QUOTABLE QUOTES
 ***Misuse of the Truth “Just because you know the truth doesn’t mean you need to tell it to everybody, everywhere, at any time.  The village idiot might stumble upon the truth, tell everybody in sight, and do irreparable damage.” 
--Gene Griessman (Excerpt from “Lincoln’s Wisdom: Lessons for Today’s Leaders from America’s Wisest President.”  This audio book will be released later in 2007.)

***Bad News  
“People don’t like to give the boss bad news.  I tell my people, ‘Don’t you decide in advance whether its bad news.  I need to hear all the news.  Let me make the determination whether it’s good or bad news.’”   Brad Callahan, CEO, Travel Advantage Network

***Hatred
”Of course I felt old anger rising up again, and fear.  After all, I had not been free in 27 years.  But I knew that, when I drove away from the gate, if I continued to hate them, they would still have me.  I wanted to be free so I let it go.” 
--Nelson Mandela (Mandela explaining if he felt hatred toward those who had imprisoned him when he left the prison.) 

***The Shortsightedness of Prejudice “Why might not some Roman senator…pointing to the British barbarians, have predicted, ‘There is a people that will never rise to civilization; there is a people destined never to be free’?”—William Pitt the Younger (indicting the slave trade)

***A Special Savings Account
”What I want in my old age is a widely diversified portfolio of great memories—Dan Burrus, futurist

***How to Find Something You’ve Misplaced
”The quickest way to find something you’ve misplaced is to purchase a replacement.”

THE EXECUTIVE COACH
I get all sorts of questions from participants in my executive coaching program.  In this column, from time to time, I’ll share some of my answers.  If you’d like to submit a question, send me an email.

”Give me some advice about retiring.”
One. Don’t wait until you’re really old to move where you want to be for the rest of your life. This is particularly true if you’re trading down or trading up.  I read about a couple that delayed their move until the wife had a stroke.  Then a quick move was necessary.  The couple did not have time to do deferred maintenance on their house before putting it on the market.  They had to discount it $50,000.

Two. It’s risky to move in with your children.  They can smother your life and may end up resenting you.  Better to live in an apartment or condo where you can interact with people at social events, etc.  Don’t live in some isolated place by yourself, unless you enjoy being a hermit.  Most people need more than a good view to sustain themselves. 

Three.  Test your retirement choice by taking extended vacations in your chosen place.  What seems like Paradise during spring or fall may turn to Hell during the summer. You might discover that the people in your chosen place don’t like newcomers and will never accept you.  This advice is especially true if you’re considering retiring to some exotic overseas location.

Four.  Choose a place where you don’t have to drive for everything you need.  Most suburbs don’t work for the elderly.  You’d better recognize this early.

Five. Save money.  You’re going to need it if you plan to live a long time.  Most people manage to spend more than their income, no matter how much they make.  Learn to spend less than you make. 

Six.  Diversify your investments.  Don’t be entirely dependent on one stream of income.  Consider real estate investments.  I’ve read all the recent bad news, but I also know that historically, one of the very best times to buy is when the news is bad. 

Seven.  Find a hobby that you can grow old with.  If your present hobby is an active sport, such as fast-pitch softball, look for something interesting to do that you can continue to do when you’re elderly. 

Eight.  Diversify your friendships.  If you move into a retirement community, no matter how beautiful and well-run it is, most of your contacts will be with elderly people.  This may work for you, but it is something to consider.

Leadership Lessons
How Richard Branson Started Virgin Airways
Here’s one of the best examples of seizing opportunity I’ve ever seen. 

Virgin Airways got its start, in part, because a flight to Puerto Rico that Richard Branson was planning to take was cancelled at the last minute.  Branson found a company that would charter a jet to Puerto Rico for $2000. 

He then divided the $2000 by the number of seats in the plane, borrowed a blackboard and wrote on the blackboard: “Virgin Airlines, $39 Single Flight to Puerto Rico!”  Branson walked around the airport with the blackboard and filled every seat on the plane.  (From The New Yorker, May 14, 2007)

What’s Happening?
Democracy does not thrive without citizens who are well informed.  
 
How do Americans become informed today?  

Newspapers, which have long been a source of information in America, are being downsized and journalists are being laid off in large numbers.  TV news has been transformed into entertainment, with less and less journalistic content, and what passes for news is often opinion or a set agenda.  

Many Americans scorn the large newspapers and go to the Internet instead. 

That’s a problem.  One, there is virtually no accountability on many sites.  Even at the most popular sites, especially the blogs, there’s usually no vetting or cross-checking.   The result?  Within minutes, wildly inaccurate stories find their way to uncritical millions. 

Two.  About 80 percent of all news available on the Internet originates in newspapers. According to one study, “No Internet company has the resources needed to gather and edit news on the scale of the most mediocre metropolitan daily.  Google and Yahoo apparently have no interest in going into serious journalism…Neither fields its own reporting staff….”(The New York Review of Books, August 17, 2007)

Some Americans think the nation would be better off without journalists.  I am not one of them. 

LINCOLN’S LOG
Lincoln on Immigrants   I often am asked what Lincoln would say about today’s issues.  We know what Lincoln thought about immigrants.

In a letter to his good friend Joshua Speed, Lincoln on August 24, 1855 Lincoln wrote:  “I am not a Know-Nothing. That is certain. How could I be? How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor or degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it ‘all men are created equal, except negroes" When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.’"

