lunch and to see the kinds of places her aging friends are moving to. Aging friends? My mother has no idea that she is 82 years old and may one day benefit from living in what she calls an "Old Folks Home." She threw away the calendar about 25 years ago and embarked on a new journey to health and well-being. But that's another amazing story...

Here is one of her insightful observations about her tours (a really lousy word) of several retirement communities:

Not one person asked her anything about herself and what she may want and need.

Sure, they were quick to tell her about their "levels of care" (whatever the hell that means - her words), the private dining room, outings on the bus (which make her gag), the fabulous food, 24 hour staffing and on and on. The popular approach to selling "features and benefits" really only has one thing wrong with it - it's wrong. It doesn't really work; not anymore, in a time when customers are pretty doggone savvy about senior living.

Here's the rub: my mom does not care one bit about the features and benefits that sales people drone on about. My mom, like every other person looking at senior communities only cares about what she cares about.

So I took some time, with my mom's help, to distill a few of the nuggets I have employed over the years along with the sales and marketing teams with whom I have worked:

Our benefits are only benefits when they benefit the customer.
My need to have them move in does not mean I meet their need.
The closing is less important than the opening.
Always ask permission to ask them questions.
Fall in love with the customer, not with your feature-laden community.
If you feature dump you will most likely be dumped.
People don't have a need if they don't know it exists.
Follow through keeps them from falling through (the cracks).
We have to become safe before they will move to where it is safe.

My mom used to tell me that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. I forget the reason because I didn't listen all that well.

See the point? Ask. Listen. Ask. Listen. Try it on - you will be amazed at how successful your business will be.

Mulkman

Want Job Security?

2010-01-06T10:38:00.004-07:00

The National Senior Living Providers Network (nslpn.com) recently released the results of a survey about a variety of trends related to the provision of service to the aging population. Here's a few of stats that are bound to warm the hearts of baby-boomers:

Close to 12 million Americans will turn 65 years old every year for the next 20 years according to the US Census Bureau. That's 24 million more by the year 2030.
Every eight seconds, another boomer turns 50.
By 2020, 20% of Americans will be over 65.

Here's some good news - if you want job security, go to work in the Senior Care industry. For the past 10 years I have found working with seniors to be very rewarding. A local rag here in Denver refers to a senior as anyone 50+. I hate them.

Just think, some of you boomers may be able to get a job caring for your friends!

Mulkman

Tiger Woods latest scandal update: A call to Christianity by Brit Hume creates controversy (video)

2010-01-05T10:05:00.001-07:00

Tiger Woods latest scandal update: A call to Christianity by Brit Hume creates controversy (video)

Posted using ShareThis

The 10,000 Hour Rule

2010-01-04T17:07:00.004-07:00

Back in the early 80's I decided what I wanted to be when I grew up: a Public Speaker. It made good sense to me because a) I already knew how to talk, b) I liked to learn and read about new stuff and c) my job pretty much forced me to do public speaking (which they failed to disclose upon hire). So I set out on a long journey to be an "expert" public speaker.

Because of my work on college campuses, there was an abundance of opportunities to do some public speaking, so I went after them with abandon. It really didn't matter to me if the audience had 5 people or 5,000 people. It didn't matter if they listened to me or not. I did notice a lot of really sleepy people in the audience, so I knew I needed practice!

According to Malcolm Gladwell in his best-selling book "Outliers," it takes about 10,000 hours of practice before we can consider ourselves be an expert performer in our field. I am very glad I didn't know about the "10,000 Hour Rule" when I was ramping up my public speaking schedule; I may have given up.

But I pressed on. I actually asked professors if I could speak in their classroom. Yes, I was terrified at first. I spoke regularly at fraternity and sorority meetings (this is where people really didn't not listen). I served as a chaplain to athletic teams, spoke at retreats and conferences, ate a lot of rubber chicken to speak at local civic group functions and even got up the guts to speak on the quad at Colorado State. For 10 years I was privileged beyond words (ha-ha) to speak to a few hundred college students every Friday night!

Baseball great Albert Pujols works on his swing year-round, for hours at a time. In his major league career alone, he has been to the plate 5146 times. He is considered one of the greatest hitters of all time, and he's only 29 years old. Certainly, he has well over 10,000 hours of practice, and it shows.

So find a role for which you have passion and talent. Go after it with abandon. Get some training. Find places where you can use your talents as a volunteer. Look for growth opportunities at work. Ask for feedback. Repeat.

Keep swinging. You will hit a home run.

Don't Confuse Me With The Stats

2010-01-03T20:18:00.005-07:00

So let's see if we can clear up some things about the job situation in America and answer the following loaded question: - How is the job market really doing? Is unemployment slowing? Are jobs being added? What industries will be adding jobs, if jobs are indeed being added? Who will be cutting staff in 2010? What does it really mean that jobless claims were down in September but up in December (or was that up in September but down in November)? What percentage of jobs will be part-time positions?

Does it all seem muddled? Check out this article from the Denver Business Journal that reports on a recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder, which is guaranteed to make it even less clear:

CareerBuilder: 1 in 5 U.S. employers to add jobs in 2010

Yesterday I wrote about 9 choices make right now for 2010. Here's a 10th, especially for job-seekers; stop reading the news!

To be continued....look for job-search tips.

Mulkman

9 Choices To Make in 2010 Starting Right Now.

2010-01-02T10:07:00.071-07:00

I have been listening to people say recently they "hope" 2010 is better than 2009. Me too! I dare say that wishing something to be different rarely makes it so, except in fairy tales. No matter what my doubts, fears or circumstances may tell me, it is up to me how I will make 2010 different.

Here are 9 things to begin doing right now:

FIND A MENTOR. Most of the time people are very responsive when someone says, "I need your help." But you have to ask.
VOLUNTEER. I bet there is a cause or two that stirs your soul. Give yourself to it with your T-I-M-E. It is not enough to say you will pray for them or throw a few bucks their way. Get your eyes off yourself and become involved.
FIND CLOSE FRIENDS. I have learned that I can get through just about anything with my friends surrounding me. Open up to them. Listen to them. Laugh with them. Stay close by them.
GIVE SOMETHING AWAY FOR FREE. I read recently about a guy to bought a bunch of Kindles and gave them to clients. I give a buck to a guy on the corner every time I stop at that light. Write a blog and put it out there to the world to enjoy. Give lots of money to me.
MEDITATE FOR 15 MINUTES A DAY. Take time to slow down, read the Bible or an inspirational book. Be mindful that you aren't in charge - surrender your desire for control.
GIVE A COMPLIMENT. Look up, make up eye contact and say hello so someone. Tell them that the sweater they are wearing makes their blue eyes "pop." (what a weird thing to say).
USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. You know more than you think you know. When I take a few minutes and review my LinkedIn profile I'm amazed at what I have been privileged to experience and learn over the years. Share it!
CALL PEOPLE BACK. You will be in the 1% club if you do so. Goes with answering emails that request a response.
MANAGE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA TIME. Ouch! I need to spend far more time on LinkedIn in 2010 than I do on Facebook. Sorry for abandoning you my fb family.

I am not a huge fan of people saying vague things like, "I want to complain less," "I want to smile more," etc. Its about choice, folks. Want to smile more and complain less? Make some choices to get close with people. Change will happen. You watch.

Learn.
Serve.
Love.
Breathe.
Give.
Contribute.
Share.
Manage.

Mulkman

Let Each Moment Be A New Beginning

2009-12-31T11:12:00.016-07:00

When we celebrate New Year's Day, we celebrate the rebirth of time.

We wait for God to do new things.

We wait for who we are, and who we are to become.

We wait for the coming of grace, for the unfolding of Mystery.

We wait for the always bigger Truth.

We wait for the vision of the Whole.

But we cannot just wait. We must pray. Our prayers then start naming and defining us. When we hear our own prayers in our own heart, we start choosing our deepest identity, our biggest future, and our best selves.

PO Box 12464, Albuquerque, NM 87195-2464 (505)242-9588

www.cacradicalgrace.org

And The Band Played On

2009-12-30T17:39:00.025-07:00

On April 15, 1912 the Titantic, thought to be unsinkable, rammed an iceberg in the North Atlantic and was taking on water - fast. As the story goes, there simply weren't enough lifeboats to safely rescue the 2223 passengers on board. As a result, 1517 passengers died in the icy water, making it the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history.

