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THE ACHIEVEMENT DIGEST®
Combined summer issue, August 2002 Editor: Gene Griessman
CONTENTS
Quotations You Can Use
Leadership Tactics Of Very Successful People
Management Tip: A Different Way To Do Your
Performance Reviews
Feature Article: How To Leverage A Compliment
Lincoln's Log
Travel Tips
Only In America
How To Understand Body Language
QUOTATIONS YOU CAN USE
“If people don’t want to come to the ballpark,
there ain’t nothin’ to keep ‘em from not comin’.
Yogi Berra
“Without a deadline, I can’t finish nothin’”
Duke Ellington
“In a good society, common people care about the common good.”
Gene Griessman
“Entrepreneurial vision is not passive. It’s that rare, every-fiber-of-your being kind of
thing." Jim Blasingame Small Business Is Like A Bunch Of
Bananas (www.smallbusinessadvocate.com)
"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theatre."
Gail Godwin
"When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking."
Elayne Boosler
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."
Eleanor Roosevelt
"I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking."
Joan Rivers
For more great quotes,
click here.
FEATURE ARTICLE: LEADERSHIP TACTICS OF VERY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE
MANAGEMENT TIP: A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO YOUR PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
The best way to manage is to
put people in positions that play to their strengths, not their weaknesses.
A CEO attendee at one of our
seminars on the leadership secrets of Abraham Lincoln observed that most performance reviews are based on looking for the worst in people instead of looking for the best in people.
The focus is on the
negative. Typically managers say: “Here’s where you’re weak, so here’s what you can do to work on that.”
An alternative approach
would be, “Here’s where you have real strengths. Let’s look for ways to leverage your strengths.”
For more information about
the Lincoln Leadership Program,
click here.
FEATURE ARTICLE: HOW TO LEVERAGE A COMPLIMENT
This tactic is easy to
execute. It will win friends, improve the quality of the service you receive, and make the world a better place. I’ve watched others use it,
and I’ve used it myself with remarkable results.
Here it is: Whenever people
do something
that pleases you
communicate your message of
appreciation and praise to somebody who
matters to them.
Mel Kranzberg was a famed
historian and editor and the principal founder of the Society for the History of Technology. If someone helped Kranzberg by presenting a paper or writing an article, Kranzberg always wrote a thank-you letter.
But Kranzberg also wrote a
letter to that professor’s department head or dean or president, telling them how fortunate they were to have such a person at their school. Kranzberg made sure the individual knew too, because he sent them a copy of the letter.
At the time of Kranzberg’s
death, literally thousands of individuals were indebted to him for such
letters. (Kranzberg wrote a minimum of 10 letters a day.)
I was a recipient of the Kranzberg treatment several times, and still have copies of generous letters
that hewrote about me to his influential friends.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT
If you receive great
customer service at a restaurant or on the phone, ask if you can speak with that person’s supervisor. When they arrive or come on the line, praise them, and suggest to the supervisor that they might want to put a record of the
compliment in their file. Also, write the kind of complimentary letters that Kranzberg wrote.
If you ever have dealings
with that person again, you can be sure the service will be excellent because you’ll be dealing with a grateful person. And even if you don’t interact with them again, you can feel good about boosting the career of someone who deserved it.
WHAT DO COMPLIMENTS AND COMPLAINTS HAVE IN COMMON?
Answer: Both are powerful
tools. But to be used effectively, they must be used correctly.
For example, effective
complaining should not be confused with venting. There’s an entire chapter in "Time Tactics of Very Successful People" about how to complain effectively. By using those complaining tactics, I’ve saved lots of time, but I’ve also
received lots of goodies: upgrades, complimentary meals and free nights at hotels, etc.
In fact, if I’m at some
fabulous place, I find myself hoping that somebody will make a mistake, because I know
that a good company will always do something extra to try to keep customers happy.
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I USED THIS TACTIC
Recently my flight from Los
Angeles to Las Vegas on America West was cancelled. When a long line formed at the counter for reassignments, a baggage handler pitched in to help. He retagged the luggage and did everything possible to improve
the situation.
