I knew I wasn’t going to do this every day.

I have a lot to be grateful for these days.

• I feel like I have conquered several battles recently.
• I won my second Toastmaster speech. You get a sweet pen. Mostly, I was happy with my performance. I worked at it during a particularly busy time. Speaking is scary for me and it was hard to pull out with my schedule. So, it was a really special success for me. I guess I’m grateful for pulling that off.
• I won a Sales and Marketing award. It was cool. I got a trophy. I’m grateful people thought enough of me to nominate me and then select me for winning.
• I’m grateful business is going so well. We are hiring someone very soon. It’s better than it ever has been.
• Today, I’m grateful for having a perfect weekend. It was pleasant, fun and relaxing.

This is a topic that I think about quite a bit. But the deeper I think about it, the harder I realize it is. Actually, the deeper I look at anything, I’m realizing these days, the harder I realize it is.

In empathy’s case, I find truly understanding what is important to someone else is extremely difficult. The problem comes in understanding someone else’s perspective. That sounds easy enough. But it’s not. A person’s perspective is made up from the sum of all the parts of their history.

You can’t simply say, this person likes this or that. What they like in one situation could be different in another situation.

So, the point is, even the most empathetic person is going to fail. It’s inevitable. The failures will make the empathetic person look insincere. But empathy is not about getting empathy in return. It’s done for the sake of itself. If you don’t enjoy trying to get to know other people then empathy is going to be painful for you. Empathy is looked on with suspicion.

Love for love sake. That’s the reward.

I may not be Christian, Jewish or Islamic, but I know a good tradition when I see it.

In spite of that grim reality or more likely because of it, the Gospel’s imperative to “fear not” is good and welcome news. The 40 days of Lent that begin Ash Wednesday are an annual spiritual journey to discover that enduring gift. The symbolism of ashes at the start and new life at its end lead the faithful person through death to life, and from fear to certain hope.

Each faith has such a pilgrimage. For Jews, the Passover experience from slavery to freedom is the quintessential story of God’s rescue of a frightened people. The Hajj for Islam echoes the same liberating good news.

The good news of the Christian message is the confident assurance that a benevolent God is in control of events and ultimately will not allow evil to triumph.

That’s the essence of all religious faith. Hurtful, tragic things clearly happen, but God — and his faithful — prevail. Judaism and Islam have their own means of sending the same message. Fear not.

I don’t know if I can actually give up fear or not. I cling to it like a safety blanket. But I think I might try.

Beacon Journal | 02/24/2006 | Family incomes slide

Average family incomes, after adjusting for inflation, fell to $70,700 in 2004, a drop of 2.3 percent when compared with 2001. That was the weakest showing since a decline of 11.3 percent from 1989 to 1992, a period that also covered a recession.

The average incomes had soared by 17.3 percent in the 1998-2001 period and 12.3 percent from 1995 to 1998 as the country enjoyed the longest economic expansion in history.

Ya know, in business, when this kind of thing happens, you try to duplicate exactly what you did during the good times and stop doing what you do in the bad times.

Government doesn’t do that. I think it’s because the power and the ego overtake the desire to be rich. And actually, the government officials won’t get any richer if they make the rest of the country richer.

So, they just do what they do with no basic common sense because it would hurt to admit that another government official had a better idea.

This is why business now actually runs our country… government officials are constantly wrong and keep messing things up.

Daily driblet

The average new home has 2,412 square feet, an increase of nearly 50 percent from 1973, reports the L.A. Times.

I read and think a lot about personal and business growth. It seems that virtually every problem that has to do with you and someone else can all be fixed with open, clear communication.

There was an article in the Beacon on Valentines Day that was from divorce court. The judge said that all divorces could be tied back to either money or a failure to communicate.

Are you a people pleaser who lets people walk all over them? Be decisive, set clear expectations, learn assertive communication.

Are you losing your war? It’s probably because you aren’t connected with your ground troops.

Is your business failing? It’s probably because you aren’t talking to your employees, your clients, or your prospects.

Is there some relationship in your life that is not what you want it to be? I’m willing to bet that it probably could be better with open, clear communication.

