ou’ve decided to write a business plan, and you’re ready to get started. Congratulations. You’ve just greatly increased the chances that your business venture will succeed. But before you start drafting your plan, you need to–you guessed it–plan your draft.

One of the most important reasons to plan your plan is that you may be held accountable for the projections and proposals it contains. That’s especially true if you use your plan to raise money to finance your company. Let’s say you forecast opening four new locations in the second year of your retail operation. An investor may have a beef if, due to circumstances you could have foreseen, you only open two. A business plan can take on a life of its own, so thinking a little about what you want to include in your plan is no more than common prudence.

Second, as you’ll soon learn if you haven’t already, business plans can be complicated documents. As you draft your plan, you’ll be making lots of decisions on serious matters, such as what strategy you’ll pursue, as well as less important ones, like what color paper to print it on. Thinking about these decisions in advance is an important way to minimize the time you spend planning your business and maximize the time you spend generating income.

To sum up, planning your plan will help control your degree of accountability and reduce time-wasting indecision. To plan your plan, you’ll first need to decide what your goals and objectives in business are. As part of that, you’ll assess the business you’ve chosen to start, or are already running, to see what the chances are that it will actually achieve those ends. Finally, you’ll take a look at common elements of most plans to get an idea of which ones you want to include and how each will be treated.

Determine Your Objectives
Close your eyes. Imagine that the date is five years from now. Where do you want to be? Will you be running a business that hasn’t increased significantly in size? Will you command a rapidly growing empire? Will you have already cashed out and be relaxing on a beach somewhere, enjoying your hard-won gains?

Answering these questions is an important part of building a successful business plan. In fact, without knowing where you’re going, it’s not really possible to plan at all.

Now is a good time to free-associate a little bit–to let your mind roam, exploring every avenue that you’d like your business to go down. Try writing a personal essay on your business goals. It could take the form of a letter to yourself, written from five years in the future, describing all you have accomplished and how it came about.

As you read such a document, you may make a surprising discovery, such as that you don’t really want to own a large, fast-growing enterprise but would be content with a stable small business. Even if you don’t learn anything new, though, getting a firm handle on your goals and objectives is a big help in deciding how you’ll plan your business.

Goals and Objectives Checklist
If you’re having trouble deciding what your goals and objectives are, here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. How determined am I to see this succeed?
2. Am I willing to invest my own money and work long hours for no pay, sacrificing personal time and lifestyle, maybe for years?
3. What’s going to happen to me if this venture doesn’t work out?
4. If it does succeed, how many employees will this company eventually have?
5. What will be its annual revenues in a year? Five years?
6. What will be its market share in that time frame?
7. Will it be a niche marketer, or will it sell a broad spectrum of good and services?
8. What are my plans for geographic expansion? Local? National? Global?
9. Am I going to be a hands-on manager, or will I delegate a large proportion of tasks to others?
10. If I delegate, what sorts of tasks will I share? Sales? Technical? Others?
11. How comfortable am I taking direction from others? Could I work with partners or investors who demand input into the company’s management?
12. Is it going to remain independent and privately owned, or will it eventually be acquired or go public?

 

What does a real-life CEO have in common with the central figures of a fictitious Mafia crime family in The Godfather? According to Justin Moore, CEO and founder of Axcient, plenty. 

Moore is a serial entrepreneur, early-stage advisor, and angel investor. He’s currently at the helm of Axcient, a company he founded that provides backup, business continuity, and disaster recovery services to the small and mid-sized business (SMB) market. Right now, Axcient is protecting more than 2 billion files and applications for businesses across North America.

Moore also happens to think that The Godfather is “one of the best movies ever made” and had a chance to watch it again when the film was aired extensively last week to mark the 40th anniversary of its premiere. Though a decade had passed since the last time Moore watched it, his recent viewing offered an unexpected reward. This time he found the film rife with teaching moments for CEOs running a business today.

“I certainly don’t endorse crime or violence, and I’m not suggesting business should operate like the Mafia,” explains Moore, “but there are some universal themes in the movie I can relate to as a CEO.” Moore says The Godfather offers valuable lessons in community and team building, making tough decisions, and playing to win while not neglecting friends and family.

Here are five essential leadership lessons Moore distilled for Fast Company.

1. Build a powerful community. 

Someday, and that day may never come, I’ll call upon you to do a service for me. ~Vito Corleone

Uttered in the iconic rasp of Marlon Brando, the words of Vito Corleone illustrate how he creates a loyal community among those he has helped. Moore says, “By granting these favors and helping people with their problems, Vito Corleone is building a network of influence–relationships that may or may not deliver a specific or quantifiable return, but all which serve to strengthen his power base and which have the potential to be reciprocal in the long run.”

Moore says building strategic partnerships enables companies to work through challenging markets and fast-track overall success. “As a CEO, I see it as part of my job to be a super connector, networking with the technology and investment community without an expectation of reciprocation. Partnerships forged through time, trust, and mutual benefit–such as those Axcient has built with HP, Ingram-Micro, and a vast network of service providers and resellers–are the types of community relationships that bring about the greatest returns.”