Throughout its history, the United States has spawned numerous anti-immigrant movements.  Even Benjamin Franklin, who was known for his tolerance and opposition to slavery, thought there were entirely too many Germans in Pennsylvania.   At various times Germans, Chinese, Irish, Jews, Portuguese, Italians, Muslims, Japanese, and Mexicans have been targets of resentment, hostile legislation, persecution, or deportation. 

In Lincoln’s day, the most famous of the anti-immigrant groups was called the Know-Nothings.  Primarily aimed at Irish and German Catholics, the party originated in New York in 1843 as the American Republican Party.  It spread to other states where it became known as the Native American Party. In 1855 it renamed itself the American Party.  Adherents of the movement became known as Know-Nothings because the organization was a semi-secret society and members, when asked about its activities, were supposed to say, “I know nothing.” 

In the spring of 1854 the Know Nothings carried Boston and several other New England cities and in the fall swept the state of Massachusetts.  The Know Nothing candidate for mayor in Philadelphia won by a landslide when he promised to appoint only native-born Americans to office, crack down on crime, and close saloons on Sunday.  In 1855 the Know Nothings elected the mayor of Chicago who barred all immigrants from city jobs. 

The platform of the American Party called for severe limits on immigration, especially from Catholic countries; restricting political office to native-born Americans; mandating a wait of 21 years before an immigrant could gain citizenship; restricting public school teachers to Protestants; mandating daily Bible readings in public schools; and  restricting the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Is history repeating itself today with new Know-Nothings?

FEEDBACK
From the evaluations…
*** “I enjoyed how he presented history and related it to our present-day life.  Would be excellent for our YPO Chapter.”
--Betsy Peppel

*** “Your presentation was riveting!”  --James Jentz

*** “The Lincoln presentation is a great way to bring a message to the group without ‘lecturing’ to a crowd.”  --Doug Mead

*** “I liked how directly you answered questions.  I enjoyed the diversity; i.e., the Lincoln portrayal and the executive session.  Need both to maximize effectiveness.”  --Mark Levy

THIS ISSUE’S PROMOTION
“Lincoln on Communication” Here’s what David Greenberg, internationally respected communication expert, says about this DVD:  “Every minute is captivating, entertaining and educational.  You and your group will learn some of the most effective communication tactics and strategies that made Lincoln a great writer and speaker—tactics that absolutely work for today’s business environment.”  

Use this link to learn more now and receive an unadvertised special with your order. www.achievementdigest.com/lincoln%20on%20communication.html 

Don’t worry if the special does not appear when you use our shopping cart.  Every order received before October 15, 2007 will receive a bonus gift.

TRAVEL NOTES FROM A ROAD WARRIOR
Atlanta
Kyma.  Many diners consider this upscale Greek restaurant their absolute favorite.  Kyma is a distinguished part of the Buckhead Life portfolio, already known for several notable restaurants, including Chops, Bluepointe, and the Buckhead Diner. Impressive in every way, Kyma is adorned with more than $1 million worth of Thasos marble, including two 16.5-foot-high entry columns that each weighs nearly 30 tons.   An expensive and delightful way to get acquainted with Greek cuisine is to order Kyma’s combination platter.  A minimum of two persons is required, but for $9.50 per person, you’ll get five choices plus three delicious spreads.  Here’s a link to the menu:  http://www.themenupage.com/kymamenu.html    3085 Piedmont Road, Atlanta, GA  30305  404-262-0702

IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN PLANNING AN UPCOMING MEETING, SALES CONFERENCE, CUSTOMER-APPRECIATION EVENT OR SEMINAR, PLEASE TYPE "YES" BESIDE THE ITEM/S BELOW AND RETURN THIS EMAIL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:
___Lincoln-Leadership
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___Keynote Presentation LESSONS FROM LEGENDS (Powerful stories from interview with famous high achievers)
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YOU MAY ALSO CONTACT US BY CALLING 800-749-4625 OR CLICKING HERE: www.theamericans.us/ContactGene.html
Click here to watch excerpts from the Lincoln presentation in streaming video.
www.presidentlincoln.com/1.html  

VALUABLE RESOURCES 
***THE WORDS LINCOLN LIVED BY www.achievementdigest.com/thewordslincolnlivedby.html
 
***TIME TACTICS OF VERY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE www.achievementdigest.com/timetacticsofverysuccessfulpeople.html
  
***99 WAYS TO GET MORE OUT OF EVERY DAY: www.achievementdigest.com/99waystogetmorecd.html
 
***"AN EVENING WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN" VIDEO www.achievementdigest.com/aneveningwithabraham.html
 
***"LESSONS FROM LEGENDS" CD AUDIOBOOK www.achievementdigest.com/ProductOrderForm.html
 
***"LINCOLN ON COMMUNICATION" DVD-CD  www.achievementdigest.com/lincoln%20on%20communication.html

 “Lessons From Legends”  recently was name “Best Educational Album” in the 2006 JPF Music Awards.   It is a recording before a live audience of several thousand people in which I tell stories from my exclusive interviews with celebrities.  If you’d like to obtain multiple copies of this CD, contact us directly for a quantity price.  The best way to obtain a single copy of the CD is from CD Baby.  You can hear an excerpt on-line before ordering. http://cdbaby.com/found?artist=griessman&soundlike=&album=lessons+from+legends&style=

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THE ACHIEVEMENT DIGEST--TAD, March 2005--A Unique Newsletter For Leaders