Competent Incompetent

Hmmm...
Hmmm...

Has anyone ever called you a competent incompetent?

If so, consider yourself a rookie. But, a rookie with incredible opportunity.

In today’s rapidly changing work environment, even seasoned professionals may sometimes feel like a competent incompetent.

And there’s just one thing I’d like to say about that. Remember who you are and why they hired you in the first place.

When I first became a professional speaker, I knew nothing, zip, zilch, notta, zero, about public speaking.

This was a good thing, my new boss told me.

What the?

And what’s weird about his comment, I agreed with him.

I was fully aware I didn’t know a thing about my new career path.

Public Speaking for a large Central Florida company was frightening. The people that made up the team I just joined were seasoned professionals.

Me?

The new guy, that didn’t have a clue. But they eluded to the reason why they hired me, over all their other choices.

“You have the most heart!  The most passion.”

Here we are, 11 years later.

Freakonomics And Sam Horn

I Love Freakonomics
I Love Freakonomics

You’ve probably heard of Freakonomics.

You probably have not heard of Sam Horn.

I met Sam Horn on LinkedIn.

Sam Horn loves quotes.  jeff noel loves quotes. In fact, jeff noel is addicted to quotes.

Sam feeds quotes to quote-addicted people like me.

She also speaks and writes.  And Sam Horn does them well, very well.

And if you have any common sense at all, you’ll trust me and click here to read this New York Times summary of her book, Tongue Fu.

I have six new ideas from reading this brief, but compelling angle to crafting your pitch, your elevator speech. Seriously.

Why Are You In Trouble?

Intimidated?
Intimidated?

Because you don’t have time to read this.

Because you don’t have time to follow this leadership blog.

Because you keep quoting others and have no quotes of your own.

Because you keep waiting for someone else to change.

Because you feel life isn’t fair.

Because you talk a good talk, but don’t walk a good walk.

Because you’re afraid.

All of these things can be dealt with.  But you don’t know where to begin.

Begin here.

One small daily step at a time.

Humans want quick fixes.

When will you finally accept that life doesn’t work like that?

Life works the opposite.

Second Great Leadership Book

Money Is Good
Money Is Good

Wow.  Ever heard that phrase, “Time flies when you’re having fun?” Can’t believe it’s been nearly two weeks since I started writing about the two top leadership books I read in 2009.

Guess what, I never shared the second book.  The Last Lecture was the second great leadership book I read in 2009.  And the first?

Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki.

How many knew I’ve had a Rich Dad Poor Dad book review over on the right hand column all 2009?

Smart Bomb

Smart Bomb?
Smart Bomb?

The silver bullet, and we’re not talking Coors Light here. Don’t we dream of finding the silver bullet?

The silver bullet for leadership, for customer service, for brand recognition, marketing, market share, sales, etc.

Maybe we are searching for the wrong solution.

Maybe we should be in search of the …. smart bomb.

Smart bomb?  Yes. I just discovered it. (it was right next to the fountain of youth)

My son and his friend are playing video games.

I’m eating some cold, left-over Pasitano’s Pizza for lunch.

Watching them play, with their nine-year old competitive juices flowing, they just got excited about a smart bomb.  I watched the bomb grow in size, until it was a giant bubble on the TV, and then it exploded.

All I could think to do was groan for them, in their apparent loss.  Because, like most bombs, a big explosion does serious damage.

They corrected me, the way nine-year olds do when adults reveal their complete incompetence about stuff they didn’t grow up with.

A smart bomb, when it explodes, makes everyone near it – smarter, more effective.   Better.

Smart bomb.  Has a nice ring to it. Imagine if you worked on something important and then it sort of exploded in your face. Youch.

Or, “EUREKA!”  As in – “Used to express triumph upon finding or discovering something.”

You know, the silver bullet.