jungle jeff

jungle jeff’s top ten list:

Today, my personal Leadership recipe:

1. Vision – number one, it must be compelling, and impossible
2. Passion – passion is unlike yeast, we need a ton of passion
3. Communication – more is better; daily
4. Confidence – people love someone who believes “all the way”
5. Structure – how great work gets done effectively, and quickly
6. Teamwork – together, everyone achieves more
7. Innovation –  fancy word for creativity; implementing creative ideas
8. Measurement – you can’t improve what you don’t measure
9. Results – this is why we are in business
10. Fun – do what you love

Mix with courage, or, an indomitable will, and you have the opportunity to achieve what others say can’t be done.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  :)

Just posted a new Page today and thought some of you may be interested.  It’s called Better Business Blogging 101.

Many of you won’t find it useful, because you already have been blogging much longer than I have, and, you’ll find it to be too lengthy.   Others might be intrigued by the approach I’ve taken and profit from it.

However, if you’d like to offer any professional advice, it will be accepted in the spirit it was asked for, sincerely and with great intent.

Do what you fear and the death of that fear is certain.  Carpe diem, jungle jeff 

Whether you answer this personally or professionally, the answer should be the same.   And if you’re like I was before I became a professional speaker ten years ago, you aren’t sure what I’m talking about.  Right?

Generally speaking, things happen two ways, by design or by default.

In two hours, I’ll be running my first 5k run in several years.   I started running a decade ago.  After a few years, I needed a “carrot” to keep me motivated.  I ran my first 5k, ever.

In two hours, I’m running the very same 5k.  This is by design.  It’s an historic tradition that has incredible meaning in my life.  I could have picked any 5k to kick off my “comeback”, but I didn’t, by design.

Will you, or your organization, do things with purpose today, or will you drift aimlessly?  Carpe diem, jungle jeff

Would Walt Disney have a blog?

Probably, in my opinion.

Walt always taught his associates to push the envelope and be in front of the competition.  Find new ways to inform and entertain our audience.

Do you have a blog?

If you do, great.   If you don’t, let me please ask you a few questions, Do you own a cell phone? Do you have an email address?  Do you have a mail box or some other way to send or receive traditional postal mail? Do you have a computer?

All of the above, right?

Pretty soon, everyone will have a computer. Everyone. Not just every household, but ever lap will have a laptop – maybe as small as a cell phone. Notepads, those small 8-9 inch screen “laptops” are selling for $250.

The future is the Internet. Whether you embrace it or not, whether you find a million ways to have it help your business or not, it’s the future. I always believe the time to act is when you don’t have too. Get in on the social media phenomenon, or get left behind.

Seriously. I study this stuff and have an eight year old. I want him to come to me for answers, not say, “Don’t ask my Dad, he’s clueless”.

Make it an exciting and meaningful day.  There are probably a lot of people hoping for you do be that kind of person today.  Carpe diem, jungle jeff 

Did you work out today?

Yesterday?

Within the past three days?

Hey, not trying to make you feel guilty. You’re probably going to do that all by yourself.

If you are exercising regularly, you’re setting a good example for yourself and especially for others.

If you’re not, well, not really sure what to say. It’s not my place to judge others. We’re all going through some sort of challenge right now.  And most likely, we always will be.

That’s one of the secrets of life and business. It’s always going to be tough.

Back to the point – and I do have one.

What we do says more about us than what we say. Far more.

“Our actions speak louder than words“.

Profoundly simple. Simply profound.

Here’s the way I sum it all up. You’re probably going to have to re-read it a few times, and once you get it, it’s simply profound:

“It matters little to walk to do the preaching, if not the walking, is the preaching“.

PS. Off to the gym. Gonna practice what I preach. jungle jeff

What’s the first thing you do when you hear your alarm clock go off?

As I write this, it’s almost 5am.  I’ve been up for an hour, reading, writing, thinking.

Actually, I didn’t think the alarm clock was ever going to go off.  Just lying in bed, wondering, “When is that thing ever going to go off.  Come on. Let’s go.  Bring it (the day) on!”

Those who know me know I’m completely serious.  Those who don’t – “crazy man”!

Part of the challenge is the thing we’re waiting on is called an “ALARM” clock.  Yikes.

What if we called it an “OPPORTUNITY” clock.  Wow!

Everyday is an opportunity to do something great.  Everyday is a gift.  To be able to get out of bed.  To be alive.  To have the privilege to serve and help others.

Have you noticed the tone, the language, of today’s post?

There a few key words and phrases that set the tone.  Agree?

