Are You a Legend or a Legacy?

There are several kinds of legends. You can be a legend want-a-be, a legend in your own mind, a legend with mythical notoriety, or a true legend whom others look up to with awe and respect. For some true legends, they just seem to fall into the situation, not unlike some medal of honor winners who were “just doing their duty.” For most true legends, and medal of honor winners, there is a cost to pay. The price can range from their health, their family, friends, and endless hours of hard work.

It is hard to be a legend. Few make the grade. I doubt that I will be considered a legend. To me, the cost would have been too high. For others, I simply take my hat off to them.

However, there is something that all of us can do even if we are never recognized by others, appear on the national news, or receive global honors. We can choose to leave a legacy.

What is a legacy? Wikipedia defines a legacy as “what someone or something is remembered for or what they have left behind that is remembered, revered or has impacted current events and the present day.”

While a legacy could include a significant monetary or property inheritance, I am most interested in whether our personal lives are impacting others around us in such a way that they are “touched by us”, motivated by us, encouraged by us, and helped by us in such a way that they remember it for the rest of their lives – and sometimes even tell their children about it. That could even include one simple but profound positive lesson that a parent leaves with their child.

While you are looking for a job or are developing your career, are you also leaving a positive legacy for your family, friends, and even strangers that you meet?

Are you focused on becoming a legend or on leaving a legacy?

Are You a Victim or a Victor?

There many victims in this world. In fact, anyone can claim to be a victim. The poor may not have enough food, clothing, education, healthcare, nurturing, safety, role models, etc. The rich may have been spoiled, not enough time with loving parents, too much freedom, too much money, too many temptations, too much unstructured free time, too much access to drugs, sex, and mischief. Perhaps you are in the middle but had a negative teacher experience, a professor who could not teach, a boss who was unethical, etc. It is easy to blame others or our circumstances. It emotionally feels good to blame the system, blame our situation, and ignore our own responsibility. You might get compassion from a court of law or others but feeling like a victim does not solve anything. You will just remain a victim.

We have far fewer victors. A victor does not ignore the injustices in life. Instead, they feed off of wanting their lives to be different. They take any negative energy and turn it into positive motivation to become different. They want to provide food, clothing, opportunities, a better world and a better life for themselves and for their children and grand children. They choose to win at the game of life. They get up each morning determined to break through their past, their excuses, and their weaknesses to make a difference, to maximize their potential, and to ultimately leave a legacy.

Being a victim is easy. You don’t have to do anything.

Being a victor is hard. You have to be determined, work hard, persevere, and surround yourself with other like-minded victors to become successful. Many future victors are often surprised how many older victors are willing to reach out a hand to help those who are determined to win in life. These older victors have won already and are now working on paying it forward in order to leave a legacy for future generations of victors.

At the end of the day, the difference is what you decide to do with your life.

Will you be a victim or a victor?

How does a Power Group Differ From Coaching?

A Power Group is a peer led group that does not use a coach. As a result, mutual leads and mutual confidential matters are easily shared but knowledge on how to search for jobs or develop one’s career is limited by the strongest member of the group. Since, in almost every case, no one in the group is a full-time coach or professional in Jobprenuership™, then groups can easily encourage one another to be taking actions that may not be best practice or developing themselves with wrong paradigm thinking.

Does that eliminate the use of a Power Group? Absolutely not! The advantages of joint networking, sharing leads, brain-storming, encouragement, and accountability for a potential lifetime of trusted friendships makes, in my opinion, a Power Group one of the world’s best kept secrets.

However, as you grow, if other’s in the group refuse to grow then you might later need to start another Power Group with more committed or mature members. Also, as you learn more about Jobpreneurship™, your opportunity to help other members will grow significantly. You might even suggest that the group include Jobpreneurship™ as the model to build upon. Another way of putting it is that Power Groups are useful – period. Jobpreneurship™ has been recognized as the best class model for job search, career development, and client development. By combining both concepts, you will only increase your effectiveness and long term results.

Using LinkedIn, Part Four

Next, take a look at those in your network who you really know and who know you. If you can give a positive testimonial to others, do so and ask them to return the favor.

Having solid testimonials has multiple benefits.

First, LinkedIn will give you higher rankings in searches.

Second, as people look you up, others view of you will improve.

Third, as potential HR or hiring managers check you out, these testimonials become references and sources for them to contact to know more about you. Which is why I recommend that all testimonials are genuine and valid. If you get caught with fluff, that probably won’t be good!

