New Topic, Once Again

Once I get started with my own rehab projects, I have a feeling I'll be posting those before/after pictures here.

Books Burnout

I've just seemed to get a burn out reading books, and am not sure what direction to take this section of the blog.

I recently picked up a whole bunch of movies, so this may just turn into a media section/review.

Comments below are appreciated.

How to Talk so Kids Will Listen

And Listen so Kids Will Talk.

A book by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish.

Ok, so sorry to disappoint those who were looking forward to the Rich Woman book, but I just haven't gotten to it yet.

This book, I will be blogging about in chapters as I read them. The fascinating thing about the first chapter is that it can be applied to everyone since (guess what!) everyone has feelings! =D

An Overdue Book

It's been awhile since I've done a book review - way overdue. So, the next book I hope to be reviewing soon is Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki. I'll be looking forward to writing it.

A Sad Day for Youthcove

It has come to my attention that one of my favorite Young Entrepreneur websites - YouthCove - has come to a close. (Ya, it's been that long since I've been there.)

It's certainly too bad to see it go and we will always remember you. It was a good run while it lasted and we've met some wonderful people along the way. My gratitude goes out to all who came, got inspired and left inspiration for others on that little island.

My heart goes out to Jonathan and Matt for starting this community and seeing it through all the way to the end. It's certainly been a good ride. Thank you for all the good times - and the midnight McDonalds runs (Matt) *wink*.

Internet Business Manifesto

Well, the "Internet Business Manifesto" is an eBook and one of the shorter books I've read - spanning only 33 pages.

The image at the top (shown on the left) is definietly one that gets your attention as it identifies all many aspects of Internet Marketing and attempts to overwhelm the reader at first glace of all the things that Internet Marketers do (hire others to do..) to be successful. (Click on the image for a larger view.)

A few pages down, it starts off by identifying with the reader that most emails from Internet Marketers are sales copy trying to sell you the 'next biggest thing that will make you tons of money with little effort'.

Further on, the credibility from all the laundry-list name-dropping of well known internet marketers and the amount of money they've made makes Rich Shcefren hard to match, much less beat.

This eBook did make some interesting points. The first is comparing the internet to TV, radio, car, and newspaper industry in that once there were many competitors and now there are very few - the survival of the fittest. He suggests the same is true for the Internet Marketing industry. Only time will tell whether this philosophy is true or not. Is this a marketing technique, is it true, or a little of both? Be sure to comment below and tell us what you think!

The second point is that most people work IN their business instead of ON their business. The best book I've found for explaining this concept is E-Myth by Gerber, and certainly would recommend it to those looking to work ON their business.

The third main point I got was creating systems, processes and identifying who's going to do what process - an idea I first heard of from One Minute Manager - and one definitely worth repeating.

Since I don't want to give away the whole eBook, there are a few points I left out of this review.

However, at the end as many eBooks do, it points you to their website stating "3 Simple Tactics Started An Immediate Avalanche of Profits... Going From $500,000 to $5,000,000 in Only 12 Months.

It leads to an eleven week program and with the understanding that most people need seven (seems to be the magic number) 'encounters' (for lack of a better word) with a product/service/idea before someone will buy, the two weeks of emails stated that are coming will definitely increase sales of this eleven week program.

All-in-all, a good piece of copy and it sounds pretty good for those willing to take action (the most important part) on the things they will learn from this course. Nicely done.

One Minute Manager

There are two main types of managers in the world:

1. Hard-Nosed: Results and bottom-line oriented. Typically viewed as autocratic.


2. Soft: Nice to the people, but not as good in results. Typically viewed as democratic.

Can there be BOTH? Where the manager is a nice person AND results are good?

OF COURSE you can have your cake and eat it too. :)

It's called being a 'One Minute Manager'.

There are three main steps to being a One Minute Manager.

1. One Minute Goals
   First, ask yourself what you think your duties are. Then, go ask your boss. (Or, if you are the boss and have employees, reverse the roles.) Chances are, each of you will have a different opinion of what you (or the employees) are suppose to do.
   
   Now, can you see the importance of goals? So, write down, in 250 words or less on 1 sheet of paper, the your goals - either for a specific project or overall what you're suppose to be doing. Make two copies, one for you and one for your boss, so you both know exactly what you're suppose to be doing. Not too many. Maybe 3-6 total.
   
   Without that, it's like two football teams running up and down the field without any goals - not being able to score touchdowns. No one knows what the goal is. :)
   


2. One Minute Praises
   Everyone feels better when they're happier; so, instead of trying to catch someone doing something wrong and waiting for the *gag* Yearly Performance Eval's, CATCH THEM DOING SOMETHING RIGHT! :) You'll feel alot better and so will they. So, tell them exactly what they did right and how you feel about it. Bosses, even if things aren't going so great in other areas doesn't mean you shouldn't be grateful and appreciative of what is going well. Tell them right away and that will let the employees know you are aware of what they're doing and you care about them.


3. One Minute Reprimands
   This happens only when the person's been on the job awhile and knows the ropes. Like the 'One Minute Praising', tell the person the behavior they did wrong (don't attack them as a person) and tell them right away. That way, they know right up front. The second half of the reprimand is letting them know that they're still a good person. Tough 'N Nice.

This is the meat of the One Minute Manager, and I hope you've enjoyed it and can apply it in your busines(es).