The same is true in business.  That’s one of the most powerful secrets in business.  Use words to nuture and grow a great culture.

I’ll explain more in another jungle jeff post.  Right now, it’s off to the Orange County Convention Center for a GREAT day.

Make your day GREAT!  Because if you don’t, who will?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 

What does EPCOT stand for?

Every Person Comes Out Tired!

What?

Just kidding.  You can take the boy out of the Jungle Cruise, but you can’t take the Jungle Cruise out of the boy.

EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow.

That’s what Walt Disney called Walt Disney World, before it was officially named Walt Disney World.  The entire 43-square mile piece of alligator, snake and mosquito infested swampland he called EPCOT.

He said it would never be completed.  He added, “The sketches and plans you see here are simply a starting point. Our first overall thinking.”  As he continued, “Our plans may change time and time again.”  He gave us permission to take his crazy, “impossible” vision and find the best way to get to our destination – “that EPCOT will always be a showcase for American ingenuity.”

And so it is with me.  And with you too.  Who wouldn’t want to always be in a state of becoming.  Always changing and growing -serving more people in more ways.  Then those people go out and do the same.  We know this as “the ripple effect”.

Who’s helping you?   Who’s holding you accountable?

At last week’s National Speakers Association Winter Conference, prior to the opening Keynote speech from Roxanne Emmerich ( http://www.emmerichgroup.com/ ), author of  “Thank God It’s Monday:  Kicking Butt and Taking Names to Grow Your Business”, we were asked to find one or two accountability partners.  It was great to establish this upfront.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 

What’s the downside to creativity?

Being creative does not mean being productive.

Huh?

Creativity can be defined as generating useful ideas, in any domain.  Most people assume that a bunch of creative ideas is something great.  It really isn’t.  Seriously, it’s not  Because, if none of your creative ideas ever get implemented, then what do you have?  N-u-t-h-i-n’.  Nuthin!  Period!

Want to know the key?

Curious about Disney’s spin on this “creativity issue”?

Here’s the deal:

Innovation is the implementation of a creative idea!

That’s the secret at Disney.  They focus on creativity and implementation, in order to create innovations that make things better for their Cast, Guests, or Business practices.

Most people think of Walt as the “Father of Creativity”.

What he really deserves credit for was his ability to innovate – to implement new, creative ideas.  Walt was the ultimate “envelope pusher”.

“So what?”  My simple, yet famous question.  The one I began using a decade ago for the sole purpose of challenging students, to adapt, not adopt, “book theory” best practices.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 is excellent), how would others (not you) rate you on your drive, your vision, your energy, to push creative ideas through to implementation?

I hope you like your number.  I didn’t like mine when I did this exercise.  So I did something about it.  I started to practice what I preach.

That has made all the difference.

Make it a GREAT day, because if you don’t, who will?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 

What’s significant about 17.84?

That’s what Disney stock closed at today.  As in $17.84 a share.  That’s a 52-week New York Stock Exchange low.  (The official low today was $17.72, but the close was $17.84)

Because of the strength of the Disney Company brand (Magic), Disney tends to be one of the last to feel recessions and one of the first to recover.

Today’s closing Disney stock price reinforces the mantra: “It’s not the Magic that makes it work, it’s the work that makes it Magic.”

Disney’s Magic is revealed in what they conceal.  The work.  The work is what they never let you see.

What are you willing to let your customers see?  What do you painstakingly make invisible?  Bet no one’s ever asked you that before!

What would you, or your organization, look like if everyone started to think this way?

If you have any professional sense, to me, you would let that statement resonate.   I hope you like your answers.  If you don’t.  You have options.

Some of them are right under your nose.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 

One word to describe the National Speaker’s Association’s Winter Conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida?

WOW!

Why WOW?

World-class presenters.  Cutting edge information.  Inspiration.  Great sense of community.   Commited Leadership.  Entrepreneurial spirit.  Discovering possibilities.  Hope.  Laughter.  Palm trees, sunshine and Mickey Mouse.    Does it get any better than this?

What began on Thursday afternoon, will end after Sunday’s Keynote.

To those of you I’ve had the privilege to meet and get to know, thank you for your time, passion, sharing, advice, inspiration.   Looking forward to continuing these friendships in spite of our insanely busy schedules.  We can.  We will.  If we all work together.   Know who said that?  Tell you later.

A dream is a wish your heart makes.  Sweet dreams.

jungle jeff 

PS.  Here’s NSA’s official website:  http://www.nsaspeaker.org/