But there is another sub-plot to the tragedy; the Titanic's Band. The eight member band gathered in the first class lounge in an effort to keep the passengers calm and upbeat. The band continued playing, even when it became apparent that the ship would sink, and all members of the band perished.

I've seen it time and time again in business operations; there is trouble, the ship is taking on water, but the staff continues to do what they have always done: check their email throughout the day, re-organize their files, vote for employee of the month, water the plants in the parking lot, produce reports with really cool graphs, audit files, stock the break room with snacks from Costco and of course make sure they hold a monthly birthday party for employees.

Years ago I supervised a senior housing community with an occupancy of about 50%, and sinking - fast. The General Manager was incensed that the company placed so much emphasis on occupancy (and profit) and not enough on resident care. I replied, "You are running out of residents to care for!"

The Captain of the Titanic assumed he would be able to see the dangers ahead and steer clear - after all, the ship was said to be unsinkable, right? As a business leader, it is critical to look up, keep your eyes wide open, and look far down the road at what lies ahead.

Don't be fooled by the music.. Instead, face it.

Facebook As Life

2009-12-29T20:35:00.009-07:00

So I've been thinking the past few days about starting a new Facebook group: "Facebook Anonymous." One problem is that my "FA" group wouldn't really be anonymous; you have to disclose your identity when you sign-in to your account. But here's the really cool part - people can "attend" a sort-of online recovery group, right on Facebook, to help them recover from the very addiction they have in the first place - Facebook!

A vicious cycle, perhaps? Of course, because in reality nobody I know really wants to recover from their Facebook obsession. People say they do. I read occasionally of someone who is going to "swear off" Facebook for a week just to prove (to whom?) they can do it. Others report that they are only going to view status updates and not make any comments. OK, that was me, and my promise to keep my mouth shut lasted about 30 minutes, while I was at the grocery store.

Besides, my friends on Facebook tell me they need me. They beg me to post status updates and make them feel good about their live. Some say they fear PTSD symptoms once I get a job and don't have time much for them anymore. I mean, we all live in a "safe and supportive community" on Facebook. Everyone smiles, has insightful things to say, posts famous quotes, plays mindless games like Farmville, suggests we watch the funniest youtube video ever, promotes a cause nobody has ever heard of and lets us know what they are currently preparing for dinner - it is all so real-to-life!

Coming to grips with our Facebook obsession would mean having to face our meaningless, mundane, empty and utterly pathetic lives, where we might be faced with having to recover from the real issues in our lives. Never mind that...

Time for a status update!

Jobs For Jocks

2009-12-28T12:15:00.003-07:00

Some friends and I used to joke that there are those with "hard skills" and those with "soft skills." We believed that the soft skill people didn't stand a chance in the job market compared to the hard skill guys - the ones who actually had real, tangible skills that could be readily used in the workplace. Us soft skill guys felt second class because all we knew had to do was lead people, facilitate meetings, multi-task, play well with others, motivate ourselves and have a good time. Somehow we thought these skills weren't enough; they were too squishy.

Well, there is good news for the soft skill group. I just read an article called "6 Soft Skills That Could Land You The Job." The author says that employers today are looking for someone who has qualities that go beyond the nuts and bolts of the job description; if you actually do know how to install nuts and bolts, do you have the skills to work as part of a team to make the job go faster?

No, you don't have to have it all. Be honest about your weaknesses and failures. But be ready to tell a few stories about you handled a certain situation, especially in today's world of "behavioral interviews." Behavioral Interview Questions

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

2009-12-24T09:39:00.001-07:00

I know, this is the time of year to be thankful for all we have, as I have written previously. I AM thankful. I am also a bit miffed.. This morning I posted the following comments on facebook:

The Obama's beach house in Hawaii, $56,000; Air Force One, $1.6M; Secret Service, $500,000; Misc expenses, $200,000. The conservative estimate of $2.5M would feed 1,600,000 homeless for Christmas dinner. The cost of the President staying home like most Americans and being a true leader of a nation in crisis (his word) - Priceless.

30,000,000 Americans are without health care. True unemployment numbers are around 17-20%. The plight of the homeless soars by the day. People are staying home for the holidays in record numbers - they simply can't afford to travel to seen Grandma. And our President is going on vacation to his "home state," "his roots," or however our idiotic press chooses to spin it. We even "get" to watch video on network TV of the home he and his family will be staying in for the Holidays!

You've heard the saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." Our Leader is living by this axiom at one of the most tattered times in American History.

One of my unemployed (and broke) friends helped hand out 500 toys to poor kids, gave clothes to recently released prisoners and helped hand out several hundred hot burritos to homeless people on a frigid day in Denver. And he does it all with no fanfare and no media around to broadcast it across the nation. He does it because it is the right thing to do; because it matters; because the needs are rampant.

There is a foundation in Colorado that will match every dollar donated at 50 cents on the dollar. If the $2,500,000 spend on the Obama's vacation were donated, the total would be $3,750,000, capable of feeding.2,500,000 on Christmas Day.

Simply, do what you can, and nothing needs to be said about it.

Rethinking Christmas

2009-12-23T10:28:00.027-07:00

In 2009 I have been given the opportunity to rethink Christmas; millions of Americans have as well, given the current economic landscape. The great news is that there is overflowing abundance when what we have left is family, friends, perhaps a cause we are passionate about and a spirit that can't be crushed. Rethinking Christmas

Remember, everything you want for Christmas you already have.

Hole In The Head Gang

2009-12-20T20:35:00.008-07:00

Last week in Denver a total of 14 banks were robbed. Can't you just see it...the bad guys are huddled around their loot at the local Denny's, counting up their cheap pens, heart-shaped sticky notes, coffee mugs, a few t-shirts left over from a bank fund raiser, and some IOU's asking them to come back in 2011 to collect. I mean, did these yahoo's actually think they would get money from these banks?

Well OK, so the money and unemployment crisis in America is not so funny, really. However, my friends and I refuse to lose our sense of humor about the Big Old Whoppin' mess. My friend bet his roommate a whole dollar today on the Broncos vs. Raiders game. He would have bet more, but it was the one and only dollar he had left. No kidding. I told him he should have bet a million bucks, but he is a bit risk averse these days. The Raiders won, in Denver. Nothing could be finer. Well, a job would be nice.

I admonished one unemployed friend not to bother jumping off his balcony in a leap of despair and despondency - he only lives on the second floor. Mostly it would just hurt bad and he would look stupid to the people walking by on the sidewalk wanting to "mind their own business." He does have a nice car, big screen TV, cool leather chair and an awesome CD collection - perhaps if he tried the 25th floor? Hmmm....

Our gang of brothers minds each others' business - its the only way we can keep their heads about us. Rob a bank? Nah, I already have enough cheap pens that don't write. Otherwise, I'd be selling them on the 16th St. Mall.

You CAN make it through this time: How To Live Happily on 75% Less

The $100,000 Boy

2009-12-18T11:16:00.008-07:00

Every so often I am asked, whether in a game, personality assessment or a job interview, to name my heroes. Whether by nature or by conditioning (or both), my tendency is to name a gargantuan figure like Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Derek Jeter or...Myself.. For 2010, I have decided on a new hero - Connor Ellison. Who? Let me tell you a little about this 12 year old young man.

Connor has what's called Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis, a disease of the liver and pancreas. I understand that in time Connor will need a liver transplant. But Connor refuses to be slowed any of it - he plays football, rides a bike and possesses a keen sense of humor, just like most other boys his age.

Connor is currently training to enter a grueling cycling event called Race Across America, along with seven other teammates, including his parents. Connor is aiming for the sky with a goal to raise $100,000 for organ donation awareness. Check out Connor's blog and make a financial contribution at Connors Journey

Keep Connor in your thoughts and prayers as he heads back to Stanford Hospital for more surgery just after Christmas. He will off the bike for a few weeks as regains his strength. But the dude just won't quit. He's my guy in 2010.

Values To The Core

2009-12-14T09:41:00.003-07:00

As I work with folks who are looking for employment, I tell them how important it is to get to know the company as best you can. Scour their website, find people from that company on LinkedIn, look in the Business Journal and go through their dumpster out back :-)

This morning I was reading about an opening with Catholic Healthcare Initiatives, a faith-based, not-for-profit health care organization that operates hospitals throughout the country. I read their core values, fully expecting that I would come across what I often read on websites - rehashed and tired verbiage that seems, in my judgment, to lack meaning. But, the core values of CHI jumped off the page. Check 'em out:

Reverence: Having a profound spirit of awe and respect for all creation, shaping relationships to self, to one another and to God and acknowledging that we hold in trust all that has been given to us.
Integrity: Moral wholeness, soundness, uprightness, honesty and sincerity as a basis of trustworthiness.
Compassion: Feeling with others, being one with others in their sorrows and joys, rooted in the sense of solidarity as members of the human community.
Excellence: Outstanding achievement, merit, virtue; continually surpassing standards to achieve/maintain quality.