I asked for his name.
Later I sent a note to the
airline telling them how pleased I was was with the customer service. I
suggested that they pay particular attention to this young man
because he had strong leadership potential.
Back came a personal letter
from America West, thanking me for taking the time to give them feedback about their employees. Inside the envelope was a voucher for $75.
In helping someone else, I
benefited too.
HOW TO USE COMPLIMENTS TO MAKE A
BETTER WORLD
Most people complain if they
receive outrageously bad service. But few take time to pass along a compliment to a supervisor or employer if they receive exceptionally good service. Whenever I do, supervisors are usually astounded because it’s a rare occurrence. Complaints are what they usually get.
But just think about it. If
enough of us praise the good guys, good guys will get a better shot at the big jobs because the compliments you and I made about them are in their files.
Passing along compliments is
one small thing we can all do to make the system work a little better.
******************************************************
LINCOLN’S LOG FOR LINCOLN LOVERS
“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”
Lincoln's Annual Message to Congress, December
1, 1862
For more great Lincoln
quotes, go to “THE WORDS LINCOLN LIVED BY”
To order, click here.
We have produced a beautiful
color video of Gene Griessman's complete Lincoln performance before an audience of over 20,000 at the Georgia
Dome. To order "An Evening With Abraham Lincoln," click
herE www.achievementdigest.com/ProductOrderForm.html.
FEEDBACK
“Many thanks for the audio tape (“The Inspirational Words Of Abraham Lincoln”). It is wonderful!!! Joseph M. Brill, Terre
Haute, IN
“I want to thank you so very much for everything that you did at our National Sales meeting….You not only set the tone for the meeting; you encouraged, educated, challenged and motivated our group. You brought them to a higher level.”
Susan Cross, Marketing Services Manager,
AIRCAST, Summit, NJ
“It was great seeing Abraham Lincoln in person and not on movies or reports. After you left, I was left amazed and thankful for the lessons you gave us.”
Oscar Bermejo
A high-school student leader who attended Lincoln portrayal at a HOBY retreat
From the Evaluations:
“I like the richness of the content and the innovative delivery of the messages. Stepping out of ‘self” to a character was powerful in delivery.” Company president, Toronto
“You are so knowledgeable about Lincoln and his philosophies that you became him for the time you made your presentation. I had to remind myself that you were acting. You became your subject, which convinced your audience of your convictions.”
Spouse, Executive Retreat, Dana Point,
CA
A BOOK WORTH READING
Lately I’ve been reading
books that attempt to explain America’s origins. One of those is "Founding
Brothers. The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis. Written in 2000, the
paperback has just been released by Random House as a Vintage Book. As the title of the book
suggests, it’s written about people who knew one another.
Ellis has a deep knowledge of the characters in his stories. The sentences and paragraphs are overly long, and
there are numerous scholarly caveats, which makes for slow reading. This is certainly not a book for
people who are detest polysyllables. That said, the book is full of wise insights. Here’s a sample: “Mostly male, all white, this collection of
public figures was hardly typical of the population as a whole…All of its members…would have languished in obscurity in England or France…No titled and hereditary
aristocracy was in place to block their ascent; and no full-blown democratic culture had yet emerged to dull their elitist edge.”
One of the most important
qualities of a great leader is to be able to understand what is absolutely
essential to succeed--that one thing, if you will. Here's Ellis on George Washington. (Ellis calls it an "elemental insight."): "The strategic key was the
Continental Army. If it remained intact as an effective fighting force, the American Revolution remained alive. The British Army could
occupy Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, and it did. The British navy could
blockade and bombard American seaports with impunity, and it did. The Continental Congress could be driven from one location to another like a covey of pigeons, and it was. But as long as Washington held the Continental Army together, the British could not win the war...."(pp. 130, 131)
******************************************************
******************************************************
TRAVEL TIPS
Orlando
Christini's
Memorable Italian dishes; small, elegant room. Expensive, and worth it. The people at my table raved about the rack of
lamb, (“I never tasted better!”), Chilean sea bass, and the crème Brulée.
