Taking a Halloween Risk and How I Won a Free Trip to Europe

It was Halloween in the late 1980's; I was working for Ask Mr. Foster Travel Service (Carlson Travel) as a Financial Analyst. There was to be a Halloween Costume Contest - first prize was a pair of tickets to anywhere American Airlines flew in Europe. I was not going to participate, but instead be one of the judges. After all, I was an accountant type person, not a fun travel agent.

At the time we had a Vice President named Pam. She often wore black. She often wore a black cape. People were afraid of Pam; she wasn't the warmest person in the office; not very approachable. When people saw Pam walking across the parking lot they would scream, "It's the Wicked Witch of White Plains."

Hmmm.......................... (yes you know where this is going)

So I went out and bought a witches outfit; broom included. My friend Patty painted my face green. We put an ugly wart on my nose. The outfit was nothing special; compared to some of the elaborate costumes worn by others. The long black hair went down the front and back of my head.

The judging was about to begin. We were lining up in the hallway. And then I had an idea...............

A risky idea, but an idea. I grabbed one of those sticky name tags and wrote the The Wicked Witch of White Plains on it.

But then I had a better idea; tore that name tag up and wrote the following words on it.................

Hello, My Name is Pam!

I placed that name tag just above my heart, but hidden by the hair.

The parade began. I heard great cheers for those elaborate costumes. I entered the room. When I saw that first person I moved the hair ever so slightly so she could read the name tag. The roar was that of a lion. I kept going. The roars were getting louder. Pam was ahead. I hid the name tag. I passed Pam and exposed the name tag again. The roars were even louder. Pam had no clue. For a brief moment morale in the office was increased; there was a bond that was always there but not shared enough.

Belgium and Holland are places you need to go visit. I had a blast; thanks to Pam.

Happy Halloween and the next opportunity you have to take a risk or increase your team spirit or office morale............go for it!

A Few Baby Boomers Might Save Your Life

Millenials, Gen X, Gen Y, Boomers; we're all different, yet at times have a hard time existing together. Boomers are considered dinosaurs. Often times technologically challenged, still drinking whiskey and scotch and listening to heavy metal and disco.

Well I only have one thing to say to all the rest,.................Go Ahead, keep making fun of Disco. Keep making fun of Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, The Trammps, the Hues Corporation, France Joli, Deneice Williams and so many others. Go ahead, keep making fun. Keep thinking that Boomers are dinosaurs and have no value.

The greatest thing about generational differences is that we all bring history, new and old ideas to one place. We can all learn from each other. Boomers need to understand that tenure does not mean knowledge while Millenials, Gen X and Y'ers need to realize that not every answer is a text message, email or mouse click away. Teaching is happening at every level of organizations today; which means learning is too.

So don't knock the boomers and don't look at the young ones as having no value. Everyone has value. Everyone - especially Boomers who love disco.

What?

Boomers who love disco?

Yep, and it just may be a disco sound by the Bee Gees that might save your life.

Go ahead keep knocking disco, but before you do, click here and think about this..................

You're Not Motivating Staff When You Embarrass Them

I just returned from walking the dogs. The woman around the corner was yelling and screaming at her children, yet again. She was yelling at one of them for leaving the f&$%ing living room light on; telling the other one to get the f&*k in the car. She then threatened to 'put the dog down' when it ran out the door and would not respond to her shrieks. I see this scene play out many a morning.

This scene will also play out in many organizations today. Some employee will make an error or need to be corrected regarding a behavior or action. That employee will not be grabbed aside. That employee will not be spoken to in private. That employee will be embarrassed in front of others. That employee will do whatever possible to have minimal contact with that supervisor. The only thing that will be different (hopefully) is the use of expletives. This is not how you motivate, engage, or retain people. This is not how you build and grow a healthy team, department or organization.

In both these cases, it shouldn't be this way. Correct people in private; but more importantly provide them with ideas on how to not make that error again.

If I were the dog I wouldn't want to be there either. And as for who we should 'put down'...........

Forget Starbucks and the third place. My motivation today is to get you to look at your second place.

In 2006 the CEO of Starbucks said he wanted his locations to be our "third place."

Home is number one. Work is number two. And he wanted Starbucks to be number three; the place we would retreat to when the other two had sucked the energy out of our life (that is my interpretation).