Next, there is a Twitter like function – which also can be connected to your Twitter account. Again, I encourage you to post mini-blogs that communicate what you are professionally doing. A good example might be a speech in Hong Kong. An example of what you may not want to mention is that you are leaving your house to go to a ball game during office hours. Burglars might love you and your boss might not be as thrilled!

Are there others suggestions that you have?

Using LinkedIn

The first step to using LinkedIn is to join! Go to LinkedIn.com and follow the directions. There are different levels. The first level is free – I recommend starting at this level. The other levels cost money but may be worth reviewing.

What are the benefits?

1. Allows you to begin building a long term network. When people change jobs, they usually update their LinkedIn profile. Not true with most other memberships.
2. Provides discussion groups, blogs, and links to personal websites.
3. Expands to allowing access to groups, where you may belong, and their respective membership
4. Hundreds of millions of contacts are available either by directly connecting or by referrals.
5. Encourages online testimonials that others can see when they look you up.
6. Includes your resume that others can see
7. Builds your online network and brand 24 / 7.

If you are not using LinkedIn, I don’t believe you are serious about trying to get a job or client.

Using Internet Tools for Jobs and Clients

This week I want to share with you how to use the internet to help you get a job or a client. First, which internet tools do you think are best?

I use the phrase internet “tools” deliberately. None of them are a solution – although others will tell you that they are the “secret”. Here is what I personally see as the best tools and uses of them:

1. LinkedIn – The best tool on the web. Designed for networking, targeting people and companies, and making your profile plus testimonials available to everyone. Also has groups which can dramatically increase your exposure.
2. Plaxo – A good tool. Designed for keeping contact information but can offer other benefits. I would call it LinkedIn lite. I use both but prefer LinkedIn.
3. Facebook – A great personal site for social networking. I am told that they now allow a separate “business” site but cannot find it yet. It was just announced that Facebook is getting more hits than Google. Impressive.
4. Twitter – A great tool for keeping up or broadcasting what you are doing. Perfect if others want to follow you. For example, you follow a targeted company Twitter for all new job postings.
5. Many others…There are many others such as Ecademy, which I use for international presence. In every case you need to review to see if they “fit” what you want to do.

My recommendation is to focus on LinkedIn and use the others on a more focused basis.

Why? LinkedIn is the primary choice of top companies and executives (hiring and buying managers). Go where your customer is going! Plaxo is good but limited. Facebook is scary – often too much personal information that can tarnish your image, but may become the #2 tool to LinkedIn. Twitter is primarily for following companies for job or procurement opportunities. Having others follow you is wonderful but are they the decision makers? Ecademy seems to attract a wide range of people, including many who may be not as “professional” as LinkedIn. This site appears to attract many individuals trying to make money but does offer a rich social experience.

Tomorrow, I will begin a series on how to work with LinkedIn.  You can begin to educate me on what you know and how you use any and all of these tools for how to get a job or a customer.

Using Ideas From Others

I deliberately like to use insights from others. It increases knowledge. It also can increase awareness that many who speak don’t have a clue what they are talking about. However, it is the process of listening to many that you can learn what is truth, what is sound knowledge, and what is best practice.

When you find someone who consistently says things that you recognize as right, then you can begin to trust most of what they say. Not all, but most. For example, you might not agree with everything I say. That is good. You should hear what is said and be able to intelligently accept or reject it with sound reasoning. My goal is not to propagandize but to teach the skill of thinking.

Similarly, you should test every principle that you hear. If you listen to me enough, by now you should have recognized that much of “traditional teaching” is to keep the common man common. It is often propaganda that insiders ignore.

To demonstrate, I used two lists by different authors over the past two weeks to show my thoughts. First, I chose authors whose lists I thought would be of value to you. Then, I expanded upon their comments. In many cases, if the authors saw my comments, they too could agree or disagree and say why. So, my comments in no way are to be taken as negative toward those authors – actually I was complimenting them by using them.

This illustration has a purpose.

Most successful people surround themselves by those whom they can trust and by those whose advice has proven to be wise counsel. That is why they are often called “Trusted Advisors”.

Note that a trusted advisor to a Mafia Don might not be the best trusted advisor to a Banker. Notice that the belief systems, values, and interpretation of “good advice” may be different.

