November 2005 Archives

Technorati has reached its third birthday. David Sifry notes a 50/50 track record in terms of what they thought would work and what actually did. He even admits some of things they tried were "outright failures."

Successful business development depends on your willingness to try new things and embrace failure for the lessons it brings, rather than throwing in the towel every time something goes off course.

Holidays with extended family are always enlightening.

Over breakfast with the extended family this morning, the subject of blogs came up in a discussion about Panera's free wireless internet access. Almost on que, one of the senior members at the table asked what blogs are.

One of the less senior men at the table piped up "Oh, they're just a bunch of junk done by people that have too much time on their hands and not enough to do."

What is surprising about this response is the person from whom it came - an educated man in his mid-40s who has spent his entire career in the media industry! He's a sports director for one of the big three television networks.

On the one hand, my inlaw's response illustrates how little - still - the majority of our population knows, let alone understands, about blogging (my brief attempt to convert a member of the "uneducated" population was unsuccessful this morning).

On the other hand, it appears some in my extended family think I have too much time on my hands and not enough to do. Ah, if only...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hospitality 1ST has published its annual “Holiday Salutations in 145 Languages” for the eighth year.

Dr. Jim Loehr, Chairman, CEO and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute will be the special guest January 11 at the Orlando Chamber's Listening to Leaders breakfast forum on January 11.

Earlier this month, I produced an industry conference for the Florida chapters of the Association for Corporate Growth. We hired Dr. Jim Loehr, Chairman, CEO and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, to serve as the luncheon keynote speaker. The feedback from attendees was great.

The Human Performance Institute specializes in helping business executives, elite law enforcement teams, medical professionals, and professional athletes achieve full engagement in high stress environments. Dr. Loehr believes managing energy, not time, is the key to sustained high performance. He contends energy is the most critical resource we have at work - not the time we spend on a project or with a client but rather the energy we bring to that encounter.

I firmly believe energy is critical for success. So naturally I jumped at the generous invitation from Dr. Loehr's sales director to visit the Institute and experience part of their executive training program. Of course, this means I have actually chosen to subject myself to the horrors of being seen in a swim suit, getting on a scale in front of other people, and climbing into the Institute's "bod pod" machine to have my body fat measured.

This is one experience I am a bit hesitant to share with others (after all, some things are just better left private), but it is a critical step in setting my goals for 2006. And the bod pod fascinates me. It looks like a real George Jetson transport machine. Maybe they can transport the fat right out of my body!

Anyway, I need a full assessment of where I am today in order to measure my progress in the coming year. Health and fitness is on my goals sheet every year, but I want to really increase my level next year, so I'm taking steps now to determine how that can be done. I'm also doing a full assessment of my business, noting what worked well this past year and what I need to do in order to reach the next level in 2006. While the bod pod may not be for everyone, I do encourage you to review your business in 2005 and jot down a few ideas about how you can make 2006 even better.

You can start by finding your current level of engagement by taking the Human Performance Institute's free quiz.

Today is my little brother's birthday. Happy Birthday, Barry!

For an extensive list of events and happenings on November 16, check out Wikipedia.

I'm following Josh Hallett's blog closely today. He's conducting an experiement today: using public transportation for the entire day.

Anyone familiar with Central Florida knows transportation has been an ongoing challenge for years. When I moved here nearly 20 years ago, a local radio station was selling license plates that said "I-4 Hostage," referencing the inherent traffic problems that come with building a major interstate right through the middle of downtown Orlando.

During my Leadership Orlando class, we were encouraged to take the public bus system to class on the day we were hearing from public transportation leaders. It was amazing to realize how much we take for granted the convenience of having your own car to go where you want when you want and be able to change your plans throughout the day without a second thought about how that will affect your transportation needs.

I'll be interested to see Josh's final summary on his experience today.

Read Josh's original post where he discusses his plans for this public transportation experiment.

Today is the fourth annual I Love To Write Day, a grassroots effort to have people of all ages practice their writing skills. Created by Delaware author John Riddle, I Love To Write Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to write something: a poem, an essay, a letter to the editor, a short story, start a novel, finish a novel the possibilities are endless!

It takes place every November 15. Since I just found out about it, it's too late this year, but I'll mark it on next year's calendar as the deadline to finish that homicide novel I've been working on.

For more info or to download the media kit, visit the site.

"Never underestimate the power of a good pair of black pants!"

This is my personal quote, one I have been saying for years. It's a fundamental belief that a quick glance in my closet will confirm. Not sure whether the event is casual or business casual? Black pants. Too much pasta over the weekend? Black pants on Monday!

Black has long been recognized as a powerful color. When you think "power suit," you don't typically think yellow, right? Black symbolizes power and elegance. It can make a powerful statement when used correctly in graphic design.

Black is also considered a "slimming" color, so black pants are very good for hiding your three month absence from the gym (and hence my fondness for them). So next time you're not sure what to wear to a meeting, why not try a pair of black pants?