Well this really confused me, you see my home and office are the same place. So does that mean I need a new second place? Should I count my vacation home as my second place? Or is that a substitute first place for me? Do I move Starbucks up to my second place? And if I do that now do I need to find a new third place? What about the people who spend more time at the office than at home? I was very confused. And what was this going to do to all the studies that were showing how much time people spend at work? Was the number that some people use to impress others about to have its turf stepped on? This third place thing really opens a can of worms.

I do know this however, there are times we all need to get away from our home and away from the office - and Starbucks is a great place to go.

But if you ask my Parks and Recreation clients, they will tell you that so is a park, a nature preserve, a beach, the woods, a ski slope, a golf course, a bike ride or ______________ (fill in your own).

So while I do love Starbucks, and am sitting here right now, I hate to inform them that they are not my third place. Today they are. But tomorrow my third place might be somewhere else. And there is a very good reason.....

Let's think about this logically; all the time we spend at home or work has driven us crazy, ruined marriages, and offered us lots of co-pays on prescription anxiety drugs. I'm afraid of making Starbucks my third place; spend too much time there and well you see where I am going with this.

So I'm spreading the wealth when it comes to my third place. I'm coming up with a rotation schedule. It's much more fun.

And this has to do with what Rich?

I really do have a point here. As a keynote speaker on employee matters, my job is to make your second place, your workplace, just a bit more fun a bit more tolerable. Is your second place just a bit too crazy at times? Do you ever feel trapped in the craziness; craziness that might be stifling morale, engagement, innovation and creativity? Would it be helpful if you changed your second place location every so often?

When was the last time you took that staff meeting or creativity session to a nature preserve, the woods or the beach? The last time??????? How about the first time! Now is the time; especially with all the fear and concern your employees are having in this economic environment. Now.

But just in case you need to break into this slowly, I guess you can go to a Starbucks. If your meeting gets boring, you can do what I'm doing.............eavesdropping right now on some people planning to fire the manager at a certain chain restaurant nearby.

Does Every Meeting Need To Have An Agenda?

This morning at 11:30 I will be on a conference call with four other entrepreneurs to discuss how each of us are planning to do business over the next six to nine months. While it seems that doom and gloom appears to be all over the news and is the conversation at coffee shops and bars, we have chosen not to participate in those conversations. Our conversation is about moving forward, ignoring (to some degree) this "worst financial crisis since The Great Depression", and letting everyone else worry. I have organized the call and agreed to facilitate it as well.

I was asked by one of the participants if there was an agenda I could send out before the call. I am not an agenda type person. I am not scripted, timed to the minute, or that detail oriented. He probably has a schedule for bathroom visits.

Agendas are not bad. Detailed plans are not bad. But sometimes open discussion with no preconceived notions, no missions and no suggested outcome provides the creative solutions to challenges and opens up new opportunities. When I present breakout sessions at conferences I always give a handout, some people need one. But in the end it is creative, lively, fun discussion that helps organizations generate new ideas and offers employees the chance to learn how to work better with one another.

So my response to him was..................Does Every Meeting Need To Have An Agenda?

He responded with "I gotcha" because he knows me and knows how I work. And he still wants to be a part of the call.

How about you? Are there people in your organization whose style of work you need to be more accepting of or more trusting of? Could you possibly benefit from experiencing a new approach to doing business?

Speaking of Not Recognizing Value

It was a great day to go pumpkin picking yesterday here in the Northeast. But on my way back to the car I was looking down a cliff and saw the above.

All at once the following thoughts ran through my head:

• Is it a mass pumpkin grave?
• Is it The Land of the Misfit Pumpkins?
• Maybe it's Pumpkin Hell?
• Is this where the bad pumpkins are sent for time out?
• The Pumpkin Quality Control Team must have been to work today

But my final thought looking down that cliff was; what a waste; a lot of pumpkin pies could have been made!

Every person in your organization has value. Be a good pumpkin and help them locate it.

I Am Now Smarter Than a Fifth Grader..........I Think

Ever feel like the young ones in your life are running circles around you when it comes to technology? Now for me, young ones are below twenty-five years old.

You just figured out texting and they're Twittering. They don't use email any longer. You're still trying to figure out how to save a document as a PDF and they're doing things with technology that frighten you. Then you go ask them simple questions and they look at you with that "Are you a moron?" look. Now you can look at the humor in this (see yesterday's post) or feel terrible; you decide.