A 10-minute ride from the Marriott’s Orlando World Center off Interstate 4; 7600 Doctor Phillips Blvd. 407-345-8770
Toronto
Joe Badali's
Inexpensive, and wonderful. I happened to visit on a night when they served their pasta, soup, pizza, and salad buffet. Spectacular price--$14.95 (Canadian). Be
sure to order their version of the Bellini--Memorable! 156 Front St. West (downtown, three blocks
fro the Toronto Hilton or the Sheraton--in a fun part of Toronto)
Dana Point, California
The St. Regis
Until recently, when one talked about great
hotels between Los Angeles and San Diego, the Ritz Carleton at Leguna Niguel stood supreme. Now there’s a new and serious contender: The
St. Regis (Monarch Beach Resort and Spa). Located on a breathtaking property at Dana Point, the common
areas,the appointments and décor of the rooms are things of delight.
Wonderful customer service. Room
prices--usually north of $400 per night, yet completely booked when I was there.
******************************************************
ONLY IN AMERICA
“It’s great to be an American. We wear Italian suits, eat French food,drive a Japanese car, and on holidays, put out an American flag, made in Korea!
Thanks to Alice O’Neill for
sharing this with me. (O’Neil writes the widely read syndicated column “Hollywood Behind-the-scenes)
IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN PLANNING AN UPCOMING MEETING,
SALES CONFERENCE, CUSTOMER-APPRECIATION EVENT OR SEMINAR, PLEASE CONSIDER THE
FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:
___Lincoln-Leadership
___Personal
Productivity-Time Management
___Macroforces
and Trends in American Society
___Keynote
Presentation ("Lessons From Legends" "Success and Failure: Nine Secrets That
Make The Difference")
OTHER RESOURCES FOR YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH
TIME TACTICS OF VERY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE
THE WORDS LINCOLN LIVED BY
"LINCOLN ON COMMUNICATION" DVD-CD
99 WAYS TO GET MORE OUT OF EVERY DAY:
WORKBOOK-JOURNAL, DOWNLOAD, CD AUDIOBOOK "THE INSPIRATIONAL WORDS OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN" AUDIOBOOK
"AN EVENING WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN" VIDEO
"LESSONS FROM LEGENDS" CD AUDIOBOOK
"THE DIVERSITY CREED" POSTER
"WORDS TO LIVE BY" POSTER
Click on the individual item or here to order any of the items above:
http://www.achievementdigest.com/ProductOrderForm.html
Click below for:
Time
Management: How To Create A Time-Effective Organization
Abraham Lincoln: quotes
More
About Abraham Lincoln: Resources For Further Study
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt quotes and commentary on
leadership style
The
Lincoln-Roosevelt Connection
War quotes
Ronald Reagan quotes; exclusive
interview: his big break
"The Diversity Creed";
Why I Wrote "The Diversity Creed"
Remarkable Similarities Between
President Abraham Lincoln And Benjamin Franklin
Civil War Quotes: U.S. Grant's Leadership Style
How To Do
Business With Americans: Forgive Their Blunders
The Americans: Who Are They
And How Did They Get This Way?
"Gene Griessman is the
most celebrated character actor in the world playing Abraham
Lincoln."
Mike Rounds
Rounds, Miller and Associates Palos Verdes, CA |
Books and Videos By Gene Griessman
The
Inspirational Lincoln Quote Book
THE
WORDS LINCOLN LIVED BY.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
Gene Griessman's
Lincoln performance before an audience of over 20,000 at the Georgia Dome.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
 Over
200 time-saving tips from very successful people
Time Tactics Of Very Successful People.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER
"One of the very best
videos/DVDs ever made. It's a classic like 'Gone With the
Wind."
Brad McRea, "The Seven Strategies of
Master Presenters"
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