When YOU walk into a room, how does it change?

TWO WORDS: Michael Scott.

If you watch The Office, you know what I mean.

Poor Michael. As the branch manager of Dunder Mifflin, every time he walks into the room, something bad happens.

People stare.
People stop talking.
People walk the other way.

Even in one particular episode, Stanley’s stress monitor started beeping faster and faster as Michael approached him.

Yikes.

What about you?

When you walk into a room, how does it change?

For the most part, this reaction isn’t under your direct control…

Whatever change occurs to the room is a tangible representation of how your character, actions, words, reputation and personality have both preceded and affected the people around you.

The following list explores several possibilities of how a room might change when you walk in the door. As you explore them, ask yourself which of them best applies to you, or which ones you’d LIKE to apply to you:

1. Does your entrance shift the dialogue UP? If so, that could mean a few things: (1) people love to greet you, (2) people were just talking about you – probably positively – and now they’ve escalated the conversation because they’re excited to involve you, or (3) people were just talking about a particular topic they would LOVE to get your thoughts or opinion on.

RESULT: Everyone is engaged, creating excitement in the air.

EXAMPLE: Hey Norm!

SOLUTION: Learn the strategies for building a following.

2. Does your entrance shift the dialogue DOWN? If so, that could mean a few things: (1) people were just talking about you – probably negatively – but now they’ve stopped the conversation for fear of getting busted, (2) people were just talking about a particular topic they either don’t want – or are afraid to ask – your opinion on.

RESULT: Everyone is walking on eggshells; creating anxiety in the air.

EXAMPLE: Every boss I’ve ever had.

SUGGESTION: Learn the strategies for creating a Question Friendly Environment.

3. Do people stare? If so, that could mean a few things: (1) something about your attractiveness – either physical or psychological – catches their eye, (2) something about your memorable presence and unique personal style immediately captivates their attention, (3) they were just talking about you – either positively or negatively – and now they can’t help but burn a hole in the back of your shirt.

RESULT: You become The Observed, not The Observer.

EXAMPLE: The Mystery Method.

SUGGESTION: Learn the strategies for becoming the bulls-eye, not the arrow.

4. Are people curious or wondering about you? In this case, they’re not really staring, yet they are noticing you. If so, that could mean a few things: (1) you look like an interesting person, maybe because you’re smiling, laughing, or just appear fascinating and intriguing; (2) you’re wearing something unexpected that breaks their normal pattern of observation.

RESULT: You increase the likelihood of an encounter.

EXAMPLE: John Moore of Brand Autopsy.

SUGGESTION: Learn how to become the most interesting person you know.

5. Do people start buzzing about you? In this instance, people have heard about you. They’ve seen your name before. They might even recognize your face from a website, publication or video interview. Either way, they are talking about you. Could be good or bad. So, just remember the words of Oscar Wilde: “The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about.”

RESULT: Word of Mouth has sparked.

EXAMPLE: David “Rise to the Top” Garland.

SUGGESTION: Learn the marketing strategies for moving people’s eyebrows.

6. Do people come up to you? Some people move shyly in your direction. Others smile and walk towards you. Sometimes a mob of raving fans will run full speed with open arms, hoping to be the first to hug you! Either way, you’re approachable. People flock to you. They want to sit in your radius.

RESULT: You’re the kind of person who always has one or two engaged people around you.

EXAMPLE: Lethia Owens.

SUGGESTION: Learn the strategies of Hangout Marketing.

7. Do they walk away from you? “Oh no, look who’s here. I better go into the other room…” “Gotta run. Don’t want to be seen by HER…” “Excuse me, but I just can’t stand that guy. I need to go outside for a few minutes…” Wow. Sounds like someone laid some poor quality track.

RESULT: People who DON’T know you begin to question your credibility and character as they observe other people’s reactions.

EXAMPLE: That pushy insurance salesman who cornered you at last month’s Chamber of Commerce networking events.

SUGGESTION: Learn the secrets for making communication a relaxing experience.

– – –

NOTE: These are only a sampling of examples of how a room might change when you walk in. The outcomes will be different for everybody.

The challenge (as a reminder) is that this moment has little to do with the room itself.

REMEMBER: Whatever change occurs to a room as you walk in is a tangible representation of how your character, actions, words, reputation and personality have both preceded and affected the people around you.

And if you’re not satisfied with the reactions you’ve been getting, don’t criticize the room.

Instead, look in the mirror.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When you walk into a room, how does it change?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “19 Ways to be the One Person at Your Next Conference That Everybody Remembers,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Who’s quoting YOU?

Check out Scott’s Online Quotation Database for a bite-sized education on branding success!

www.stuffscottsaid.com.

17 Tools to Help You Survive in 2009

“A true Ninja uses his surroundings to survive.”

That’s basic Ninja code.

MY QUESTION IS: What are you using to help your business survive? What are you using to help your creativity survive? And what are you using to help your SELF survive?

