Does Your Presence Induce Productivity?

Presence is a powerful motivator.

If we want to inspire the people around us to do great work, the smartest thing we can do is dig in our heels and start cranking out great work of our own.

That way, we lead by example. We influence through infection. We demonstrate trust in each others’ sovereignty. And we create a space that supports a mutual commitment to individual passion.

Eventually, through our quiet energy, through our focused action and through our unquestionable commitment, we make other people more productive by virtue of our very presence. Because the reality is, anybody can get things done.

But only a true leader can sit down next to us, not say a word, do what they need to do – and then somehow, at the end of the day, our work gets done too.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do people experience themselves around you?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “11 Ways to Out Market Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

New website go live this week?

Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on spreading the word!

When In Doubt, Move In With Your Parents

After I graduated college, published my first book and ran out of money, I made a crucial career decision.

Time to move back in with my parents.
For two years, eight months and twenty-nine days, to be exact.
Not that I was counting.

But they were cool about it. They even charged me rent, which I thought was solid parenting move. Every month, I paid them the amount of never getting dates.

Seriously. As if wearing a nametag wasn’t bad enough. Ever tried seducing a woman while your mom is yelling from upstairs to ask if you want asparagus with your salmon?

Dial tone.I used to tell girls, “Yeah I have these two roommates. Older married couple. Super nice. Kind of look like me.”

Fail.

But apparently there’s name for this trend, we’re called boomeragers. After a period of living on our own, young people choose to cohabitate with their parents to save money, cope with economic downturns and eliminate any possibility of a social life whatsoever.

It wasn’t always good for business. I remember one particular speech I gave to a large financial company. When I finished, the audience gave me the first standing ovation of my career.

It was a beautiful moment that I’ll never forget.

Until my client walked up to me, shook my hand and said, “Good thing you’re not still living with your parents, huh?”

Right.

So there was always an asterisk with every win. This subtle undercurrent of not-enough-ness that kept me from feeling completely successful. And I knew that until I moved out on my own, until I let go of that security blanket, I would never be okay with myself.

But I’m not complaining. I never regret a single day living at home. I was grateful to have parents that loved me and who were willing to disrupt their empty nest lifestyle to support me as I started my career.

They’re not good parents, they’re heroic.

And when I started earning enough to move out, they lovingly helped me pack my bags.

What more can a kid ask for?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who’s got your back?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “11 Ways to Out Market Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

New website go live this week?

Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on spreading the word!

Watch Scott Ginsberg’s Marketing Workshop @ goBRANDgo!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your act?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “71 Things Customers Don’t Want to Hear You Say,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Profitability of Mystery

“I just have so many questions!”

I get that a lot.

When people find out I wear a nametag everyday, they’re instantly curious about a number of issues. And I’m happy to oblige. Comes with the territory.

I once met a guy in a jazz club in Hell’s Kitchen. Noticing my nametag, he asked me if I had just come from an episode of The Price is Right.

Good guess, but no. Even though I’ve always secretly wanted to be on that show. Just let me play one game of Plinko and I’ll be out of your way.People are enthralled by mystery. They never grow tired of things that invite constant interpretation. And our ability to fascinate them is a tremendous asset.

Like Houdini, we have to emanate an aura of delightful unpredictability.

We have leave the public always wanting more, wondering about our next move.

Never underestimate the profitability of mystery.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How mysterious are you?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “10 Reasons (Excuses) You’re Not Blogging Yet,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“After investing in your mentoring program, I’ve become centered on who I am and what I have to offer. Now, I am attracting clients I want to work with. Life is great and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

–Melanie Jatsek, Diet Busters

Rent Scott’s brain today.

To Shove People Is To Love People

The greatest gift you can give someone is to shove them over the wall.

I remember the exact moment this happened to me.

I was twenty-two years old.
I was finishing the manuscript for my first book.
I was working full time as a furniture salesman to make ends meet.

I got a call from the president of a local Rotary Club. He asked if I could come give a speech to his group. Being just out of college, I replied, “What the hell is a Rotary Club?”

I reluctantly agreed.

By the time I was finished, I’d never sweat more in my life. My hands trembled as I clenched the ten pages of notes that I never even looked at once.

But when I asked if there were any questions, a ninety-year-old retired surgeon named Harold raised his hand.“Scott, do you have a job?”

“I sell couches.”

They thought that was hilarious.

Not a laugh line.

After we adjourned, Harold pulled me aside and said a four-letter word:

“Quit.”

That was a gift. A shove moment. An interaction that made my path brighter.

So I took his advice and never looked back.

Sometimes we need people to shove us.

To help us see something we’re too close to ourselves to notice.
To applaud our risk, elevate our hope and provoke our decision.
To believe in us more than we believe in ourselves.

To shove people is to love people.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who have you shoved this week?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “9 Things Every Writer Needs to Do Every Day,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

–Melanie Jatsek, Diet Busters

Rent Scott’s brain today.

Carry Nametags, Not Guns

I often wear multiple nametags.

One on each layer of clothing.

Not just for consistency purposes, but also for safety purposes.

It’s a dangerous world out there. Should I run into trouble, should I encounter somebody whose behavior is threatening, or should I confront an individual who needs to calm down, it’s always good to know I can simply open my jacket and say:

“We got a problem here?”I remember getting into a fender bender once. The guy that I hit leaped out of his car, charged toward my window and starting yelling at me. He made accusations that I was drunk and stupid and didn’t know how to drive.

I didn’t move.
I didn’t say a thing.
I just stayed calm, stared him right in the eye and let him finish.

He huffed back to his car to get his insurance information. About a minute later, he returned a bit calmer. Noticing my nametag, he said, “I’m sorry Scott – I may have overreacted back there.”