2. Hold people accountable. 

What’s the matter with you? I think your brain is going soft. ~Vito Corleone

The Godfather reminds us of the importance of being tough when necessary. “As soon as Vito Corleone allowed a few moments of weakness to be seen by his enemy, they attempted to assassinate him. And it was largely because of failures of his team,” Moore observes.

“In business, accountability isn’t achieved by a murderous rampage. But the lesson is this–to be successful in business you have to be tough, and you have to be extremely focused on hitting goals and getting results,” says Moore. That doesn’t mean patience and understanding don’t have a place, he says, but ongoing tolerance of low-performing people or products just eats away at the success of the entire company. “You are ultimately responsible for all of your employees and shareholders, and that requires tough and swift decisions.

3. Don’t get emotional. 

It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business. ~Michael Corleone

“Many people don’t like to talk about the fact that in business, there are winners and losers. When Sonny Corleone reacts impulsively and emotionally, he gets taken out. In business, if you don’t take the opportunity to out-sell, out-bid, or out-market your competitor, they’ll take you out. I’m not suggesting doing anything outside the boundaries of morality or rightness–simply pointing out that when people make emotional decisions, they start making bad decisions. To lead successfully, you have to take your emotion and ego out of the equation.”

Likewise, Moore says it’s important to play to win. In business, that translates to knowing the competition and always staying at least one step ahead. “Operate your business with integrity and have respect for competition, but you also need to seize opportunities to eliminate your competition and win.”

4. Be decisive. 

Moore says that he, like most people who appreciate The Godfather, watch the movie with a combination of shock and respect. “Shock because he is so ruthless that he kills his own family member, but respect for the fact that Don Corleone knows exactly what he wants, executes decisively, and commands respect through unwavering leadership.”

While you don’t have to kill anyone to prove a point, as soon as you know what choice to make, move forward. “Know who on your team is making the right choices, and trust them to take decisive action as well. Hesitation too often leads to missed opportunities.”

5. Spend time with your family. 

Do you spend time with your family? Because a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man. ~Vito Corleone 

Moore isn’t endorsing 1940s machismo, but he is decrying 100-hour workweeks that many entrepreneurs fall prey to in hot pursuit of the next big thing. Though he’s been dedicated like that in the past, Moore finds it’s not sustainable in the long run. 

“A leader can’t be successful in creative problem-solving and making excellent decisions unless that person is connected to people and passions outside of work. I find that it’s often time with family and friends that gives me the perspective I need to build the relationships and make the decisive actions required for continued success in business,” says Moore.

ESPECT OLD COMPETITION: DON’T GET AWED THOUGH

When Fredo says “Mike! You do not come to Las Vegas and talk to a man like Moe Greene like that!
Sometimes, the smaller and newer players in the market place get awed by the old horses like Moe Green. At times, may be rightly so.

DON’T GET TOO ARROGANT IF YOU ARE OLDER/ BIGGER
(Backdrop: Moe Greene (the old established player to Michael the Challenger) 
“Sonofab*tch! Do you know who I am? I’m Moe Greene! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders!

Never rest on old laurels, there is a hungry pack of new entrepreneurs and younger/ smaller companies ready to topple you. Dont underestimate what they can do today.

BEING CLANNISH IS GOOD AND HIRE YOUNG GUNS:
Michael to Fredo: “Fredo, you’re my older brother, and I love you. But don’t ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever” – When you are smaller, more passionate – You are clannish, taking pride in of your association with your company because there is that human connection.
 Bigger organizations find it difficult to command such loyalty.

Contrast this to the later parts of Godfather where Michael is less emotional and more business like unlike Vincent (Michael’s nephew from Sonny). 

Business and Leaders must hire young guns for some of traits that they themselves had in their early years. (Although Vincent is more impulsive just like Sonny and unlike Michael). 

There are many to take away. This is a subject I can work on for months 🙂

• Tom Hagen – DIVERSITY: He is supposedly of Irish origin and not Italian

CSR: We all know what goes into a lot of CSR activities. Image building PR exercise and paying for your sins. Michael in Godfather 3 “

Italian-Americans “must learn from the philanthropists like the Rockefellers – first you rob everybody, then you give to the poor 

Frank Deluca Yesterday 11:11 PM

All great lessons but I can’t believe you missed one of THE most important lessons.. ” Keep your friends close.. and your enemies closer.. ” 

Frank Deluca, a true Sicilian 

Bruce Yesterday 09:53 PM

To Bonasera  the Undertaker:  Then your enemies will become my enemies…and then they will fear you.
I am also put off a bit by the analogies drawn to the business world  and i give some credence to the author however distasteful it is to equate a mob film with legitimate business.  I believe some of the central tenets of the movie can be seen across many dealings and relationships in life and not just business.  But that is what makes the movie great. BTW It was really Michael who cleaned house and wound up being much more ruthless than Vito. Vito would have been content to to be more like Don Fanucci (who he made the original offer that couldnt be refused) and just “dip his beak a little” as long as violence was kept to a minimum./ Vito valued family more than Michael as Fredo and Connies husband will attest

sthita sahu 20 minutes ago in reply to Bruce

Fredo may have gotten a raw deal, but Connie’s husband had it coming

Steve Tedesco Yesterday 09:34 PM

I think he missed one of the bestbusiness lessons of the movie:
” Keep your friends close but your enemies closer”

BSwift Yesterday 09:33 PM

What, nobody’s going to mention: “Never tell anyone outside the Family what you are thinking again”!?

raymond garbrah Yesterday 09:11 PM

The Godfather is a great book, its so full of lessons. The Don placed a high premium on friends & family, he advised Fontane to have ‘a wall of friends (and family)’. In the ends it all comes down to family and friends, doesn’t it?