The SageRock Core Value reads:

The concern, respect and empathy for the individual people we come in contact with at SageRock is our single core value.

I’ve recently been thinking about what:

• Concern
• Respect
• Empathy

all mean.

Concern: This might be the most misleading of the three. Possibly the easiest way to discuss Concern is to talk about what it’s not. Concern is not coddling. Concern is not protecting. Concern is not making people believe things are better than they are. Concern is helping people be the best they can be. Concern is making sure each person has a career that is interesting and fulfilling. Concern is helping people survive and thrive in 21st century American business.

Respect: Respect is understanding that everyone is different and everyone has value. Whether a person is a Boomer, an X or an Millenial, they all have value and have a place at SageRock. Each person is respected as an individual for who they are. They are encouraged to be who they are. SageRock helps each person be better at who they are.

Empathy: Empathy is understanding each person’s individual situation. Every team leader’s number one skill is understanding their team mates. And every team member must continually strive to understand and help each other team member. Empathy and extreme communication is the secret to our massive success.

Harvard Business Online | HBR

This month’s issue is about Management Innovation. Man, this book is a good read. I’m so cheap I am always reluctant to dish out the $18 an issue on the news stand. So, I got my cheap self to the library today and read a few articles.

Of particular interest to me was the Case Study. It was about a hypothetical executive from Cleveland. He’s highly empathetic and particularly understanding. It is likely that he is passed over for the CEO position because of this. This is so eye opening to me because this is pretty much me. The responses as to what this guy should do were very interesting. Most were not overly negative.

The response that appealed to me the most was from Maggie Craddock from Workplace Relationships, Inc. She said that he needed to be decisive and needed to hold a particular employee accountable. She said that he is a people pleaser. Even though that’s typically a female characteristic, it also happens to men. She said that he was this way because he wanted everyone to like him. Craddock said that employee would not like him when she was out of a job and couldn’t get another one.

I am doing no one a service by being “understanding” by letting things slide.

The SageRock Core Value reads:

The concern, respect and empathy for the individual people we come in contact with at SageRock is our single core value.

Concern, respect and empathy does not mean coddle, protect and excuse. In fact, it’s the opposite of that.

I’m getting a subscription to that magazine.

I am in the market for a laptop. I’m thinking of going ultra portable. I want something that I can take with me everywhere.

I’m leaning towards Dell. I thought I was going to go with the X1. But today, I saw a sale on the 710m. I can get it for $857:

Inspiron 710m	Qty		1
	Intel® Pentium® M Processor 735 (1.7GHz), 12.1 inch WXGA, Genuine Windows® XP Home	Unit Price		$1,299.00
	Dell Home Customers: Save 34% off the Dell Inspiron 710m! Limited Time Offer!			- $441.66

TOTAL:$857.34

Here’s the X1:

Description

Latitude X1 Date & Time: February 19,2006 12:53 PM CST     SYSTEM COMPONENTS   Latitude X1 Qty   1   Intel® Pentium® M Processor 733 (1.10GHz ULV) 12.1in WXGA Display, Genuine Windows® XP Professional, SP2, with media Unit Price   $2,031.00 Save 15% on select Latitude X1 notebooks through Dell Small Business Special offer         - $304.65 Catalog Number: 4 Module Description Show Details TOTAL:$1,726.35 It looks to me that I can get twice memory and a faster processor for half the price if I went with the 710m. I think the 710m is about 4 lbs, where the X1 is 2.5 lbs. The X1 has no built in optical drive where the 710m does. That accounts for the extra weight. Very interesting. The 710m is really speaking to my cheap side. It also gets good user reviews online.

Rocky suggested that my second speech be about saving money. That’s an awesome idea.

I was going to base it on the Rich Dad Poor Dad book. But then I read this review of the book.

He made enough good points that I don’t think I want to base my speech on that book. Maybe I can figure it out myself.

What do I want to say?

Introduction:

Americans are now saving less than nothing as spending outstrips income in 2005, which hasn’t happened since the Depression.