I will highlight one phrase: "...acknowledging that we hold in trust all that has been given to us." My talents, my belongings, my friends, my children, my finances, my job. All of it has been given to us.

Plenty to ponder today. It doesn't matter what I "get" for Christmas; it's already been given to me.

The $5 footlong

2009-12-13T10:24:00.018-07:00

I bet you have never heard of Stuart Frankel, the guy who owns a couple of Subway sandwich shops in Miami. Stuart came up with the "$5 footlong" idea (can't you just hear that annoying jingle?), a short-term gimmick to boost his sales in the struggling economy of South Florida. Soon Stuart had lines out the door. Eventually his idea spread to 32,000 Subway outlets nationwide, generating $3.8 billion in revenue for the company.

Sometimes its the "little guy" who makes the biggest difference. When I became the Executive Director of a struggling senior care community in Denver, it was an unwritten policy that all residents needing assistance were to live on the same floor. Why? Because it was easier for the staff. But one employee suggested we allow residents to choose an apartment that best suited them, wherever it was located in the building. Then we would bring care services to the them in a way that more was most convenient...for them! Brilliant. That simple idea was a huge factor in the community growing from 82% to 100% in just eight months.

So here's an idea - seek out the ideas and suggestions of your staff - all of them. Then, try out their ideas and see how it goes. Some will bomb. Trust me, many of mine have. As author Tim Downs used to say, "Just because an idea doesn't work now doesn't mean it wasn't a good idea." When the idea does work, take them out for a $5 footlong.

Fresh ideas keeps things fresh. Take it from Stuart.

911 Husband Down

2009-12-11T11:26:00.021-07:00

Earlier this morning I was doing some reading on marketing senior living communities. I know, interesting stuff. It is no secret that it is a tough time to do so with the economy being what it is, the rise of services and equipment that can be brought right into the home of seniors and the plain old fact that they want to live at home, not the "home" of someone else, one they often refer to as a facility.

I came across a fascinating article, written by the folks at Mature Market Experts, suggesting that perhaps with the rise of the do-it-yourself home improvement industry, more seniors are doing all they can to stay home...and do it themselves. Or as my kids use to say, "I can do it by myself!" Ah, the fight for independence and self-sufficiency - part of being human, whether young or old.

The article goes on to discuss the exponential increase in risk as older adults attempt to do things around the house, like climbing a ladder to hang Christmas lights. An article in the Winnipeg Free Press takes a bit of a lighter look at climbing ladders, which in all seriousness is a much greater issue for men as it is for women. You can read the article here: Falling off Ladders? It's a Guy Thing.

The moral of the story - Sell for safety.

The World's Toughest Bike Race

2009-12-10T16:30:00.022-07:00

I like to tackle really hard things. As a former colleague would say, make "Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals." In 1982 I ran the Boston Marathon, running a time that placed me in the top 1% of finishers. In 1985 I began to lay the foundation for what became, over the next seven years, a wildly successful development program for college students.. In 2000 I was hired to lead the start up of an upscale senior community, which quickly rose to prominence in the local market. In 2005 a friend challenged me to train for and compete in Race Across America, the world's toughest bike race. Naturally, I took it on.

Of course, I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. The first thing I did was buy a road bike. Then I began to ride it, logging close to 20,000 in two years to prepare for the race. We assembled a team, recruited support crew members, raised money and handled literally hundreds of little details in preparation for the race: Oceanside to Atlantic City, NJ - 3042 miles.

Leaving San Diego felt like just another day out on a ride. All of the normalcy seemed to change in an instant when the sun went down that first night. I mean, who in heaven's name would ride on the shoulder of Interstate 10 at midnight, weaving around pieces of shredded tires, avoiding the rumble strips and dodging strips of scrap metal, all the while semi trucks are whizzing by next to me at 70mph.

Well, I would. Over the years I have taken scores of personality assessments, tests and inventories. All of them indicate one very clear trait - I'm competitive...I love to win. I want to be the best. In sports, as a dad, building census in a retirement community, running marathons and competing in Race Across America.

In RAAM 2007, I didn't come close to my goal, which for us was to finish the race. I withdrew at the 1,000 mile mark in Trinidad, Colorado. I had prepared with precision for the race except in one critical area - I was not at all prepared to not finish the race. In racing they call it a DNF - Did Not Finish. But Kent Mulkey finishes everything! Except this time.
Here's what happened: I suffered from dehydration in the hell-like heat of the Arizona desert where I received two units of IV fluids), sleep deprivation, an imbalance in some medications I was taking, an under consumption of muscle rebuilding protein, as well setting an early pace that was unsustainable became the "perfect storm" that did me in.

But one day I will be back to compete in RAAM. My plan is to achieve my goal of making it to the finish line in Annapolis. Loads of people do. Up for the challenge of a lifetime? Visit the RAAM website at www.raceacrossamerica.org.

Level The Playing Field

2009-12-05T21:51:00.007-07:00

This morning I didn't want to get out of bed. OK, well I did want a cup of hot coffee and the newspaper, with my slippers on and the heater cranked up. So I got up because there was nobody else around to make the coffee. But here is where my day diverged from the usual; I met up with a group of folks to give burritos to homeless people down at Civic Center Park.

Yep, you read it correctly. I did something today I have never done before. And I sit here tonight wondering how I could have lived all these years and missed the beauty of what happened today. In a brief orientation before we hit the streets the coordinator mentioned that we may meet people who are angry, scary, defensive, feel insulted, etc. In my experience, there was none of that. I met men and women who were grateful for some hot food and some human contact. There were smiles, hugs, pats on the back, thank-yous. And you know what? They each had a name - Steve, Victor, John, Dave...wait, Dave was with me, but did down about four burritos.

Today altered my life. Three hours out of my day, 1.7% of my week was spent reaching out to people. People...Period. The "homeless" tag vanished while these guys. The playing field was leveled immediately. Sure, as I drove to the park I carried plenty of judgments in my head: 1) I'm better than they are, 2) They are homeless because they are lazy, 3) They're screwed up, and on and on...
But today we were just people hanging out together. We all brought something to the party. We just happened to bring the food. They brought the love, the smiles, the gratitude.
I talk to folks daily who are out of work and wondering how they are going to make it through this economic downturn. Many tell me that there is a fine line between where they are today and living in Civic Center Park. Seriously.
Some days I sit down and actually write down what I am thankful for. Things like: the heater works, the coffee is hot, I am breathing, I have a computer that connects me with a bigger world, my friends who surround me, my amazing kids, the ability to stop at Qdoba and pick up a burrito. Of course, could go on.
As one homeless person said, "Don't Talk About Us, Talk With Us."

Denver lost 48,600 jobs over the last year - Denver Business Journal:

2009-12-03T16:49:00.003-07:00

More bad news about the job market can take the wind right your sails. I do all I can to not come across news or other information that will further discourage me about the job market. Hey, I already know its tough. There are far too many of us who scratch and claw and slug it out every single day to land a job, and can get downright discouraging!

But here's the paradox; sometimes hearing some "bad" news makes me feel just a little bit "better." OK, not really better like I feel great about it all. Better in that it puts things in context. Basically, I am able to rid myself of the narcissistic thinking that sometimes believes it is only ME that is without a job, it is only ME who can't find a job and it is only ME who is not really qualified for most jobs anyway.

It is not me. It is not you. It is the reality of our economy today. Hold your head high. Review regularly your accomplishments, skills and talents. Go to every interview you can, even just to practice.

Keep at it, even though there are 48,600 fewer jobs in Denver. Feel better now?

Denver lost 48,600 jobs over the last year - Denver Business Journal:

Five, Free Effective Ways to Make Your Employees Better

2009-12-02T16:23:00.006-07:00

This article originally appeared on www.openforum.com

Not long ago, the hot water heater in our home went on the fritz. I knew enough to try to light the pilot light on my own, but in the end, I ended up having to call a repairman.