SpencerM Yesterday 06:30 PM

I think this article may have confused “family” with “Family.” One point states that Don Corleone is so ruthless that he kills his own family. Since the article appears to primarily reference Vito Corleone’s wisdom, this statement may not be 100% accurate. I don’t recall Don Corleone killing (or ordering the killing of) any blood relative. True, a hit was ordered on Carlo Rizzi, Connie Corleone’s husband, however this hit was ordered by Michael Corleone, before Michael had secured the title of Don. It is also true that Don Michael Corleone ordered a hit on his brother, Fredo, but this execution happened many years after the death of Don Vito Corleone.

A passage from the novel in which Tom Hagen recalls a lesson from Vito Corleone right before meeting with Jack Woltz has always struck me as very sound business advice. “Don’t get angry. Don’t make threats. Reason with people.” Later in the story we learn that the Don considers the public display of anger the most dangerous type of exposure. Even in an adversarial situation, expressing negative emotions serves no useful purpose.

Janis Raye Yesterday 06:03 PM

This ground has been covered really well in a book entitled “The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies,” by Kevin Coupe and Michael Sansolo. They suggest that this movie covers the topics of Ethics and Planning, as well as Leadership. They actually do this for 60 movies, and they agree that The Godfather has more business lessons in it than just about any other film.

Wendy Truth Yesterday 05:47 PM

Uh hello people – my grandmother always said that fiction was closer to reality than we liked to admit.  While this is just a movie the parallels to life are inescapable – look at the cronism of the Obama white house – taking money from productive profitable companies to give it to companies that are in a swamp.  Talk about gangster behaviour.  Those who kiss the ring of the current occupant of the White House are rewarded with payoffs.

Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zukerberg did not get where they are without some of the same principals that Moore spoke about.  Fiercely competitive, team builders, and visionaries.  

Art Yesterday 05:21 PM

You forgot one voiced by Tom Hagen, when the movie director refuses to give Johnny Fontaine the lead role. Tom insists on being take to the airport and says, “Mr. Corleone insists on hearing bad news immediately.” Lesson: Be vigilant for customer service problems that crop up for your company and address/confront them immediately, correct them to your customers’ satisfaction as quickly as possible, and you’ll win over your customers–without having to behead a horse.
And those of you boneheads making remarks about the mafia/gangster source of these lessons, lighten up willya? Are you bereft of ironic humor?

anthony Yesterday 05:11 PM

..thats clever work to derive business leadership qualities from a Mafia trade…

Bob E Sherman Yesterday 05:05 PM

Business is easier without government interference and a few judges in your pocket.

Christoph Rau Yesterday 04:42 PM

john betancourt 
I like your comment, but if you use it you should get your Latin straight : Cato said “Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam” 😉

john betancourt Yesterday 05:02 PM in reply to Christoph Rau

You think too much of me, kid. I am not that clever.

Joe Ruiz Yesterday 04:02 PM

Interesting comments in a speculative kind of way. However, this story was an attempt at a morality tale (probably not) shoehorned into a gangster movie and as good as the movie was, and as much I enjoy Coppola’s work and the subsequent sequels (I’ll admit, this is one of my favorite all-time movies), this is a movie after all, and these are gangsters.  In the real world crime organizations are brutal and violent and they kill both innocent and guilty alike without a whole lot philosophical chatter or much attention to concepts of trust and loyalty.  The law of omerta doesn’t engender loyalty.  It requires it on pain of death.  If you are not in, you are out.  There is no human resource person to meet with.  Peter Drucker wouldn’t get a seat at that table and “The Art of War” is by the way, in the end about waging actual war, not running your company.  Don Corleone, gentle old soul that he was, used violence, murder and blackmail to care care of his “family”.  The fact that the good Don refused to sell drugs only made him an an odd duck in the world of criminal enterprise.  It also made him more palatable as a character in the story.  After all, what kind of hero would sell drugs to children?
I’m sure someone will tell me lighten up, it’s only a movie, but the using the “Godfather” as a basis for leadership lessons strikes me as somewhat twisted and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  Like everyone else who loves this movie, I cheered for Michael as he rose from the ashes to avenge his father and save his family, but I don’t think I’d want to lead my company like him or work for someone like him for that matter.
In fact, many of the same attitudes exemplified in this film are the very same things that ruin great companies: secrecy, cronyism, nepotism, plotting and destroying dissent, eliminating percieved and real enemies with quick and destructive action. And the idea that doing business is like gang warfare is a bit out there. I’ve been pretty successful without “taking anyone out”. 
The key to having a successful business is integrity, hard work that delivers on it’s promise and building great relationships with your clients, employees and vendors, not ruthless management and manipulation of your resources.
I’m sure that the one thing no one ever wants to hear is the infamous
phrase,”sorry, it’s not personal, it’s only business”, and having to say
it to someone is not a good feeling either.
While this article is clever and well written, it trivializes some real issues of trust and management in American business today. 
 