Today I was passed along a great Tech Tips article; (click on those words for the slower ones and a new browser page will open with the article) and I felt it was worth passing along. This ought to help you feel motivated and empowered to continue in your technology quest. There are basic and not so basic tips. Have fun with them. Share the source with your friends. Pick two or three of your favorites and use them today. Show the world how smart you are and perhaps add one of two of your own. It might also give you an opportunity to see what your kids are really up to and substantiate that frightening feeling you've been having.

I don't know about you, but each day I wake up hoping to learn one new thing. It is a priority for every day of my life. It is something as a speaker I share with audiences during keynotes, breakout sessions and workshops. Can you learn one new thing today? Can you do this tomorrow? And the next? Continuing Education to a greater degree happens at conferences, meetings, conventions, and classrooms. Continuing Education however should be on your radar map every day.

The day any one of us cannot learn something new is a sorry, sorry day. Think of that next time you're in a meeting bored out of your mind or reading an article that appears basic. There has got to be some walk-away for you.

Now hit the shift key and then the space key and re-read this post.

It's time for Pumpkin Pancakes!

Why Do We Need To Look At The Humorous Side To Things?

So how do you look for the funny and humorous in (almost) everything.

It really is a mindset; and you really need to train yourself how to do so.

So let me start out by telling you that I could do a week long motivational speech at my expense on finding the misery in everything. Yes, I admit I was not always the fun guy; I was a miserable person at one point in my life - always looking at what was wrong, who wronged me, and why I didn't have what I wanted. Anyone with me?

So I won't bore you with the painful process I went through to change my outlook but I am going to share a couple of tips that should get you to laughing or chuckling just a bit more - especially when dealing with those uptight ones who somehow creep into our lives.

1. Perspective - Put things in perspective. Look at what people (or you) are really getting all crazed about; and is it really within their/your control? Recently during a break at an all day Success Program I was presenting, I found myself in a discussion with a woman who was so upset that the person sitting in the next cube was not carrying their weight. She was gong on and on and on and on. I was laughing inside. I could only imagine how much time she spends during her day getting all worked up over this. She just couldn't understand that she was not going to change that person. I had ideas for her; she just wasn't ready to hear them.
2. Irony - Find the irony in the other side of arguments; and how if people focused on the other side a lot more would get done. i.e. My recent blog post about the morons we have in Congress slapping the hands of former AIG execs.

And here's an example of both:

A friend calls me up the other day; frantic and worrying about impending layoffs. He is absolutely sure his group is going. With all the open positions in the company; positions that the company is still trying to fill he just cannot understand why is group is not needed. I said, "John, wouldn't it make more sense for you to place yourself in one of those open positions." He started going on and on about not being qualified. I said, "John, you have been with this company over 20 years; you have company and industry knowledge. If my group was going and I was in your shoes I know what I would be doing." John continued his worry. While I feel for him, he is my friend, I find it funny that he cannot connect the value he possesses.

Yep, that's it. Perspective and Irony - that's how I do it and that's what I share with employee groups when matters like morale, engagement, and organizational change are the topics of our time together. It's really not that hard to see the humor in so many situations. So first start working on the YOUR perspective and the irony of what's got YOU crazed. Then start laughing at all those around you.

My Motivational Keynote Speech Just Got Better Thanks To A Bunch of Morons in Washington, DC

ddksl

Congress scolds former AIG executives over crisis (AP)

Yep, that was the title of the article I just read on Yahoo. Congress just gave a tongue lashing to former executives at AIG.

What a bunch of morons we have sitting in Congress and they seem to get dumber by the minute. Scolding for bad deeds that are completed? Scolding former executives - the key word being former? What good is this? Have we not learned from Enron, WorldCom, and Adelphia. These people do not give a crap. We know what motivates these executives.

The Congress is just making my job way too easy - and too fun. I can't wait to deliver my next keynote; especially when I get to the part where I talk about how organizations spend way too much time pointing the blame and bashing the cause of the problem instead of finding solutions. The only thing this does is get people more angry and creates more ill.

Look around your organization right now - be it government or a corporate entity - what is a problem you are trying to solve at this very moment? Now how about trying to solve it without digging up who/what/where and why got you in this pickle in the first place!

I Have A Vision To Speak About How Fun It Is To Ride A Bicycle

Yep, that's what I want to do. I want to tell people how much fun it is to ride a bicycle. I don't want to promise them how they can lose weight or get that perfect body; that would be telling a lie. I just want to tell people how much fun bike riding is. I could go on and on about the benefits of bike riding, but I won't.