When the repairman arrived, he took the time to explain each part of the hot water heater to me before he even started and told me what his diagnostic plan would be. As he tried different things, he eventually came to the conclusion - in a very clear and articulate way - that there were two separate concerns with the heater that would require the replacement of enough parts that I should consider a new heater. He then walked me through some of the considerations I should think about before deciding which way to go and gave me some resources to look at.

The worker was so competent and impressive that we eventually had his company replace our water heater for us - and he did the work. Afterwards, I shook his hand and thanked him for his efforts.

He said, “Thank my boss. I’ve been doing hot water heaters for fifteen years and everything I know came from him.”

This employee was well-mannered, courteous, knowledgeable, and thoroughly impressive - so much so that I brought repeat business to that company. What kind of relationship brings about that kind of employee - and that kind of loyalty?

Later that day, I called the owner of the company and told him that his worker was quite impressive. The owner let me in on five little tactics that he attributed this successful relationship to - that, in other words, turned a good employee into a great one.

And, no, they don’t involve throwing money at the problem.

First, show the employee exactly how you want the job done. If you want the employee to just replace water heaters, just show them how to turn a wrench. If you want the employee to be courteous to the customer and explain things in detail, show them how to do that, too. You can’t expect greatness if you don’t provide an indication of what greatness is.

Second, encourage them to work on their people skills. The classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People is a real home run here. The book effectively breaks down the mechanics of interacting well with others into little bite-sized pieces. Every once in a while, drop one of these pieces on an employee and show them how to use it on a customer - or another person - to positive effect. Quite humorously, the business owner was a single guy and he said that he often illustrated Carnegie’s points by using those exact mechanisms to pick up women at a bar when going out with employees. He’d then encourage the employees to copy that success - and when they did, they’d also be practicing a “people skill” that could be utilized in the workplace.

Third, don’t be afraid to compliment good work. Many employers are afraid to compliment too often, as it may give an employee an inflated sense of worth. Instead, a better approach is simply to compliment improvement. This means that when an employee is first getting started - and has low confidence in their work - you’ll dole out lots of compliments, as their work is improving rapidly. Later, though, when they’ve built self-confidence, you don’t need to dole out compliments nearly as often. A self-confident employee is a reliable one, one that will make you money.

Fourth, don’t completely knock down bad work. Every employee - especially a new one - is going to do it wrong to begin with. Instead of starting off by informing them where they went wrong, tell them first where they went right. Then identify just a small number of the biggest flaws in what remains and tell them - don’t make a long laundry list of mistakes for them to process. End with an encouragement.

Finally, show trust. If an employee repeatedly shows that they’re capable, show them you know it by extending your trust. Allow your employees to handle some of the billing themselves. Allow your top employees to supervise new ones. Allow your trusted employees to make minor situational decisions on your behalf. Showing someone worthy of trust that you trust them results in a positive for both of you - you have less of a burden to carry and their self-worth gets a large boost.

Be A Friend, Not A Fiend

2009-11-27T18:53:00.015-07:00

I spoke recently to a friend who recently accepted a new job "selling" hospice care services. OK, so some still want to call it marketing or community relations or referral development. I won't get hung up on the lingo for now. But let's all agree on one thing; it's selling. Thank you for agreeing with me.

Perhaps a bigger question is "What AM I selling?" I hear this question quite often in the health care arena. I have friends and associates who are buzzing all around the City of Denver peddling their services; home health, home care, hospice, assisted living, skilled nursing, you name it. Hundreds if not thousands of them. Most of them will fail. They will? Yes, so I will let you in on a secret; the people who are experiencing great success in their efforts to sell their products and services are The Friendly Ones. Yes, it really is that simple.

For years I have taught sales teams a very simple principle, "People do business with their friends." Unfortunately, not enough people really get this fundamental principle. I call it fundamental because it is fundamental - it is the single most important thing for any salesperson to practice. I know what some of may be thinking; there is a plethora of sales reps out there who smile, say the right things, carry that annoying pitch to their voice, give big hugs, ad nauseum. You can see right through to their act and insincerity. All they care about is the transaction that is taking place between you and them at the moment. Now I am not about to go the length of saying these folks are diabolical in their intent, but there sure is a huge difference between being fiendly and being friendly!

The friend I mentioned above who is now "selling" hospice care services is the embodiment of the be friendly principle. She went into "hostile territory" at a senior community where many hospice providers had gone before, and had not really delivered on their service promises. Trust me, they were not at all excited to see her; yet another hospice agency is calling on us? As is always her style, she didn't push it. She didn't try to sell them anything. But wait Kent, did you not just say that this IS selling? Keep your pants on!

Here's what she did; she offered them a relationship with herself. To make a long story short, they bought. They bought her kindness, authenticity, knowledge, compassion for the sick and dying, trustworthiness (she got to know them over time). A transaction occurred. Hardly seems like buying anything, but rather like being given something. Yep, the gift of an ongoing, trusting, mutually beneficial relationship.

The senior community is doing business with her hospice agency because they can't imagine doing business with anyone other than her...because they are friends. Not BFF. Just friends.

Give Thanks...No Matter What?

2009-11-25T15:24:00.012-07:00

Every morning I read a short devotional by Fr. Richard Rohr. Today he wrote about the Biblical character Job, the guy who had more things go wrong in his life than I could ever imagine. As I was reading and reflecting, I began to chuckle about Job not having a Job. OK, so the play on words may not be so funny in times like these in our country, but it did lighten the moment, for a moment.

Not only did Job not have job, he almost didn't have a life.! Virtually everything had been stripped from him: his family, his home, his health, his wealth; even his hair. I can relate to that one. He was grateful for what he DID have. He had his life up until the day it might have been taken away. He had lost his family, his health, his wealth, his home. But he was alive...barely. Sure, Job could have complained to God that he was entitled to a large bank account and a 401K, a nice house in the suburbs, wife and kids, a fancy car, country club membership...you get it. But here is what Job said, "Naked I came into the world, and naked I will leave." What? He had nothing when he came into the world, and he will leave with nothing. Zilch. Zero. Not a thing. Not even a job.

So many out there are fighting for financial survival. Even for the highly qualified, jobs are often hard to come by. Often the toughest part is to practice the perspective of Job. He was grateful.

Nowdays we call it Thanksgiving. So here's the challenge: What am I thankful for, no matter what - my 3 great kids, an incredible circle of friends, an elderly mother who is healthy and active, a nice place to live in Downtown Denver, a reliable car to drive, etc. Happy Thanksgiving!

I Would Rather Die Than Sell!

2009-11-24T10:43:00.005-07:00

As I talk with people about their career goals it is pretty easy for them to use job titles like: "Business Development," "Marketing," or "Community Relations." But in heaven's name they do NOT want to use the dreaded "S" word - sales. If you are interested in building a business of any kind, be it your own or as an employee for another company, I am sorry to say it folks, but you will have to S-E-L-L. When I was just out of college I had a job doing fundraising for a nonprofit organization. I sat in the living room of a wealthy businessman to ask him for a sizable chunk of money. The problem was, I never asked. As a result, he gave no money. At the time I thought he was cheap. Years later I realized what invaluable lesson he taught me. When I first started out in senior housing 10 years ago, we were mostly "order takers," even with a high-end product on the market. Sure, we did have to ask for the sale, but it was mostly a simple, warm invitation that went something like this: "We would love to have you live here." Those days are mostly over. The good news is that senior housing operators, consultants, wealth management professionals and even real estate agents are growing their businesses, because they have mastered the art of selling.

Can't Beat Father Time

2009-11-21T09:52:00.008-07:00

Many nights I lie in bed and look out at the lights of the city wondering, "Where did the time go?" Sometimes it seems as though my kids were born last year, not 24 years ago. When I was 24 the years ahead seemed infinite. There was plenty of time to do all that I wanted to do, I thought lazily. A career to develop, kids to raise, a marriage to nurture, a graduate degree to obtain, a difference to make in the world.