LydiaDishman Yesterday 04:29 PM in reply to Joe Ruiz

Dear Joe:

First, thanks for reading and taking the time to comment thoughtfully. I am not going to tell you, or anyone else, to lighten up but I would like to point out again that Justin Moore of Axcient, who is the source I quoted in this article said this in the introduction:
“I certainly don’t endorse crime or violence, and I’m not suggesting business should operate like the Mafia,” explains Moore, “but there are some universal themes in the movie I can relate to as a CEO.” 

debbie popiel Yesterday 03:24 PM

“Mikey, why don’t you tell that nice girl you love her?”~Clemenza. Express your true feelings. Don’t hold back. If you love something say it. If you hate it, offer a solution.  I think it’s important to tell the people in your life how you feel about them. Life is short and people need to know the truth, especially if you love them.  As a leader your feelings make you more real to those around you.

raj dwivedi Yesterday 03:11 PM

While there are some valid points that you reference to business leadership (like being decisive), it’s a complete miss to equate the moronic character of this mob boss to effective business leadership (unless of course you run a criminal enterprise as a business).  The author misses that some of the basic and necessary traits of effective leadership are lacking in the selfish mob boss model.  Traits like unselfishness, exercising good judgment, being consistent, dependable, having vast amounts of knowledge, courage, integrity, enthusiasm, endurance, loyalty to subordinates and exercising tact are what attract capital, customers, employees and suppliers.   The mob boss (or CEO) as selfish, ruthless leader is why we have crony capitalism, ineffective government, slow to non-existent economic growth, an inefficient education and health care system, wide-spread unemployment, widening gaps between CEO and executive pay vs average employee pay, out of control entitlement spending and expectations (here and in Europe), and the opposite of what an effective leader would want to portray to stakeholders in a business or any other organization.   Real leadership is hard and serious business.  Get serious about your leadership expectations.

• The Godfather reminds me of the need for trustworthy employees.

In the beginning of the film, Vito Corleone trusts Tom Hagen to act on his behalf in Los Angeles. Once Hagen begins to speak with movie producer, Jack Woltz, he states that he speaks with the full authority of Don Corleone. 

This emphasizes, the need for competent to employees to lead in your stead.  Even at a start up, you won’t be in the office to handle every problem.  That’s when you’ll truly need competent and trustworthy employees.

john betancourt Yesterday 02:54 PM

I think to me, the main thing is that all of the grand themes of classical literature are contained in this dark and shadowy tale. But a review of them exposes a fundamental flaw in the tale.

The BIG Themes
————————
First off, of course it is the tale of A Great Journey and survival

Really the story of immigration to the US and how in the rat-hole that was the lower eastside folks fought it out to determine who would be on top. Basically, they learned about life on the “street,” in the “hood,” and this gave them street cred. Sooner or later, if someone crosses a line, you have to be man enough to take things into your own hands and “badda bing” you get “blood all over your nice Ivy league suit.” This is an important lesson in the sense that fundamentally it says that the world is always teetering on savagery and we all have to keep our game up in order to survey the journey. Yes, we have to be clever like Odysseus, but there is more, in the end, we have to be savage and maintain a kind of blood lust in order to survive.

Loss of Innocence
Painful though it may be the ritual of becoming a man is the total destruction of your enemy. That is what Michael realizes, “Pop will never be safe as long as Solazzo is alive.” Entirely reminiscent of Cato’s  dictum that “Carthago delenda est.” In other words, becoming a man is realizing that you can not make peace with your enemies. That there will be no Kumbaya moments.

The Noble Sacrifice
Clearly, like God the Father giving up his Son for the sins of humanity, Don Vito, gives up Michael. Michael is the new Jesus. He is sacrificed so that there will be order in the world. In this one character, we have both Satan and Jesus, Ying and Yang, the Good and the Bad, Hero and Anti-Hero. Michael must leave the nice sunny side of life, and enter this nether world of shadows and dubious characters.

The Great Battle
Look, we all want to avoid it, but you can not achieve great things with out great battles. During the War it sucks, but only the strong will survive and all those tricks you learned on the street, all the advice from your guru, all the books and articles, sure they help, but you better have the stuff or you’re going down.

 The Smaller But Equally Important
————————————————–
Love & Friendship are good, but they do not last. If you rely on this too much you will be disappointed. See Tessio (Can you help me out for ol’ times sake Tom? Sorry, Sally, I can’t) In other words, there is no such thing as friends. There are allies and enemies. You got that.