But I do have a dream...........riding my bike cross country and promoting the fun aspects of being outdoors; motivating people to put down the Blackberry and meet me on Newberry; encouraging them to blow off a few meetings and join me for fun in Hastings; to leave the office early one day and bicycle around Crystal Bay. And for the kids reading this, get away from the Wii and come say Wheeeeeeeeee!!!

Yep, I have a vision of meeting people all across the United States and having them join me for segments of this ride. These people are not athletes. These people are not cyclists. These are everyday people who need to be reintroduced to the great outdoors. That is my vision - well at least today.

I know many of you are thinking how cool! Others are thinking Rich has gone off the deep end. Who has the time and how will I support myself and what about the dogs and.................

I know you are thinking this. Some of you are thinking this because it is not your dream; your vision; we never get other's dreams and visions. This is how most people think; always looking for what is wrong with an idea and not focusing on the possibilities. This is why organizations hire me to keynote their conferences and meetings; to get people thinking about the possibilities; about how they need to change their ways of thinking in order to be more successful; to figure out their role in the overall vision of the organization; to provide fun and motivational tools to get them to engage and produce.

So as for supporting myself. What if I got an organization to support my ride?

• How about a bicycle manufacturer?
• How about an organization that is working towards "greening" the planet?
• How about a sports energy drink company?
• How about a parent's organization?
• How about Parks & Recreation?
• What if I got donations?
• How about a clothing company?
• Maybe the PTA would have an interest?
• How about...............
• What if........

The possibilities are endless.

But what this is really about is your dream. What is your dream? What's your great idea. What is the direction where you would like to see your life, your career, or your business head? What needs to change in your office? Where do you need some more fun in your life? What steps have you taken to make your dream or vision occur? Have you taken a step today? Did you take one yesterday?

Don't just read these questions answer them. Even better yet sit down with a pen and paper or your boss and spend fifteen minutes. It could be the best fifteen minutes you spend this week.

Organizations thrive when visions come to life.

Who are you supporting in the upcoming election?

I just don't get it. My Liberal Democrat friends are sending me emails to sign petitions to get Sarah Palin to step down from the ticket - due to her inexperience. Yes, you read it right - my Liberal Democrat friends.

Why in the world are my Liberal Democrat friends sending me this? If you think she is that inexperienced and that clueless wouldn't you want to see her on the ticket? You would think they would be motivated to keep her on the ticket. Do you really want her to step down so John McCain can bring in someone more experienced. If you're assuming Obama is going to win why is this of concern?

And why are you wasting space in my inbox when we all know this is not going to happen? - Palin stepping down.

So here is the response I have been offering these people:

"I am not even going to read this. You should be working to get Obama elected, not wasting your time on Palin if this is how you feel."

But I do find fun and humor in this and it brings me quite a chuckle. Why? Because we live in a world where everyone seems to point the finger, pass the blame and discount people's value rather than work towards fixing the problems, creating new opportunities and being innovators and agents for change. This happens in politics, business and personal relationships - and just another example of why I encourage people to avoid the negative ones when I am delivering a keynote speech.

Thanks Mom for my next fun Customer Service keynote story!

My mother seems to go through computers like I go through toilet paper - and I am quite regular. The things my mom can do to a computer have even left the people at Microsoft dazed and confused. But as a professional speaker, my mom has provided me with lots of fun stories that I can share with audiences.

My mom is 76 years old. I was intrigued by her motivations when at 68 years old she decided she wanted to enter the technological age. For that I applaud her. But who knew the fun and laughs she was going to provide to the family and one of my Top 5 - who I also refer to as her local tech support! Thank you RTO for not moving out of Yonkers!

Some of moms PC feats have included:

• Getting McAfee Virus Scan to go into an endless scan
• Windows updates that never seem to stop updating
• Monitor screens that change to colors I didn't even know existed
• Printers that print anything but the document you have sent to that printer
• Sending email and then sitting and pondering why I have not responded immediately. (this was early on; she finally figured out her son is not sitting at the computer all the time; that occasionally I am out keynoting at a conference)
• Finding a dial-up speed that was 115 kps
• And my favorite...........Managing to get the Windows Start/Task Bar to settle across the center of the screen - yes even the folks at Microsoft could not figure out how she did that one! And CTRL-ALT-DEL did not fix it

So when mom needs a new computer, I now take the disposable approach. Get her the cheapest thing for her needs; because whether it costs $300 or $3,000 we are going to be replacing it within a year.