And now it all seems to have happened so damn fast. Close to 30 years have flown by since then. Of course, I realize that life is not over; far from it. It just feels that way sometimes. Hey, just being honest here. Yet, I have dreams; I dream to go back to Race Across America and finish it. Dreams to continue to make an impact in the world of organ donation, a mission that has taken hold of me. I dream of the friendships that are now developing with my adult children, and perhaps one day hanging with my grandchildren (I will feed them candy and coke all weekend, let them stay up as late as they want, forgo naps, and then give them back to their parents a the end of the weekend). There are chunks of time in my adult life that seem blank to me. I know I went to graduate school in the early 90's, yet it seems I didn't really fully live those years. I had my nose to the grindstone (why would anyone want to put their nose on a grindstone!) and didn't take time to slow down and look up and see the world. How in the world did I drive 75 miles one way to attend class, work a full-time job, have some semblance of a relationship with my wife and be a dad to kids who were 6, 6 and 5. Certainly I missed some important time with them. I am sad about that. But Seminary was not a complete waste because I am about to impress you with a couple of important concepts about time. Get a pen and paper... The Greek word "Chronos" refers to quantitative time; the constant ticking of the clock that we can do absolutely nothing about. From chronos comes the word chronological - the linear, methodical passing of time. As much as we (I) may want to, I can not beat Father Time, whoever he is. Another Greek word for time is "Kairos," which refers to the qualitative aspect of time, or what some call "redemptive time." Kairos is all about how we use the time we have. Am I investing it or wasting it? Sorry, there is no saving it up to use later. We don't get to bank it. I know of no other person who lives the Kairos concept of time better than my friend Brad Cooper. Brad squeezes every ounce of time and energy out of every day. If you handed Brad a soaking wet towel at the start of the day, it would be rung completely dry by nightfall. I mean how does a guy maintain a great relationship with his wife, be an amazing dad to his 3 kids, coach or attend their sporting events, run a successful business and maintain a level of fitness that ranks him as one of top triathletes in the nation? I'm tired from just writing this stuff down! Truthfully, Brad is extremely energizing. He makes me want to live more on purpose. Coop "redeems" his time. He knows he won't get another minute today than the one he has right now. Coop told me about the time he took his daughter to swim practice, where most parents, including me, would sit on the pool deck and read a book. Not Coop. In order to get in an extra swim workout, he jumped in the pool to swim laps. I mean, the dude cranks out miles on his indoor trainer in the living room while the family is gathered around the TV watching "The Biggest Loser!" How ironic is that! So I am faced with what I am going to do today to life the time qualitatively. Well, there will be some time with my daughter. I have a great book to start reading. And I may even take a nap. What? Some famous theologian who's name I can't remember now said that sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is to take a nap. Ha! Justified. My mantra for several years has been, "I don't know how long I will live, but I do get to choose how well I live." Although I coined the phrase, feel fee to use it and call it your own.

Welcome Back!

2009-09-30T19:37:00.007-06:00

Ahhh...it's nice to be back. Man, 3 months away from writing. I guess I could say it's just because I decided to take the summer off. Thing is, I took time away from "me." I know, it sounds so Boulder-ish to say it that way. Seriously, it goes like this: work hard, fall asleep, work harder, fall asleep, work even harder, but can't go to sleep, watch TV late at night, not sleep and then work harder. Worth it? Hardly. So now I have some time to take a fresh look at how I tend to live my life. What I see in myself and in the lives of thousands with whom I have encountered is that when I am truly living from my strengths (or natural talents), my life tends to humm... More later. Gotta rest.

As Good As Gold

2009-06-01T13:45:00.006-06:00

Many of you have been very supportive over the past five months as I have searched relentlessly for a job. In just two more days, I will begin my work as Director of Business Development with Select Specialty Hospitals in Denver. Check out the company at www.selectmedicalcorp.com. But here is the most important part of the story: treat every single contact you make as valuable as gold. You may not know today where a connection will take you tomorrow. Where I am today in securing a job was built by linking contacts together little by little over the months. Here is how it progressed, beginning in early February:

Attended a free job search seminar sponsored by Jobing.com, where I was instructed to go home and immediately create an account on LinkedIn.
Attended a seminar from Integrated Alliances that taught me how to build a network using LinkedIn, primarily using groups.
A fellow job seeker and sharer of several groups contacted me to see if we may be able to be of support to each other.
She began sending me job postings (and I did the same for her).
One job seemed to be a fit, so I applied. Heard nothing.
But, on that site was the opportunity to sign up to post your profile and resume on a health care related site. Begrudgingly, I did so. They take a long time to complete.
Five hours after I posted a profile, I received a call from a recruiter in Florida, asking me if I would be interested in looking at a business development job in Denver.
Of course I said yes. The firm was terrific in coaching me through the process - how to interview, etc.
Official offer was received on May 29th.

Lessons? Sure. Keep at it. See everything as a potential connection. Say yes to LinkedIn requests (this is your business life, not your love life. There is no reason to be selective). Ask for and accept coaching, like I did from Healthcare Scouts. These guys are fantastic! Make no apology for how long you have been out of work. It doesn't matter. I could go on...and I will, continuing to build my network of kind and generous. people. Your town is full of them. Oh, one more thing: the network I have built over the past five months was a huge selling point to my new employer in obtaining this job. Everything has a connection, even if you can't see it today.

Don't Lose Your Head If You Get the Ax

2009-05-07T11:17:00.007-06:00

Each week I receive an e-newsletter from Harvey Mackay, author of "Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive." I have reproduced here his entire newsletter from this week. Wish I had this advice four months ago when I began my job search. The good news is that I have it now. I hope you are encouraged by it as well...

When you have lost your job, you need to do four things: Get help. Get good advice. Get stabilized. Get busy.

Don't try to tough it out on your own. As soon as the ax falls, negotiate your departure. Circumstances vary, and finding another job may take longer than you anticipated. Protect your interests as well as you can.

Whatever is being offered, make sure it's fair. You can, and should ask for more severance, reimbursement for unused vacation time and sick leave, outplacement services, office space, office supplies, secretarial help and even tuition.

Are they getting tough? You get tough. Hire a lawyer if necessary. In case you consider this advice anti-management, remember that no management bigwigs let themselves get fired without hiring the best legal advice available.

Government assistance for the unemployed? Why not? You've been paying for it all these years—just in case something like this ever happened.

Now is the time to talk to friends, relatives, old schoolmates, customers, vendors, business associates and professional advisers. They may not be quite as interested in hearing about your troubles as you would like them to be; they may be expecting their own bad news too. But put the word out that you are on the job hunt and would appreciate any help.

So focus on the positive. You have something to offer. By helping you, all of the people whose assistance you solicit are helping themselves as well. They're helping put you back in a position where you can do them some good. They're piling up points for the time they may need the same kind of help.

You need to know where you stand and where you're going. You need to take an inventory—financial, professional and emotional. It's time to revise your budget. There are advisers who will tell you to cut down on everything. Not me. You can't cut down on your medical needs. Keep lines of communication and transportation open—you need to be accessible and available for prospective employers.

Borrow if you have to, perhaps from yourself. If you have equity in your home, interest rates are low, and now is a favorable time to consider a home equity loan or refinancing. What about Mom and Dad? Can they help you start your own business or go back to school?

I believe in education as a kind of capital improvement in the structure of society. It's a good investment. Don't be hesitant to borrow, particularly to replenish your professional inventory. In fact, self-improvement is the one area in which you should really increase your spending, not decrease it.

Take courses. Upgrade your skills. You cannot ever afford to rest on the skills you learned in high school or college or your last job. The workplace is filling up with people who graduated long after you did and who have acquired newer, more efficient skills, who are young, eager and hungry to show those skills to employers. Keep on going to school. Enhance what you already know and pick up new material on topics like computers, language, public speaking and writing.

Nothing impresses me more as a potential employer than someone who is out of work but still actively going to school. In fact, what excuse is there for not being in a school of some kind when you're not employed? It's the true test of your determination to get into the workplace to present an up-to-the-minute, trainable, quality package to a potential employer.

If you were fired, it's a great way to prove to yourself and others that you're capable of bouncing back after a setback. It's a real confidence builder. It's the best single thing you can do for yourself.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker will have 12-14 job changes in the course of a lifetime and will undergo five career changes.

Get a routine. Like yourself again. Spend some extra time with the kids. Read. Have a little fun. Get some exercise. Get busy. None of us have time to sit around feeling sorry for ourselves.

There are worse things than not working. Like not getting ready to go back to work.

What's Wrong With People!

2009-05-04T18:52:00.012-06:00

Back in the early 1990's I attended graduate school in the study of psychology, to find out, in essence, what is wrong with people. THE book to carry around on campus is an ominous tome called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (isn't that a fun title?) which is probably close to 600 pages in length. I spent countless hours and thousands of dollars learning a "language" to describe what is inherently wrong with people.