Revenge: Unlike (most of the time in business), a lot of motivation in the Godfather for things is revenge. Sometimes revenge is transformed into a more positive force as it is in Tom Haden mind when he talks about “it’s just business.” Well, if it were just business, then there was really no need for Michael to kill Fredo. Fredo was done. In real business if you get obsessed with BS like that you become petty and you lose your way.

Which leads to the Next Theme which is a Fall From Grace: I think once Michael kills Fredo (and by the way it is not for revenge, he is just an Ivy Leaguer and he has be thorough and systematic like a terminator). It actually is what makes a lot of Ivy Leaguers useless in business. Well, this is Michael’s biggest mistake. At this point the he is committing fratricide and the Erinyes are waiting.

Missing from Coppola’s opus are: The Capriciousness of Fate (let’s face it stuff happens);

More importantly, the Big Mystery which drives most of us or at least should drive us, rather than Revenge (Coppola had to pick one). Business people should be interested in solving hard problems and helping the world become a better place through that process. So you could say that the Godfather at its core is flawed because of this because it focuses on the wrong fundamental motivation. Hey, if your not in business to solve someone’s problems you have no business.

Diana Yesterday 02:47 PM

One nuance on family missing here: building a company is building a family. You’re going to spend the vast majority of the day with your team, so you must love them, be loyal to them, and grow with them– they are your family away from family. A company that satisfies the emotional needs of your people builds the kind of loyalty and trust integral to retaining the hearts as well as minds of the best and brightest. 

Tony Spano Yesterday 02:44 PM

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.  Don’t be afraid to leave things behind even if they worked in the past and embrace good luck if it falls in your lap.

Frank Pentangeli Yesterday 02:41 PM

All my life I kept trying to go up in society.
Where everything higher up was legal. But the higher I go, the crookeder it
becomes. Where the hell does it end?”

Denise King Yesterday 02:38 PM

I think this is Michael Corleone, Godfather II:
There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.You’d better know your competition better than you know your customers, suppliers and business associates!

Frank Pentangeli Yesterday 02:34 PM

Make them trust you then make your move against them.  

“Don’t be afraid, Carlo. Come on, you think I’d make my sister a widow? I’m Godfather to your son.”

Two minutes later he strangled in the front seat of a car for betraying Sonny.

The lesson:  Get rid of your enemies no matter what the cost.

Griselda Avila Yesterday 02:17 PM

Oh C’mon!!! The movie talks about a leader… a bad or a good guy?? It doesn’t matter, we are talking about what worked for this character… Do not project yourself and make it personal. Take what is good and leave what is bad… One of the better phrases for me at The godfather (my favorite movie ever!): “It is better to have friends than to have money” – 

Dlaw Yesterday 02:04 PM

Of course American Capitalism sees itself in the timeless infamy of gangsterism. Neat. 
And we wonder why we’re in crisis. 

Pawel Yesterday 01:35 PM

It is interesting to me that when people talk about “leadership” these days, they invariably choose sociopathic behavior as an example of “leadership.”

What could be less like true leadership than a mobster?

But then, in our capitalist society where we raise sociopaths like Trump or Branson or Jobs to the status of icons, I guess it is no surprise.

But a warning, when you follow in the footsteps of these sociopaths you destroy the very thing that makes our country great: Our democracy.

Because a democracy is intended to curb the behavior of sociopaths. It is intended to box them in and contain the effects of their self-serving, power-aggrandizing ways.

Only when non-sociopaths come together in democratic institutions to stand up against the sociopaths who indeed, tend to strive for leadership positions (rightly so, if they want to), do we make sure all of us (sociopaths included) have freedom.

My advice, let’s stop spreading – and especially believing – such destructive propaganda such as this.

tlane Yesterday 01:24 PM

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”  Although this line appears in The Godfather, its wisdom has been recognized by both Sun-tzu and Machiavelli, I believe its applies to the business world in that it is wise to be involved in industry groups and to be aware of best practices as employed by one’s competition.  Unless one rationalizes industrial espionage (which I don’t recommend), it means develop relationships with others in the industry, even if they are direct competitors.

Frank Marino Yesterday 01:16 PM

“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”  Here Don Corleone coaches Michael in the garden before he dies of a heart attack, and is expressing his value toward friendship and loyalty (in personal and customer relations) as well as a healthy paranoia toward his enemies or competition.

Diane Salafia Yesterday 01:11 PM

Leave the gun . . . take the Cannolis.  Even at this level, it is important to prioritize.

Denise King Yesterday 02:39 PM in reply to Diane Salafia

LOL, yes Diane,  you’re right!!! Priorities mean *everything*!

Marilyn Messenger Yesterday 01:10 PM

Also “Stay close to your friends, stay closer to your enemies!”

Matt Mosbacher Yesterday 01:02 PM

Grooming/training a successor?  

