speaker

www.darylwizelman.com

818-876-7337

December 2009 Newsletter

The Thanksgiving Mindset

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year because it has so many of us thinking about gratitude and appreciation.  What would the world be like if we felt and expressed gratitude and appreciation everyday?  I refer to this as "The Thanksgiving Mindset."  Simply explained through being kind, showing gratitude and being appreciative for all of the amazing people and opportunities we have in our lives.

Life is very busy and we are all juggling a million balls.  Sometimes it is easy to forget to say "thank you" or "I love you."  If we adopt "The Thanksgiving Mindset", we can further a movement of making our world a kinder and more grateful world through our words and actions.  I believe that this can be spread from person to person and can eventually change our culture and the way we think and interact.  I agree that this seems like a lofty goal, but where is the harm in each one of us trying to be kinder and more grateful? 

A few questions I ask myself:

1. Do I take enough time to reflect on who and what is most important to me?

2. Do I express gratitude for the large and small blessings in my life?

3. Do I express gratitude to the people who I love and manage/lead?

4. Do I appreciate and show gratitude for the little things in life that people do for me?

5. Do I consider others?

6. On a daily basis I ask myself, have I done the most to maximize "The Thanksgiving Mindset" in every situation I was in today?

Freemium

From time to time there are new buzz words that enter into the language of business.  During this recession, I have witnessed more and more companies and industries offering their products and/or services for free in order to introduce their companies to potential clients.  I have been hearing and reading the business community referring to this strategy as "Freemium."

In my case, I have offered to speak to groups such as Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and others groups for free or at a greatly reduced fee in order to help other people improve their lives and their careers.  While I don't expect it, another great reward would be to earn future business from the organization I am speaking to or the individual attendees at the events.

What I have experienced is the following benefits flow from offering products/services for free;

1. There is no expectation on the part of the "buyer" to buy anything.

2. Serving the client with no expectations of getting anything in return.

3. Adding value during a difficult economic period.

4. Planting seeds for the future when economic conditions improve.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. What service and/or product can we offer our clients or prospective clients for free?

2. Who are the best clients or potential clients to offer our "freemium" products/services to?

3. Are we making our approach to the client with the mindset of giving without the expectation of getting anything in return?

4. Can we make the "Freemium" opportunity a regular (weekly or monthly) discipline that can be offered to a finite number of current or potential clients?

Book and Music Recommendation

In Have a Little Faith, Mitch Albom offers a beautifully written story of a remarkable eight-year journey between two worlds - two men, two faiths, two communities - that will inspire readers everywhere.

Albom's first nonfiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie, Have a Little Faith begins with an unusual request: an eighty-two-year-old rabbi from Albom's old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy.

Feeling unworthy, Albom insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he'd left years ago. Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Albom becomes involved with a Detroit pastor--a reformed drug dealer and convict--who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof.

Moving between their worlds, Christian and Jewish, African-American and white, impoverished and well-to-do, Albom observes how these very different men employ faith similarly in fighting for survival: the older, suburban rabbi embracing it as death approaches; the younger, inner-city pastor relying on it to keep himself and his church afloat.

As America struggles with hard times and people turn more to their beliefs, Albom and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man: how to endure when difficult things happen; what heaven is; intermarriage; forgiveness; doubting God; and the importance of faith in trying times. Although the texts, prayers, and histories are different, Albom begins to recognize a striking unity between the two worlds--and indeed, between beliefs everywhere.

In the end, as the rabbi nears death and a harsh winter threatens the pastor's wobbly church, Albom sadly fulfills the rabbi's last request and writes the eulogy.  He finally understands what both men had been teaching all along: the profound comfort of believing in something bigger than yourself.

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I have long been a fan of the music of singer / song writer John Ondrasik and the band Five for Fighting.  They have a new album out called "Slice."  Ondrasik has the masterful ability to make his piano playing speak into my heart.  His lyrics and melodies are both inspirational and full of life lessons.  I highly recommend this album and all of the work from Five for Fighting. 

Quotation

"Take chances, make mistakes.  That's how you grow.  Pain nourishes your courage.  You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

        -Actress, Mary Tyler Moore

Thanks to Steve Scanlon for sending me this quote.

A Closing Note

Thank you for reading this month's newsletter.  I hope you are able to use some of the content to improve your life and/or your career.  If there is an opportunity for me to speak at an upcoming conference or meeting, please let me know.
 
If you like what you see, please feel free to review my web site at www.darylwizelman.com.  I speak on leadership, work/life balance, strategic initiatives, emotional intelligence and life planning among other topics that can be viewed on my web site.  I believe I can inspire your group and provide them with excellent practical tools to improve their career and their life.
 
There are two buttons below.  One reads, "forward email."  Please forward this newsletter to anyone that you believe would derive benefit from its content. 

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Again, thank you for your interest.
 
Daryl

Daryl Wizelman
www.darylwizelman.com
daryl@wizelman.com

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