Although I am very grateful for the education I received, it makes my stomach churn to think that for the next 15 years I devoted much of my time trying to "fix" people. Its as if people were broken, flawed and with serious things wrong with them. It is common in the field of counseling to slap a label on someone, such as "she's nuts." OK, seriously now! Now I am learning another way. For starters, there is nothing wrong with people. They are not broken and in need of fixing. In fact, everyone has been gifted with inherent, golden, precious areas of talent. In my work with people I am choosing now to focus on what is right with people, guiding them to understand those talents, develop them with knowledge and skills, and see them become full-blown, powerful, world-changing strengths. As I continue on in my own journey to find a job, it is becoming more and more clear that this is really about finding a place to use my strengths. Yes, I have some of this stuff before in here. I love the growth and greater clarity that comes with time, experience and greater knowledge. Repeat after me: "What is wrong with me? Nothing!"

As Winter Turns To Spring...

2009-04-27T11:12:00.006-06:00

...it seems that Spring is turning to Winter. There is snow on the ground today. I got to thinking this morning that this is not how it is "supposed" to work, at least not how I would make it work if I were "in charge." Isn't Winter "supposed" to roll smoothly into Spring? But I don't get to be in charge: not of the weather, and not how long it will take for me to find employment. This is the start of week 16 in the job search. Will it be this week? Perhaps. Will it be 16 more weeks? Maybe. Back in January I was sure that it would only take 3-4 weeks to find a job. Wrong. But is it really about being "right" or "wrong?" Nope. I think it really is all about accepting what is - the weather, the economic climate, unemployment, a flat tire, being out of creamer for my coffee and even the Broncos draft picks. Acceptance is how I want to roll, and Winter just doesn't always roll smoothly into Spring.

Lauren Mulkey Wins Mt. SAC Relays 1500m

2009-04-17T15:08:00.009-06:00

W 1500 H02 (Univ-Open) 1500 | Puma Mt. SAC Relays on Flotrack

After two years of aggravating injuries, including a broken foot, Lauren Mulkey returned to top form in winning the Mt SAC Relays 1500m to qualify for the NCAA Div. I Regional Championships to be held in Eugene, OR. 2009 is Lauren's final season of an eight year career that started as a high school freshman in 2001.

It is not uncommon for high school athletes, who climb like a rocket to success, to also drop like a rock into athletic oblivion. Career-ending injuries, changing priorities or a collegiate program that does not allow them develop their talent often contribute to the disappearance of these once well-known and promising athletes. Lauren hung in there, and simply did not let anything stand in the way of completing her collegiate career, and do so at the "top of her game." Lauren stands out from her peers for that very reason alone. It is often called fortitude. There is every reason for Lauren to be proud of what she has accomplished on the track. More important, Lauren has shown the kind of determination, character, work ethic and endurance rarely seen not only in athletes, but in people in general. I bet if you ask her, you would hear her talk about how athletics is not simply about "now", but rather it has preparing her for the rest of her life. Lauren will live a life of success because of who she is, not because of what she has done. Best of luck to you in Eugene, Lauren. With around 1500 Facebook friends, there will be plenty of people rooting for you.

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You Can't Go It Alone

2009-04-15T16:16:00.007-06:00

Dave is a survivor. I mean a true to life survivor. He came back from a horrific car accident that left him with a major brain trauma. He stroked on the operating table at Swedish Hospital. A week later when he came out of a coma, he was moved across the street to Craig Hospital. Not many patients walk out of Craig. He was told that he would never walk, talk or be able to work again. Today, almost five years after Dave's accident, he can walk, talk, work, reason and be a great dad to his son. This morning we had coffee and laughed until we cried. He talked about where he wants to go next in his career. Dave is stepping out. He wants to get back in the game. He wants to grow his career. Here is what amazes me about Dave - he knows he can't go it alone. He knows his weaknesses. For example, he is not able to take what is in his brain and put it down on paper. The thoughts just won't transfer. He asks me for help in that area (as if I am much help). He keeps people around him who can help him get around and through where it is challenging for him. How Dave lives is simple, but not easy. He will not give up, which is sometimes the hardest thing in the world to do.

Heartbreak Hill

2009-04-09T08:11:00.010-06:00

I remember it as though it were yesterday. 27 years ago this month I had the privilege to compete in the Boston Marathon. The "Granddaddy" of them all. That was back when the entry fee was five bucks and a T-shirt was another 5 bucks. That was also back when the race was broadcast live on NBC. Someone said they saw me on TV, but that may have turned out to be legend. The story, as with most marathons, is what happens at around the 20 mile mark (the marathon distance is 26.2 miles). Some laugh when I say this, but it really is quite easy, if you have trained well, to run the first half of the race. Around mile 16 the "hills" begin. By Colorado standards it would be difficult to even distinguish these ascents as hills. The toughest of the four hills comes at about mile 21 - the famous Heartbreak Hill. Heartbreak Hill lives up to it's name; not because of the ascent (it only rises 88 ft over a distance of 0.4 miles) but because of where it sits in the race. It wasn't all that tough to get over it - the tough part was the prospect of running the final five miles of the race down Commonwealth Avenue into downtown Boston. It was at around mile 22 that I "hit the wall." It was not because I had not trained well. It was not because I went out too fast early in the race. It was not because of the 22 miles already covered. It was because I had not taken care of my body during the race - I had not hydrated well or restored glycogen levels. Here's the kicker (no pun intended), it was now too late for that. Water, Gatorade, Power Bars, etal. would not have helped me one bit at that point. I was on my own, just my legs and my determination. As much as I have told myself over the years that I don't wish to do life that way, I seem to do it anyway. I deprive myself of the very things that will supply me with energy and endurance: I continue to go too hard. I don't eat well. I stay up too late. I worry unnecessarily. I isolate myself from nurturing people. I don't take time off to relax... You get the picture. Life's a marathon, not a sprint.

The Electric Job Seeker

2009-04-04T09:20:00.012-06:00

Often, when people are in the process of looking for a job, there is a tendency to jump at the first opportunity that comes along. What makes it even worse is when the job seeker comes across as desperate to the one doing the hiring. I've done it, and have generally been passed over for those jobs. It is seen as a form of begging. Benjamin Franklin teaches us a way of persuasion that requires patience and endurance. Perhaps you are thinking that your patience is just about up and your endurance feels like you are near the end of a marathon, when your legs can hardly move you forward. But Ben assumed that people are won over slowly, often indirectly. Here are five of his bargaining strategies:

Be clear, in your own mind, exactly what you are seeking.
Do your homework, so that you are fully prepared to discuss every aspect and respond to every question and comment.
Be persistent. Don't expect to "win" the first time. Your first job is to get the other person thinking.
Make friends with the person with whom you are negotiating. Put your proposal in terms of his or her needs, advantages and benefits.
Keep your sense of humor.

Let's look at little more closely at each of these tips. First, be clear about what you are seeking. It is pretty easy to say to the other person, "I need a job." Trust me, that won't get you even half way to first base. It is critical that you be able to articulate, in a sentence or two, exactly what you are looking for. Here's what I said to a business owner just the other day: "I am looking for a place to use my talents in leading people, effecting organizational change and driving exceptional results." Second, do your homework. How much do you know about the company? Have you researched them on the internet? Have you sought out ways to meet people in the company who can tell you about the culture, priorities, etc? Look on LinkedIn at who may be working at the company or knows something about it. Third, be persistent. When I met with the business owner the other day, I knew that I would not get the job on the spot. But, I made him think (I think). I knew the market where he is going to plant his new business. I am connected to people who may be able to help him succeed. I have had success in the kinds of jobs he is seeking to fill. I even asked him when I could start. Fourth, makes friends with the other person. It was incredibly refreshing to talk with this gentleman about our kids, cycling, the great neighborhoods in which we lived, etc. Last, keep your sense of humor. Man that is tough when you are looking for a job! What is so funny about trying to find a job? I believe there is always something to laugh about. I had lunch with my former boss the other day who I had not seen in close to 15 years. As always, there was plenty of stuff to laugh about! Harvey Mackay tells the story of witnessing a business training exercise that illustrates how persuasion can be used to produce the desired result. The leader drew an imaginary line on the floor, and put one person on each side. Then she told each to convince the other to cross the line to come over to his side. Interestingly, the players from the United States almost never convinced one another, but their Japanese counterparts simply said, "If you'll cross the line, so will I." They traded places, and both won. Take a lesson from Ben - electrify the situation with your skills of persuasion; chances are you won't be told to go fly a kite.