One of the central themes in the film is the notion of succession, grooming and selecting the next Godfather, Michael Corleone.  Vito provided Michael the space and freedom to forge his own path and identity which ultimately became the path and identity of the family (for better or worse).  While others in the family did not see the core leadership potential latent within Michael, Vito had identified him as his successor long before anyone else in the family (including Michael) really took him seriously as a leader.   By believing in, and trusting, your top potential leaders within your organization and providing a broad platform for growth, you foster capable and strong people to pass the baton to when your time is done.  

Oliver Neto Yesterday 12:49 PM

Don Corleone: I knew Santino was going to have to go through all this and Fredo… well, Fredo was… But I, I never wanted this for you. I work my whole life, I don’t apologize, to take care of my family. And I refused to be a fool dancing on the strings held by all of those big shots. That’s my life, I don’t apologize for that. But I always thought that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the strings. Senator Corleone, Governor Corleone, something. 
Michael: Another pezzonovante. 
Don Corleone: Well, there wasn’t enough time, Michael. There just wasn’t enough time. 
– Don Vito Corleone reflecting sadly on the fact that his son won’t become an upstanding citizen offering a public service; that instead, he will waste his life in business. Crucial point in the trilogy – it sets Michael on to the path of destruction which sees him lose his entire family for the sake of ‘business’, and cinema’s greatest attack on the ideology of anarcho-capitalism.

 

The web runs on keywords and, yet, most website owners don’t know the first thing about how powerful keyword research can be or how to integrate it into their websites.

A keyword or keyword phrase is a word or series of words that a user enters into a search engine. Keyword research refers to the process of choosing a few of the infinite number of possible keyword phrases to use in search engine optimization efforts for your website.

For example, if you’re planning a family trip to Disney World and want to find the weather forecast, you might search for the phrase: “average Orlando weather in June.” Google takes this text and compares it against the billions of web pages in its index, using its complex algorithms to determine which sites represent the best matches.

Here’s a look at what you need to know about keyword research for your site, why you should care and how to get started:

What makes a good keyword?
Getting a high rank in search engine results pages is important, but it’s the specific keywords you’re ranked for that can determine how successful your website will be.

To understand the difference, compare a site that’s ranked for “make money online” to one that gets a high ranking for “online tutorials on underwater basket weaving.” Because more people are searching for the first phrase, a search engine ranking for that term can generate significantly more traffic and hopefully enable the site to make more money.

Two important concepts help us determine which keywords to target: search volume and competition. Volume refers to the number of people who enter your chosen keywords into the search engines. Greater search volume is usually better, enabling your site to draw more natural traffic.

But search volume should be tempered by a careful analysis of the competitiveness of the keyword phrase. In the example above, the keyword “make money online” receives significantly more volume, but it will be much more difficult to get your site bumped into the top 10 search results for that phrase than for “online tutorials on underwater basket weaving.”

Related: How Backlinks Can Boost Traffic to Your Website

How do I conduct keyword research?
The first step involves researching potential keyword phrases to target. There are plenty of tools that provide this data, but one of the easiest to use is Google’s free Adwords Keyword Research Tool.

You can enter phrases related to your website or just your site address, and the program will generate a list of keywords to consider. The tool also will provide data on how many global and local searches occur for a particular word or phrase each month, as well as Google’s estimate of the difficulty of getting ranked for the keyword.

Unfortunately, there are no “search volume versus competitiveness” rules to follow when choosing keywords to target from this list. But keep in mind that while the competitive keywords will require more time and effort to build a high ranking, they can pay off in increased search traffic to your site.

As you research keywords and integrate them into your site, you should start to see a pattern in terms of the ideal mix of search volume and competitiveness. Much will depend on how big an investment you’re willing to make in search engine optimization.

Related: How Using Microdata Can Improve Your Website SEO

How do I integrate keyword research into my website?
Once you’ve identified a few potential keyword targets, start integrating them into your site. To increase your chances of getting ranked for your chosen terms, you’ll want to follow standard search engine optimization practices, including any of the following:

• Create pages on your site featuring helpful content based on your target keywords.
• Incorporate your target keywords into your page’s HTML in various places, including your site’s title, heading and meta description tags.
• Build backlinks pointing at your site using your target keyword as anchor text. The anchor text of a link refers to the part that remains visible and underlined on the referring page. For example, the link <a href=”http://www.yoursite.com”>keyword phrase</a> would appear like this: keyword phrase. This lets the search engines know that this phrase is relevant to your site.

It will take some effort to target particular keywords but, over time, your research should yield significant improvement in search traffic volume.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/17-people-who-were-fired-before-they-became-rich-and-famous-2012-3#ixzz1qwrpAkWh

Losing your job might be one of the toughest experiences you encounter, but it isn’t always the worst thing that can happen to your career. 

Mark Cuban was destined to become more than a salesman at a computer store, and J.K. Rowling wasn’t passionate about her job as a secretary. 

But termination papers enabled these people to explore their real callings in life. 

Even Mayor Bloomberg got his chance when his position with Salomon Brothers ended.