I try to be honest with salespeople and tell them bells and whistles mean nothing; that the only amount of gigs I am interested in are the ones booked on my calendar. This is purely economics. She is going to need a new computer in a year; it is that simple. I am certain of that.

So to my friends at Office Depot, Best Buy, Circuit City and Staples - all whom I went to visit yesterday - stop and listen to what your customer needs and not what you think they need or are hoping to move out of your inventory. I have an inventory of possessed computers I am thinking of putting on the lawn this Halloween.

Today I'll spend some time shopping the web for a PC Bargain. As I left mom's yesterday she offered to do it. I was concerned she would blow up the Internet.

The Conference Planning Committee Chose Not the Fun, but the Un-Motivational Speaker

She was cheering me on. She wanted me to be the Opening General Session for their conference. We had a great conversation on the phone. All looked good. I was excited. The Executive Director was excited.

And then my name got tossed in front of..................... The Committee.

Her case: We can have some fun. We can really motivate our volunteer base to stay involved and get more active; or we can listen to the Boring State Legislator tell them the state of their industry and how funding and donations will be less and less.

Their Case: But the Legislator is free.

Which would you choose as the opening general session for your conference? Fun and Motivational or Free and Doom and Gloom?

Hello!!!! Unless you're living in a bubble I am pretty certain you know the state of the economy; and if you're in a role which is totally supported by funding and donations you probably know even more what you are about to come up against. So let's gather 500 people together for a few days and start off by pounding that into their heads for an hour? There's a great conference waiting to happen.

Am I pissed that I was not chosen? Pissed is the wrong word. Disappointed? Sure. Even the Motivational Speaker gets bummed from time to time. I know, you're shocked. But as I quoted in my New Self-Help Book, I really am sick of all those people who say life is hunky dory all the time. Let's Get Real!

But what I am more bothered with is the fear and uncertainty that is building daily throughout too many organizations. In addition to the financial health of companies, the health and wellness of organization staff and volunteers is also deteriorating as they continue to have salt poured into the economic wound - that being the US Economy.

I've always believed that there is money to be made in any economic downturn - you just have to know where to look. I also believe it happens because most people are so busy focused on how awful things are while the smart people are ignoring the news and having fun growing their businesses or personal wealth. They've started a new bubble.

So with that, I encourage you and your organization to choose not to participate in this economic downturn. If you're going to take the approach that Free has more value than Fee (yes that is why I was not chosen) or spending more time focusing on cutting expenses versus seeking revenue opportunities, we know where your thinking is.

And Speaking of Ways To Reduce Morale & Motivation

Is leadership really that difficult? Do leaders need a smack upside their head in order to figure out the obvious and right thing to do? Motivating staff to continue to perform for you does not have to be as difficult as people think.

Last week I was having a whole lot of fun speaking to a group of CT State Employees. Well at one point their leader's actions came under fire - that leader being Governor M. Jodi Rell. I told them I would send her a letter. And since I always keep my promises............ the letter below was emailed to the Governor of the Great State of CT this morning (the only edit I made was removing the individuals name; that remains between the 100 of us in the room last Friday).

Governor Rell,

So why is it that when a taxpayer takes the time to send you a message about a great experience he/she has with a state employee; and that taxpayer asks you to personally let that person know they made a difference you cannot find 30 seconds in your day to contact that individual, yet you (or your staff) can find the 30 seconds to contact that person’s boss?

Last week I presented an in-service for a diverse group of state employees; the above matter came up. Governor, one of the focuses of my presentation that day was how leaders and staff can find value in each other, share that value, and applaud each person’s value. You are the leader of our state and I know for a fact that one of your employees, (his name was here), would love to hear from you how he made a difference to that taxpayer; and not get a message from you through his supervisor.

Governor Rell, if you take this as a criticism you are missing the point of this message. If that call or email comes directly from your office you will have restored the faith of a group of state employees that are a little wounded right now.

No need to answer this email, I recognize how busy you are; and this email is not about me.

Rich DiGirolamo

Hmmm..............maybe I should start a new fun part of my speaking business; writing letters for people who are pissed off, slighted, or hurt.