Welcome To Spring

2009-03-23T12:56:00.006-06:00

I have to admit I am a little cranky this morning. The Denver Post conducted an obviously unscientific poll on it's website that asked the following question: "What do you hope most for this spring?" Respondents were give seven categories from which to choose. Here are the choices and the percentage of readers choosing each category:

I hope I win my NCAA bracket pool: 3%
I hope we get some snow: 14%
I hope we get some rain: 36%
I hope I find a job: 11%
I hope the Broncos trade Jay Cutler: 11%
I hope the Broncos keep Jay Cutler: 18%
None of the above: 7%

Let's break it down, which is pretty easy to do. About 30% care most about the Broncos quarterback. 50% care most about the weather. I do concede that Colorado is in desperate need of moisture. The weather plus the Broncos made up 80% of respondents, which is perhaps not coincidental as this is pretty much what most people talk about 'round these parts. The real reason I am ill-humored has little to do with the answers given, but with the questions asked. The economy is in trouble, four police officers were just murdered in Oakland, crime actually still occurs in Denver (wink, wink), unemployment is at an all time high (reflected in part by 11% hoping for a job this Spring), yet the only major newspaper in the Rocky Mountain Region is asking it's readers about a football player and the weather. Pretty mind-numbing material. There is no way I will win my basketball pool; I am already near the bottom. Yes, I want to see it rain like cats and dogs. Thumbs down on the snow. I say bring back John Elway to be the quarterback. Here's what I hope for this spring: 1) A renewed outlook for my life and career. 2) Even closer relationships with my kids. 3) Sure, I am hoping for a job, a place to exercise creativity express my natural strengths. 4) Taking time to get outside more to walk, run, cycle, laugh and play. What do you hope for this spring? Renew your spirit. Expect great things to happen in your life. Consider how you can enrich the life of another who does not have much hope. Let it Rain!

"I Stand Out!"

2009-03-21T10:26:00.007-06:00

Earlier this week I was talking with a friend who has an amazingly broad professional network. Chaz seems to know everybody in town! It's difficult to have a conversation with him in a downtown restaurant because he is chatting with so many people. As friendly and approachable as he is, he told me that he is less than thrilled about standing in front of an audience to deliver a presentation. My 22 year old son Brett relates to the world in his own way. The dude can fix or do anything! I mean anything - he rebuilds car engines, rewires a house, knows computers inside and out, and jumps off cliffs and bridges, then lives to tell his mother about it. Sometimes people ask him if his dad taught him all the things he knows. He just chuckles... Mark is on the staff of a large church (10,000 members) in his city. He loves it when it is his turn to stand in front of the congregation and deliver a sermon. He tells me that he enjoys the study and crafting of his message, but absolutely loves the opportunity to speak in front of people. All three of the these individuals are very different in the natural talents they possess, yet they have one key thing in common: they "Stand Out!" Chaz enjoys the one-on-one interaction with people. He hangs out with the top brass in the city. That's where he stands out. Brett expresses himself primarily through the things he builds and fixes. That's where he stands out. Mark enjoys relating to the world by being in front of large groups of people. That's where he stands out. I talk with people nearly every day who are searching for jobs, yet they really have little to no idea what they are looking for. Their job search is a kind of "Ready, Fire, Aim" approach. The only real problem with this approach is that it is a very real problem. Recently I have become a consultant with Synergistic Systems, a company that helps individuals "Stand Out" from others so they can move forward in the job search process with clarity and confidence. Check us out at www.synsysllc.com. How can you stand out? Play to your strengths, just like Chaz, Brett and Mark.

Play To Your Strengths

2009-03-19T06:21:00.011-06:00

When I was a kid I longed to play Little League baseball with my buddies from around the neighborhood. The problem was, I really couldn't hit, throw or catch a baseball all that well. This is a problem! But I tried out anyway and actually made it on a team, where I got to "ride the pine" down at the far end of the bench, where all the splinters lived. Needless to say, I didn't see much playing time, and was eventually "released" from the team when they discovered that I was actually too old to play at that level. Now that was one self-esteem booster! Of course, I went home dejected, convinced that sports was probably not for me. I was too scrawny for football, too afraid to play basketball, and nobody played soccer back in those days. No, I did not default to band, theater or the yearbook club. They were good for some, but not for me as I was determined to be an "athlete." It wasn't until my sophomore year in high school that I "tried out" for cross country. Once I found out that nobody got cut, I was thrilled! The short version is that I went on to earn all-conference in cross country and track three years in a row. I was selected to an all-state cross country team. In college I earned all-conference honors for three years and went on to finish in the top 1% of finishers at the Boston Marathon. Here's the lesson: I finally learned that it was OK to not be so good at some things and talented at other things. Some sports were for me and others weren't. I learned to play to my strengths. In a job search, a career change or a business start up, it is essential that you discover and live closely aligned to your strengths. If you don't you will end up frustrated, dejected, unsuccessful and wondering why you have been relegated to the bench. You may wonder why the right job (or any job) eludes you. I hear many people talk about how bored they feel at work or wonder why their business idea takes off like a penguin. When I work with people who get clarity about their true, natural strengths, the freedom they experience is nothing short of amazing to watch. It has certainly been the case for me. I am not wired to be a mathematician or an engineer (duh). The world of finance and being an arbitrageur (like that?) is not for me. Not only am I not strong in those areas, they don't hold my attention. My lack of attention in those fields is because they are not strong areas. Notice the circular logic that just continues to lead to frustration and defeat. When my kids were little someone asked my daughter Lauren what her dad did for a living. Her response was classic: "He drinks coffee and talks with people." It's funny, but she actually nailed it. My greatest strength is developing people, or "cultivating the potential in others." Next time I will delve a little deeper into how you might go about gaining the kind of clarity about how you are wired so that you may express in work and relationships your inherent, natural strengths. Play Ball!

Get a Cause. Get a Life. Get a Job

2009-03-10T18:17:00.014-06:00

Some things just seem to have a natural, logical, sensible order about them We all know that the chicken comes before the egg. OK, never mind that one, it scrambles my thinking. The Bible says that a man will reap what he sows; often called the Law of Cause and Effect. I think Newton, the inventor of the cookie by the same name, comes in here somewhere. The principle is that the choices I make up front will have an effect, or consequences in my life later on. Let's break it down. A cause, A life, A job. Now, if you read my blog regularly, like I do, you will know that I often carry the job theme because I am currently looking for one. Profound, I know. Up until about 58 days ago, I possessed an upside down view of what it takes to find a job. The problem is that folks like me are often running around chasing our tails (I pretend that my tail is that of a monkey), thinking that if I just keep "looking" for a job one will surface somewhere, like from the pothole on my street that nearly swallows my car when I run over it. I have had it all backward. The #1 thing in my life (and I judge to be in all people's lives) needs to be the embrace of a compelling, gripping reason to get up in the morning. Trust me, if my purpose in life was to look for a job, go to a job or to simply retire from a job (laugh or cry here), my life would be pretty doggone B-O-R-I-N-G. What is it that keeps you up at night and wakes you up in the morning? If you and I do not live for a cause, a mission or something greater than and outside of ourselves, our lives will be whittled down to watching Ax Men on the History Channel, Facebooking our days away, measuring our self-esteem by how many emails are in our in box or try to sell stuff on craigslist that is worth close to nothing. Ouch! What interests you? Simply start there. I met a woman this morning who has been on the board of a nonprofit that serves at risk kids in the Denver Public Schools for 16 years! Yep, 16+ years ago she went down to their offices to volunteer. She got stuck like a fly on fly paper. A couple of weeks ago I had a lunch with a guy who serves on the board of at least ten nonprofit organizations. Why? It gets him up in the morning. It gives him a reason to live. It keeps him from being bored and sitting around like Gumby. Here in Colorado is critical to include Pokey the horse as well. We all know how painfully irritating it has become to hear someone say, "Get a Life." I get tired of my own mother telling me to get a life, which she has been doing for the past 40 years or so! But, how do we get a life, a vibrant, powerful, focused life? Only be giving it away. Huh? Jesus said, "He who would like to save his life shall lose it." Talk about a radical paradox! I think what he is saying is that a full, authentic, meaningful life cannot be found if I live it strictly for myself, or what is called a life of hedonism. I can just hear a few people sighing with relief knowing that if they can somehow lose their life (as if they left it in a restaurant bathroom) then they don't have to get a job. Whew! I am certainly not an expert on how to find a job. But, that is not what I am looking for anyway. I am wanting to live my life differently that just a job In order for my life to make sense, it needs to be about developing other people to reach their full potential, putting together kick-ass teams and creating beyond-your-wildest-dreams results. No life, No Company, No family, N0 sports team will be successful until it steps outside of itself and lives for the greater good: for a cause, for an audacious goal, for the benefit of the planet (geez I sound like I am from Colorado). So think about it; what comes first, the chicken or the egg? What comes first, a cause or a job? Cause, Life, Job, Cause, Life, Job.... Ax Men will be on in 10 minutes. Living for the cause!