Here are 17 people who got kicked to the curb and turned it into an opportunity.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/17-people-who-were-fired-before-they-became-rich-and-famous-2012-3#ixzz1qwrsWkFd

17 People Who Were Fired Before They Became Rich And Famous

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/17-people-who-were-fired-before-they-became-rich-and-famous-2012-3#walt-disneys-newspaper-editor-told-the-aspiring-cartoonist-he-wasnt-creative-enough-1#ixzz1qwrsWkFd

Walt Disney’s newspaper editor told the aspiring cartoonist he wasn’t creative enough

In 1919, Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star. According to his editor, he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”

That wasn’t the last of his failures. Disney then acquired Laugh-O-Gram, an animation studio he later drove into bankruptcy. Finally, he decided to set his sights on a more profitable area: Hollywood.

He and his brother moved to California and started producing a successful cartoon series.

JK Rowling spent too much time at work brainstorming story ideas

JK Rowling worked as a secretary for the London office of Amnesty International, but she dreamed of being a writer.

She secretly wrote stories on her work computer and daydreamed about a teenage wizard named Harry Potter. Her employers finally got fed up and gave her the boot.

Her severance check helped support her over the next few years, when she finally decided to focus on writing.

Today, she’s the multi-billionaire author of one of the most successful book series of all time.

—

Mayor Bloomberg used his severance check to start his own company. Now he’s 18th richest person in the country

Michael Bloomberg was a partner at Salomon Brothers, an investment bank. In 1998, they were bought out by the company that eventually became Citigroup. Bloomberg was let go, but not before receiving a hefty severance check.

He used that money to start his own financial services company. Today, he’s the country’s 18th richest person and, of course, the mayor of New York City.

Anna Wintour says that everyone should lose his or her job at some point

Vogue Editor Anna Wintour’s started her career in New York as a junior fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar. She made waves for her innovative shoots, but editor Tony Mazalla thought they were a little too edgy. She got canned after a mere 9 months.

Getting fired was a great learning experience and never held back her style. “I recommend that you all get fired,” she told fashion students. Shortly after leaving Harper’s, she became a fashion editor at Viva.

 

Woody Allen fired Annabelle Gurwitch from his play and told her she looked “retarded”

Annabelle Gurwitch is a comedic actress whose been canned more than a few times. In 2003, director Woody Allen reportedly fired her from his play saying, “What you’re doing is terrible, none of it good, all of it bad, don’t ever do that again. You look retarded.”

In 2006, Gurwitch published a book of essays about being fired called Fired!: Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized, & Dismissed

Madonna lost her job at Dunkin Donuts for squirting jelly filling all over customers

When Madonna dropped out of college and moved to New York to find fame, she had a rough start. Strapped for cash, she took a job at Dunkin’ Donuts in Times Square. She didn’t even last a day. After squirting jelly filling all over a customer, her managers gave her the boot. 

The Material Girl went through several fast food and waitressing jobs before she was introduced to the city’s punk rock music scene in 1979.

These low-paying gigs were necessary at first, but Madonna knew she was meant to be a star.

A Baltimore TV producer told Oprah that she was “unfit for television news”

Evening news reporter Oprah Winfrey couldn’t help but get emotionally invested in her stories. The producer of Baltimore’s WJZ-TV got fed up and pulled her off the air. As a consolation, he offered her a role on a daytime TV show.

Winfrey was initially heartbroken. At the time, daytime TV was a huge step down from the evening news. Her sadness quickly faded as the show, People Are Talking, became a hit.

That success help Oprah find her true calling as a talk show host

 

Jerry Seinfeld didn’t know he was fired until he showed up for a read-through and his part was missing from the script

Jerry Seinfeld had a small role on the sitcom Benson, but the producers didn’t like the way he was playing the part. They fired him after only three episodes. Unfortunately, no one bothered to tell Seinfeld he’d been cut. He showed up for a read-through one day and found his part was missing.

He was humiliated, but he went right back to performing at comedy clubs. After one performance, a talent scout for the Tonight Show was in the audience. Seinfeld landed a gig on the show and his career immediately took off.

The New Yorker gave Truman Capote the boot after he insulted poet Robert Frost

Capote dropped out of high school to become a copy boy for the New Yorker. His lifelong dream had been to be published in the prestigious magazine.

Two years later, Capote attended a reading by famed poet Robert Frost. Sick with a cold, Capote left in the middle of the meeting. Frost was deeply insulted, and knowing where Capote worked, he demanded that the magazine fire the boy.

Getting fired didn’t hurt his career. He began to submit short stories to magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and Mademoiselle. A few years later, he published his first novel.

Robert Redford was a lazy, sloppy manual worker. Turns out, his talents belonged elsewhere

As a teenager, Robert Redford was an unskilled worker at Standard Oil when a supervisor found him asleep on the job. Instead of firing him, they switched him to another department, where continued to screw up. After smashing several cases of glass bottles, he was terminated.

Getting fired encouraged him to pursue his other dreams. He attended college at the University of Colorado and eventually moved to New York to become an actor.

Before being named NFL Coach of the Year, Bill Belichick was kicked to the curb by the Cleveland Browns

He’s led the New England Patriots to five Super Bowl appearances and three wins, but in 1995, Belichick was fired from his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns by their owner Art Modell.