I’m a Leverager. I like to use things. I like to kill two stones with one bird whenever possible. Today, I want to share a list of seventeen things that I’m currently using to help my business, my creativity and my SELF survive this horrible economy.

As you peruse this list, I challenge you to think about what tools YOU use, what tools you COULD be using, and what tools need a good sharpening in 2009.

1. Use baitless hooks. Edison did. Literally. No bait. He was so focused on the fishing process that he could care less if he reeled in a twenty pounder. This is the way creativity should be: Present. In the moment. Detached from outcomes. No expectations. After all, when you care the least, you do the best. When the stakes are lower, the results are higher.Are you too outcome-focused?

2. Use concrete illustrations. Not vague platitudes. Not old stories or sayings. And certainly not bullshite statistics you (1) just made up or (2) swiped from Wikipedia. You wanna persuade somebody? Try using experiences. Truths. Stuff that actually happened to you. Concreteness sells. How specific are YOUR examples?

3. Use cross-industrial processes. So what if you know nothing about their industry. Become an expert on certain processes and philosophies and practices that apply to anyone, anytime, anywhere. This doesn’t mean you need to be a jack-of-all-trades. But having a niche TOPIC vs. a nice MARKET will open up your client base to endless possibilities. What are you known for knowing?

4. Use every challenge. As an opportunity for growth. As a vehicle for realization. As a teachable encounter. As a mentoring moment. As a way to get to know yourself better. As a way to grow stronger, smarter, cooler, funnier and wiser. As a way to chip away at the stone inside of which lives a breathtaking sculpture that’s been there the whole time. What are you turning your problems into?

5. Use generative language. That means asking, not telling. That means throwing in a question here and there, and then shutting up. It’s all part of the “midwifing” process of communication, in which you enable people to give birth to their own understanding. Does your language have more periods than question marks?

6. Use informational follow-up. “Have you gotten a chance to check out my proposal?” “Has anything changed since we last spoke?” “Did you have any more questions from our discussion?” Blech. Terrible. No value. Next time try, “I used your company as an example in my blog post today! Check it out here…” Are you following up with value or vomit?

7. Use inner chaos. Channel it. Alchemize it. Use your creativity and passion and love and enthusiasm to transform inner wackiness into outer awesomeness. Meditation works. Yoga works. Writing works. Knitting works. Playing music works. What works for YOU?

8. Use judgment-free language. Attachment to words reduces the reality of something. And, when you use words, you label. When you label, you judge. When you judge, you react. When you react, you’re unconscious. And being unconscious is unhealthy. Are you “should-ing” all over people?

9. Use momentary accidents. What do chocolate chip cookies, Coca-Cola, herbal tea, waffle cones, maple syrup, penicillin, bars of soap, popsicles and paper towels have in common? All were famous inventions discovered by accident. Sweet. SO: Accident, schmaccident. It’s a lesson. An opportunity. A creative breakthrough waiting to happen. What is another use for this failure?

10. Use real language. “Real” meaning, “fifth-graders could understand it.” Sure, using big words and fancy verbiage might make you sound smart. But it also might make other people feel dumb. It also might complicate your message. And that’s no good. How many people have no idea what the hell you’re talking about?

11. Use rules mindfully. The Dali Lama once said, “Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.” That’s good advice. Personally, I would also add in, “If you can’t Google the rule, it doesn’t exist.” How many rules did you break yesterday?

12. Use silence strategically. Especially in sales conversations. He who speaks next, loses. He who blinks next, loses. State your fee confidently and shut up. A properly placed pause is one of the most powerful tools in interpersonal communication. Are you shutting up enough?

13. Use strength quietly. Like Tony Dungee from the Indianapolis Colts. Like Rosa Parks from the Civil Rights Movement. Both wrote books called, “Quiet Strength.” Both know that a strong falcon hides its claws. Both know that powerful people don’t scream. Both know that the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room. Are you a falcon or a lion?

14. Use today’s opportunities. And if you seriously think there AREN’T any opportunities today, you haven’t been paying attention. They’re everywhere. Opportunity knocks all day, all the time, all over the neighborhood. Your challenge is to listen, answer, and then leverage them whenever they show up. How are you killing two stones with one bird?

15. Use visible reminders. Whiteboards. Post-It notes. Posters. Notes to yourself. Whatever works. Any new behavior you want to change, any new goal you seek to accomplish, make sure you can SEE the reminder. Daily. How are you punching yourself in the face?

16. Use your life. Usefulness IS worship. Don’t wait until you’re dead to leave a legacy; start today. Start now. Because if you LIVE your legacy every day, LEAVING a legacy will naturally happen. But only if you validate your existence on a daily basis. How are you using your life?

17. Use your words. To touch, to inspire, to challenge. To make people think, to make people pause, to make people wake up. Your language is one the most powerful tools in your leadership arsenal. Perfect it daily. What did you write today?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What tools are you using to survive 2009?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “12 Dangerous Doozies to Avoid in 2009,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

13 Practices to Parlay Passion into Profit

“When passion is involved, the rules change.”