From Woo To Wow

2009-03-07T17:09:00.010-07:00

For the past two months I have been meeting with folks who are incredibly generous with their time, advice and warm introductions to people they know. I choose to believe that I am inching closer to a place where I can develop people, align them with an audacious mission and lead them to achieve extraordinary results. For me, that's right on the money of what I do the best. I love meeting new people. At networking events it is not all that difficult for me (most of the time) to walk up to people and say the following very simple phrase: "Hi, I'm Kent." Sometimes that's about the only three words you need to say: "Hi, I'm _____." It's all about making the connection. The more I listen to what others have to say, the greater connection I make. Want to know how to win people over? Just listen. Ask a couple of questions and stand back: people love to talk about themselves. Try not to ask what someone does for a living. The answer tells me very little about that person. Instead I might ask: "What do you like to do?" Or, "What brings you here tonight?" Or, What talents do you bring to the world?" Practice "wooing"* people. Break the ice. Make that all important connection. If you can woo people one by one, your network will grow exponentially. Granted, not everyone is strong in wooing people. That's OK. Keep practicing. If you do even a decent job at WOO, you will WOW. *I am most grateful to my friend Lloyd Gottman from Synergistic Systems (www.synsysllc.com) who coached me through a process to discover six key themes that guide me toward the best career fit. Wooing is one of these six themes.

How To Eat an Elephant

2009-03-04T17:50:00.004-07:00

Stop and think about how you respond in a crisis. Your burglar alarm goes off - what do you do? Your boss calls and says, "I would like to see you in my office." The long-awaited layoff has come your way. Financial struggles weigh you down as you scrape to pay your mortgage. In one way or another, many of us are simply trying to survive. At least 80 percent of us respond in a similar way in a crisis: we are overwhelmed. The problem seems unsolvable. The challenge is just too great. The odds are stacked against us. The mountain is too high to climb over. We feel exhausted. In his book "The Survivor's Club," Ben Sherwood relays that in air force survival school they teach you to conquer confusion and struggle with an axiom that is unforgettable: You eat an elephant one bite at a time. If you try to devour a fifteen-thousand-pound animal all at once you will either give up die of indigestion. The key to survival is to slow down. Take one small bite. Then another. Every day I seek to practice three things - get outside for some fresh air, eat well and laugh with my friends. These may seem trite, but they are three very simple survival tips to help get me through the scary, overwhelming times. Three simple bites out of the elephant. I have no idea if or when I will devour the entire elephant. What I do know, and what I can take control of, are the little things to do each day to keep my head above water. And survive.

"Words That Sell"

2009-02-25T15:36:00.018-07:00

Yes, I bought the book. As if I, an ENFP, don't use enough words in a given day. Studies show that most men just grunt and say things like, "Where's the remote?" Not me, I talk like I have had 7 cups of coffee. Actually I think that if you and I and a bunch of our friends sat on the porch for awhile we could come up with a book much like the one I just bought on Amazon for about 12 bucks. I confess I also bought the companion book, "Phrases That Sell." I happen to like my own (phrase) "tag line" the best of all: "Let's Talk About It." Don't even think of using it or my attorney will be beating down your door!

So anyway, I dropped about 26 bucks with shipping for these two books. One day I will put them to use. You see, I'm not so sure I need them. This morning I went to a networking (there's a word) event that consisted mostly of smart people with hard science degrees, unlike me. Here's some stuff (to be defined later) I heard said: "Review the job description and see if anything in there resonates with you." You know, almost every doggone job description I read resonates with me! What really resonates with me is the sound of money in my pocket so I can pay my rent and put a little food in my mouth!

The phrase that goes well with those above is to say, "I'm in transition." I almost laugh out loud at these events when I hear people say it. I don't actually laugh out loud for two reasons. 1. Most of the people in there have on a suit and tie, and 2. I say the same damn thing. Peace Out.

The Success Paradox

2009-02-21T08:56:00.010-07:00

Author and speaker Brian Tracy said: "Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me'"? It is very easy, when searching for a job or working to build a business, to appear desperate to get "contacts" from others to ensure progress toward our own success.

Last week, while at a networking event, I picked up the business card of a guy who I did not even meet at the event. I just liked what his card was about. So, I called him up and asked him if I could buy him a cup of coffee. Simply, I wanted to get to know him and learn a little more about his business and see if there were any ways I could help him succeed. We had a great conversation, shared ideas and then he told me I need to meet his business partner: "She knows everyone in this town."

Clearly, that is not why I asked this guy to meet for coffee. But two things came back to me - a new friend and new opportunities to meet even more people. Seem backward? Not when we are out to change the world, practicing the paradox of success.

672 HOURS

2009-02-12T18:59:00.003-07:00

I have heard it said (maybe I am the one who said it) that when you are looking for a job a day feels like a week and when you have a job a week feels like a day. In short, hiring managers are not-so-eager-beavers to call and ask me to work for them. Know why? They are b-u-s-y. Even though they have posted a job announcement, here is what I think may be slowing down the process:

Like I said above, people who work are working. Radical concept, huh? I remember back 672 and change hours ago when I had a job. The days flew by so fast I often wondered where it went. Hiring managers have a stack of phone calls to return, and may even have some intention to call me. That will have to wait until tomorrow. Or the next day. Or never.
Companies are receiving hordes of resumes for jobs that have been posted. Recently I received a call from a recruiter who called me about 10 minutes after I submitted my resume on Career Builder. Wow, did I ever think my resume must have shined! In the conversation with the recruiter I learned that she called me first because mine was the most recent of 89 other resumes she had received. Whatever happened to the promise, "the last shall be first?"
Many companies are moving to an "online application only" mode of receiving and screening candidates. Even though I may have a resume that has been edited by the experts, it may not contain certain buzzwords that the employer are looking for.
Most of the time I will get nowhere fast unless I get around the online application process, the HR department or even the "first round" of screeners.

By this time tomorrow I will likely be at 696 hours. But that's OK. It's the start of a three day weekend. Well, at least for the folks who are working.

Mr. Positive

2009-02-09T16:58:00.006-07:00

How many times have you heard someone say, "I'll have a job any day now," "I have several irons in the fire," I should be receiving an offer by the end of the week," "I have sent 207 resumes so far, there should be at least one offer coming my way soon." These are the words of Mr/Ms. Positive. In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins asked former Vietnam POW Admiral James Stockdale which POW's perished in captivity. Adm. Stockdale's answer was astonishing:"That's easy. The optimists." The optimists were the ones who said things like "We're going to be out by Christmas." And ultimately they died of a broken heart. They had "burned out" their bright outlook. Now I'm not suggesting that it is not a good idea to be positive and optimistic about finding a job. What I am learning is that above all else I need to remain disciplined every day, doing the right things to go about finding a job; networking, customizing every cover letter, picking that dreaded phone, helping others find solid connections, making connections via LinkedIn, etc. Sure, I do believe that in the end there will be a job out there for me. Although the past does not predict the future, it is an indicator of the future - since high school I have held a job. So will you. Remain disciplined today. Have faith for tomorrow.

The Computer Age?

2009-02-06T08:38:00.003-07:00

Back in the dark ages of the PC, 1987, I raised some capital to purhase a brand new Mac + for an incredible $2400. And that was without the external 30m hard drive and a dot matrix printer! I had entered the computer age. Fast forward to 2009 when I had actually bought into the myth that the best way to land a job was to use, you guessed it, the computer. Have I ever been schooled on that one of late. Well, except for the use of LinkedIn. Have you checked it out? Have you signed up and created a profile? Do not pass go, do not collect $2,000 (adjusted for inflation).

If you get a chance, go to anything John Heckers of Heckers Development Group sponsors. The other day I went to a FREE job search seminar by Mr. Heckers. Here's the bottom-line of what I got from John; in your job search make it your goal to get a one-on-one meeting with a connection. Even unemployed folks like me can afford a cup of coffee (if I stand out on Colfax long enough to muster up some change).

Get in front of people, not in front of the computer. I am learning to change the way I think on this one.