I encourage you to begin surrounding yourself with those whose advice matches your belief systems, values, and what works.  I also encourage you to constantly compare your belief systems and values to others to be sure that the foundation of your life is built upon what you really want it to be. You may learn something new and useful. You may also save yourself from a lot of heartache.

Secrets of Networking, Part 10

The tenth point from a blog by Charlie Robertson from the book “Deserve What You Get” by Jay Levinson is:

10. Initiative – starting something is important, but you must carry it through and complete it. This earns respect from the people you are with.

Actually, initiative and follow-through are two different animals. You may start something, but I may have to finish it.

It is my observation that most people have little to no initiative. They like the status quo and dislike change unless it favors them. Most seldom start any new project and oppose those who do.

Therefore, those who do have initiative are to be encouraged and mentored to continue volunteering, continue creating new ideas, continue connecting the dots, and continue stepping out on the edge.

Not finishing what you start is not always wrong. If you learn after you start that you are going the wrong way, then stopping or turning directions is wise indeed.

Most successful entrepreneurs are self-initiators. Most intrapreneurs (entrepreneurs within a corporate structure) are self-initiators. Most jobpreneurs are self-initiators. Most fail – many times; but the winners get up and keep learning, keep trying new ideas, and keep reaching for the stars. They may not reach the stars, but I would rather be surrounded by those with initiative than those who sit on the bench.

It is said that Thomas Edison tried over 10,000 ways to create the light bulb. He got up from each failure with the knowledge that he learned from the last failure how to not repeat the same mistake and then initiated a new approach, and a new approach, and a new approach…until he succeeded. Then he began on his next initiative. If you tour his old factory, I am sure that you will see many ideas that never made the light of day. Yet many of his inventions changed America.

Be an initiator. Then, add to that trait persistence, perseverance, and never giving up. Eventually you will succeed.

The smartest initiators start something and then surround themselves with those who implement their ideas. Many of them are called business owners.

My advice, the hardest step is to get started. Get up. Get started. Get help to accomplish your goals.

Secrets of Networking, Part 8

The eighth point from a blog by Charlie Robertson from the book “Deserve What You Get” by Jay Levinson is:

8. Feedback – the people in your life want to know what you think. If you can deliver negative feedback with respect and kindness, it will be welcomed. If you can deliver positive feedback, it will be cherished.

This is not a point that I would emphasize. My observation is that people generally want to know what you think if it is good. If it is constructive criticism, no thank you. If it is negative, “how dare he…” What is your observation?

In fact, I see insiders who constantly see areas of improvement for others but rarely mention them.

The wise man, who wants to get wiser, does seek negative feedback. He can weigh its value and decide to accept it or to reject it but if delivered with respect it is always welcome – if timed and worded properly.

Most of us appreciate positive feedback as long as it is not merely polite stroking. If it is sincere and appreciative, we may feel a little unease but it is welcome.

Some of us, including myself, give feedback as a way of sincerely wanting to help others. It is not always appreciated. We sometimes get burnt by the receiving party but helping someone see their blind side is, in my opinion, the most sincere way of trying to help others.

However, if you are crude or malicious in your remarks, please do it elsewhere.

Secrets of Networking, Part 7

The seventh point from a blog by Charlie Robertson from the book “Deserve What You Get” by Jay Levinson is:

7. Sincerity – you can make a decision to be caring, responsive, and open, and then make the effort to project and follow up on these things.

Do you think most people, according to this definition, are sincere today? Are you?

There are several good points to make. First, you can intellectually agree and decide with your mind that you want to be caring, responsive, and open.  But until those attitudes are in your heart (emotional center of values), then you will merely be hypocritical. You can pretend to project these traits and even follow up on them but unless they are part of your true self, it will only be an act.

So, how do you move a trait from agreeing that you need to change to agreeing that you want to change to actually making the change?

There are actually several methods with differing degrees of success. But the first step is to think about the statement and ask yourself if you even care about this trait. If not, you would be wasting your time to pretend about it.

If you truly value this trait, how badly do you want it? How would it impact your life? Are you willing to pay the price? If not, why bother?

If you want something bad enough, you will make the effort and eventual change.

In my opinion, most people in the United States want to be sincere. We just have and see a lot of bad apples. So, the next question is, “how are others seeing your sincerity?”

We see a lot of frauds, silver bullet speakers and easy solutions that are anything but sincere. A person who is sincerely looking out for our interests would be a breath of fresh air! What is your reputation?

Next Page »