That sentence is NOT a scientifically proven fact.
That sentence is NOT a Wikipedia entry.
That sentence is NOT a statistic.

Good.

I don’t believe in statistics. Statistics prove NOTHING. Statistics are fabricated pieces of bullshite that people manipulate to make themselves look better.

I believe in EXPERIENCE … because it is founded upon TRUTH.

And truth is currency.

When passion is involved, the rules change.

That’s what’s been on my mind a lot lately: Passion.

So, I wanted to share a few ideas on the topic of passion.

In no particular order, here’s a list called 13 Ways to Parlay Passion into Profit:

1. Channel your passion. Into your job. Into your family. Into your life. Into everything. Think of yourself as a conduit. A catalyst. Find a way to embed passion into the pavement that leads the way to wherever you’re going. You’ll arrive there faster, better, with more fun and by your own design. Where are you channeling YOUR passion?

2. Convert your passions. Into a job, a cause, a mission, a movement or a purpose that gets you out of bed thirty minutes before your alarm goes off. Transform that which lights your heart and soul on fire and leverage it in the service of others, of the world, and of God. What gets you so excited that you can’t WAIT to get out of bed in the morning?

3. Express unqualified passion. You don’t need a degree. You don’t need a certification. You need to have love and longing and LIGHTNING in your heart. Because the world cannot resist a man on a mission. And there is nothing more attractive, more approachable and more beautiful than a person exploding with passion. What comes OOZING out of you that inspires others?

4. Have secondary passions. It’s OK to have more than one passion. Maybe one is your job, one is your solace and one is your service to your community. It doesn’t matter. Have as many passions as you want. It doesn’t matter WHAT you’re passionate about; it only matter THAT your passionate about something. What three things do you HAVE to do every day?

5. Have sweeping passion. Don’t be afraid to say, “My passion is PEOPLE,” or “My passion is helping others,” or “My passion is humor.” Cool. It doesn’t have to be something specific. Make it broad. Make it bold. Make it huge. Allow sub-passions to formulate on their own. What generalities get YOUR blood flowing?

6. Let passion prioritize. Passion makes decision making easier. Use it as your barometer, your compass, your map and your walking stick. Let passion lead the way. Organize your life around your passions. Ask yourself what your top three passions are. Then ask yourself what your top three activities during your week are. See if they’re aligned. If not, no worries. That just means it’s time to re-prioritize. How are YOU using your passion in your decision making process?

7. Make passion palpable. So obvious that you don’t even need to tell people what you passion is. So unarguable that it’s assumed you’re completed obsessed and driven by it. There’s no question in people’s mind about what flavor of Kool-Aid you’ve been chugging all day. What is it about you that you can’t help but NOT do?

8. Mobilize your passion. Use it in the service of others. Give it wheels and legs. Think of it as the coal powering the locomotive of your life. Stop watching TV. (Except for this channel.) Get off your ass and get off to the races, whatever races are needed to move closer to the validation of your existence. What is it about you that you can’t help but not BE?

9. Passion creates fire. In your heart. In your eyes. In your body. In your soul. What’s more, the fire created by passion is SO contagious, it unflinchingly burns and chars and smokes everything it its path – yet in a good way. The type of fire you never want to douse. The type of fire you gladly watch with joy as the light and heat soaks your being. What types of flames are YOU emitting?

10. Practice with passion. How you play is how you practice. Period. Not just for sports, but also for any action you’re preparing for. Whether you’re in a hotel room in Columbus the night before a HUGE speech; sitting in your rental care in the parking lot of a BIG customer, ready to close that sale; or whether you’re sitting in the bathroom stall going over your vows before you tie the knot … practice with passion. It’ll make your final performance a cakewalk. How are you inserting passion into YOUR preparation process?

11. Reawaken your passion. Maybe it was overshadowed, blocked or buried somewhere along the way. Maybe your inner choir of vicious voices – comprised of parents, teachers, religious leaders and siblings – put your passion to bed. Fine. Get over it. Wake that sumbich up and announce to the world, “Guess who’s back…!” Whom are YOU ready to make look like an idiot?

12. Remain passionate despite. Despite the haters. Despite constant failure. Despite having no idea what hell you’re doing. Despite ANYTHING. Suck it up. Keep the flame of passion burning voraciously for as long as you’re still breathing. Do that, and the spirit of your passion will remain alive forever, even when you’re six feet under. What will YOU be buried with?

13. Suffering breeds passion. From great suffering comes great awakening. So, next time you go through something really terrible, really big or really ugly, remember that the suffering you’re experiencing is the gateway to something awesome, something enlightening. You may not know it at the time, and it may take a few months or even years until you realize it, but never forget that beautiful flowers can still grow in a pile of manure. What is this atrocity teaching YOU?

When passion is involved, the rules change.

That’s what my experience (not Wikipedia) has taught me.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are you parlaying passion into profit?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “6 Ways to Out Position Your Competition,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
[email protected]

Want to make money off of your passion?

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