The reasons for this phenominon are complex. One area that contributes to this is marketing. Sage Lewis, a marketer himself, will cast some light on the marketing strategies you as consumers are continually barraged with. And he will give some strategies as how to deal with the onslaught of these marketing tactics.

• What’s this Ned?
• Show a picture of Google search results.
• I put that there.
• My job is to get you to buy things you don’t need.
• Marketing is all about manipulating you. That’s my job and Google’s job.
• Google is starting to give away free internet access. Why?
• In our business culture, children are viewed as an economic resource to be exploited, just like bauxite or timber.
• Mothering: Why They whine : How Corporations Prey on Our Children
• “Nagging falls into two categories,” Cheryl Idell explains. “There is persistent nagging, the fall-on-the-floor kind, and there is importance nagging, where a kid can talk about it.”
• There is virtually no economic decision that you make in this country that hasn’t been massaged, manipulated and exploited by a marketer who understands your psychology, your fears, your insecurities.

• I want to talk with you about some of the psychological tools I as a marketer use to manipulate you.

• Talk about the six buying motives with pictures of marketing tactics featuring each of the 6 Basic Buying Motives.

6 Basic Buying Motives
1. Profit and Gain (Save money; economy; profit)
2. Fear of Loss (Safety; protect property, health, or loved ones; future security; save time; prevent loss; long wear; guarantee).
3. Pleasure (Comfort; convenience; enjoyment; admiration from others; luxury; good health; affection; sexual attraction; save time; good food and drink; good housing; beauty).
4. Avoidance of Pain (Protection; relief of pain; security; less work; safety; good health; no worry; become more attractive).
5. Pride (Desire to possess; advance in sill; self-improvement; style; beauty; high quality; latest fashion; prestige).
6. Desire for Approval (Social acceptance; affection; learning; admiration; prestige; imitation).

• Get some points from “How to mind read your customer” by

  David P. Snyder - 4 Behavior Types:

  • Drive or Determination
  • You must remain cheerful, non-emotional, direct and firm. They will always be trying to test your emotional strength from the moment you walk in the room. Because Driven people are fundamentally insecure, they need you to let them know that you know how busy and important they are and how valuable their time is. You know a driver when you see one.
    
  • Interest in people (also known as influencing ability or sociability)
  • The very first thing you have to do with them is let them know you like them and would like to be their friend – and their potential friendship will mean more to you than business. Keep things light, fun and full of spark. Ask them many questions about themselves. They live to bond. I’m one of these people
    
  • Steadfastness
  • They have high standards for customer service. They expect respect and honesty. Treat your customers like you would treat your family. They hate slick salesmen, dishonesty, deceit. You must mean what you say and say what you mean. Be patient. Develop a sense of trust. Show integrity and a work ethic. A lot of Republicans are Steadfast.
    
  • Conscientiousness
  • They are bothered by willful ignorance. You want them to feel safe and to trust you. You can only motivate them by toning down your level of enthusiasm. Give the feeling that everything is proceeding in a calm, controlled, careful and orderly fashion. You must be ethical. They cannot feel pressured to make decisions. The service must help improve accuracy, precision and efficiency. You must maintain an aura of strict business. They love the word “Clarify”. My wife is this kind of person.
    

• It’s all an illusion. It’s all crap. None of it’s real.

What can you do about it?

1. Realize that you are being manipulated at the most base level.
1. Marketers want you to feel afraid, insecure and needy.
2. That want you to feel pain so they can fix it.
2. Make a list of things you want to buy in the next 6-12 months.
1. Make a savings plan to buy these things. Only buy them with money you have saved.
2. Refer to your list when the buying impulse strikes.
3. When you feel a strong urge to buy something do these two things
1. Make a CBA
2. Wait 3 days before you buy.

• Look at clippings for investment articles.
• Vanguard.com
• Forbes magazine has named 24 Vanguard^® mutual funds to its “Best Buys” list in its January 30, 2006, issue. Vanguard has the most funds named of any fund family and more than double the number of our nearest competitor. The funds were chosen for their low costs and risk-adjusted performance over one- and five-year periods.
• Look into an Index fund with a life-cycle.
• Ingdirect.com Savings Account for an emergency fund.
• It currently has a 4.75% APY