That’s my weapon of choice: I don’t pack heat – I pack friendliness.

Carry nametags, not guns.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do you carry?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “38 Ways to Make Customers Gasp,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

What’s Your Rorschach Test?

Everyone I meet responds to the nametag a little differently.

I was at the park. A guy told me that he would never want to wear a nametag, as it would ruin his lifelong dream of becoming a spy.

I was at a potluck. When I was introduced to the host, he asked if I had any extra nametags. I said yes. He wore it all night.

I was at a downtown deli. On the way out, a man pointed at me, said, “Nice name!” then kept on walking.

I was at an outdoor concert. A cop stopped me. He stared at my nametag, looked me straight in the eye, squinted and then kept walking.

I was at a baseball game. When I bought a soda at the concession stand, the volunteer at the counter said, “Scott, we’re glad you’re here!” I was walking across the street. A monk in an orange robe asked, “Scott, have you heard of Krishna?” I said yes. He smiled.

I was at a coffee shop. I met a toddler while waiting in line. She pointed to my nametag, so I told her my name was Scott. Utterly confused, she asked, “Why?”

Everyday, each of these interactions is a mini Rorschach test.

It’s an indicator of perception.
It’s an insight into personality.
It’s an implication of preferences.

And it is frighteningly accurate. Considering I’ve run this test tens of thousands of times, for more than a decade; you’d be amazed what you can learn about somebody simply based on the way they respond to a nametag.

I know that if they crack a joke immediately, they’re cool people. I know that if they say hello out the window of their car, they’re fun people.

But.

I know that if they roll their eyes and look at me like an alien, they’re insecure people. I know that if they try to rip my nametag off in a public venue, they’re jerky people. Instant analysis.

The nametag is my constant. It’s my filter. It’s how I judge people.

And I think each of us needs something like this. Something small, repeatable and portable that helps us make sense of the people we meet.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your Rorschach?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “49 Ways to become an Idea Powerhouse,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Proof That Airport Security Isn’t Secure

Going through airport security with a nametag is a fascinating experience.

One time a particularly cranky and compliant agent asked if my nametag was embroidered onto my shirt. Just for fun, I told her that I wore it because if I died, the police would have an easier time identifying the body.

Wrong thing to say.

She stared at me, emotionless, for five seconds – then told me I had been randomly selected for addition screening.

Woops.

Meanwhile, two weeks later I was traveling through the same airport. When they called my boarding group, I approached the gate to scan my ticket. And right as the machine beeped, the agent stopped me abruptly, pointed to my chest and asked:“Hang on, why does your nametag say Scott?”

“Um. Because that’s my name…?”

“Really. Then can you explain why your boarding pass says Kurt?”

“What?”

“Sir, your boarding pass says ‘Kurt Gransberg.’”

“Who the is that?”

“You tell me.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never heard that name in my life.”

Unbeknownst to me – and unbeknownst to the astute staff of the Transportation Security Administration – I had cleared three security checkpoints wearing a nametag that didn’t match the name on my ticket.

They made me exit the terminal, check in again, get in line again, go through security again – and refused to hold the plane for me.

I ended up missing my flight.

And they say that our safety is their priority.

Horseshit.

Their priority is to violate the fourth amendment.
Their priority is to humiliate and grope harmless people
Their priority is to reduce our liberty a little more each day.
Their priority is to protect the assets of the airline industry.
Their priority is to promote the illusion of safety and security.
Their priority is to convince us that they’re actually doing something to protect us.

If you see something, say something?

Well, I see something.

And I’m saying something.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you give people proof?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “18 Lessons from 18 People Smarter Than Me,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

–Melanie Jatsek, Diet Busters

Rent Scott’s brain today.

The Power of Proof

I almost got kicked out a wedding for wearing a nametag.

Let me explain.

I was eating an appetizer, minding my own business. When out of nowhere, the bride noticed me and started marching in my direction. And she was wearing her crazy face.

“Why are you wearing a nametag to my black tie wedding?”

“Oh, I’m Jason’s friend. I always wear a nametag.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“That’s so weird. Wait a minute. Have you heard about that guy who wears a nametag all the time?”

It could be someone else, right?Meanwhile, my friends are trying not to spit out their drinks.

“Well, as far as I know, I’m the only person in the world doing this. Is it possible that I’m the guy you heard about?”

“Oh trust me Scott – it’s not you. This guy is crazy. I even heard a rumor that he has a nametag tattooed on his chest.”

What would you have done in this situation?

And so, in the middle of her own wedding, I unbuttoned my tuxedo shirt and said:

“You mean he’s got a tattoo like this?”

In eleven years, that may have been the funniest reaction I’ve seen.

Poor girl. The color of her face matched her dress.

But I started thinking to myself – as security dragged me away – that running through her mind was one of two thoughts:

1. That guy is committed.
2. That guy should be committed.

I’ll let you decide which one.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you give people proof?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “18 Lessons from 18 People Smarter Than Me,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

–Melanie Jatsek, Diet Busters

Rent Scott’s brain today.

The Nametag Guy Live: How to Inspire People to Motivate Themselves

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you inspire people to motivate themselves?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “134 Questions Every Salesperson Should Ask,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

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Tag: slay your inner editor

Does Your Presence Induce Productivity?

When In Doubt, Move In With Your Parents

Watch Scott Ginsberg’s Marketing Workshop @ goBRANDgo!

The Profitability of Mystery

To Shove People Is To Love People

Carry Nametags, Not Guns

What’s Your Rorschach Test?

Proof That Airport Security Isn’t Secure

The Power of Proof

The Nametag Guy Live: How to Inspire People to Motivate Themselves