Hiring a Linchpin

Blogger Seth Godin reports that design firm IDEO is hiring marketers using a new technique. They ask applicants to make a PowerPoint presentation of their resume and then present it to a group of five people at the firm. The applicant has to defend the work, answer questions, and lead a discussion.

One more chance to stand out, not to fit in. One more way to discover who has the actual skills (engagement, rapport, intellect, charisma, openness) to thrive in a modern work environment.

Play a different game. Don't stick with mediocrity. Try something different that may help you seek out more diverse talent in 2011.

Happy Hiring.

This Time It's Personal in 2011

It's time to stop complying with the system and draw your own map of goals in 2011. Let's not fall victim to those cliche statements of losing weight, but instead layout a road map that outlines specific goals.

Below I've provided my top (6) categories for outlining goals in 2011.

1. Spirituality - e.g. Spend 20 minutes of quite time with GOD every morning at 6:30am

2. Health and Wellness - e.g. Work out consistently 4 days per week (running, biking, and lifting)

3. Job and Career - e.g. Top 40 Under 40 Award Indianapolis Business Journal

4. Intellectual and Cultural - e.g. Visit Chile and Argentina in the Fall of 2011

5. Financial - e.g. Gross 100K+ in salary and commissions

6. Deep Relationships and Giving Back - e.g. Mentor new sales rep at Morales Group Inc.

Those of you seeking to make a change should get more specific and map out in detail your future goals for 2011.

Happy New Year!

Burning Desire to Win

April of 1519, Hernando Cortes lands in Veracruz Mexico, about 200 miles from the Aztec capital. Cortes had one mission: defeat the Aztecs and take their gold. To do so, he had less than 400 soldiers. His first act upon landing was to burn all but one of his ships - he wanted no turning back (excerpt taken from Tom Batchelder's Barking Up A Dead Horse). Cortes had no idea of the dangers, but he did know that if the fighting got difficult, there would be no talk of sailing home.

Today we can learn a valuable history lesson from Cortes. As an aspiring business owner, I've seen that every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat. Only by so doing can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a BURNING DESIRE TO WIN, essential to success.

The most successful entrepreneurs have that burning desire to win, with no sources for retreat. So the next time you envision starting up a new business, ask yourself if you're prepared to burn your boats at the shore. Are you willing to not pay yourself throughout the start up period? Open to work 60-80 hours per week to develop the business? Ready to compromise time spent with family vs. the business?

And don't forget to ask yourself - - would you make courageous commitments where there is no going back? Can you lead by example?

"When one has nothing to lose, one becomes courageous."