He was named NFL Coach of the Year for 2003, 2007, and 2010 seasons.

Ford didn’t want Lee Iacocca, so he brought his ideas to Chrysler

Lee Iaccoca rose to the top of the Ford Motor Company, but he clashed with Henry Ford Jr., company’s then-CEO and chairman. After a string of unused and bad ideas (including the Ford Pinto), Iacocca was let go.

Iacocca was soon courted by Chrysler, which was in danger of going out of business. He took out a huge loan from the government and used it to revive the company. He brought several of his ignored ideas from Ford over to Chrysler, like the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager. He remained CEO of the company until 1992 and was credited with its rise from failure.

Ever heard of Handy Dan? It’s the home-improvement chain that fired Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank right before they started Home Depot. It shut down in 1989

Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank were working for Handy Dan, an home-improvement chain, when a corporate raider fired both of them.

The two men decided to start their own home-improvement store based on an idea they’d had while at Handy Dan: an entire store of discounts. They called it Home Depot. In less than a decade, they’d opened over 100 stores and made over $2.7 billion in sales.

WNBC pulled Howard Stern off the air for a super racy sketch

Howard Stern was a controversial DJ on WNBC, but he crossed the line with one particularly racy sketch. NBC pulled him off the air.

Fortunately, he found XM was a better home for his talent. After his show debuted, millions of devoted Stern fans switched to Sirius. He now pulls in about $70 million a year.

The manager of the Grand Ole Opry told Elvis he was better off driving trucks

Elvis may be the king of rock ‘n’ roll but he hit some major setbacks on his way to the top. After one performance at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, the concert hall’s manager told the singer he was better off returning to Memphis and his old career, driving trucks.

Luckily for modern music, he didn’t. Presley continued to book shows in the area and eventually landed a spot on a tour with Hank Snow, the then biggest star in country music.

Thomas Edison secretly conducted experiments in his office at Western Union

Until one night in 1867, he spilled some acid that ate through his entire floor.

He got canned and decided to pursue inventing full-time.

Edison received his first patent two years later, for the electric vote recorder.

In the 1980s, Mark Cuban lost his job as a salesman at computer store. That was the last time he worked for someone else

One of Mark Cuban’s first jobs out of college was a salesman at a computer store. However, he was more interested in cultivating new business than manning a cash register. After he failed to open the store one day because he was busy with a potential client, his managers cut him loose. That was the last time he ever worked for someone else.

Shortly after his termination, Cuban started his first company, MicroSolutions. Since then, he’s made over $2.4 billion.

 

Here are more reasons why failing is good:

 

 

If You Haven’t Failed, Then Maybe You Aren’t A Real Entrepreneur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ever wished you had a startup manual? Now there is one. Read exclusive excerpts from it on Inc.com.

Editor’s note: This is the first piece in a 12-part series exclusive to Inc.com featuring excerpts from the recently published book, The Startup Owner’s Manual, written by serial entrepreneur-turned-educator Steve Blank and co-author Bob Dorf. Come back each week for more how-tos from this 608-page guide.

For most of the past 50 years, finding the successful formula for repeatable startup success has remained a black art. Founders have continually struggled with and adapted the “big business” tools, rules, and processes taught in business schools when startups failed to execute “the plan,” never admitting to the entrepreneurs that no startup executes to its business plan. Today, after half a century of practice, we know unequivocally that the traditional MBA curriculum for running large companies like IBM, GM, and Boeing does not work in startups. In fact, it’s toxic.

By the beginning of the 21st century, entrepreneurs, led by Web and mobile startups, began to seek and develop their own management tools. Now, a decade later, a radically different set of start-up tools has emerged, distinct from those used in large companies but as comprehensive as the traditional “MBA Handbook.” The result is the emerging “science of entrepreneurial management.” Steve Blank’s first book, The Four Steps to the Epiphany, was one of its first texts. It recognized that the classic books about large-company management were ill-suited for early-stage ventures. It offered a re-examination of the existing product-introduction process and delineated a radically different method that brings customers and their needs headfirst into the process long before the launch.

A new definition for startups

Today’s entrepreneurs finally understand that startups are not simply smaller versions of big companies. Unlike their larger, established brethren, who “execute” business plans, successful startups operate in “search” mode from day one: seeking a repeatable, scalable, profitable business model. The search for a business model requires dramatically different rules, roadmaps, skill sets, and tools—some of which we’ll examine in these Startup Owners Manual excerpts for Inc.com (buy the book for the complete guide).

While The Owner’s Manual is not a formula for guaranteed success by any means, we’re confident it will help reduce the failure rate of most startups that use our Customer Development process. Or, as we like to say, “in our joint 50-plus years of entrepreneurship, we’ve made all the startup mistakes ourselves…and we’ve catalogued them in The Owner’s Manual so you don’t have to make them too.”

Get out of the building

If we had to summarize the Owner’s Manual in a single sentence, it’d be simple to choose: “Get out of the Building!” Why? Because today’s startups seldom fail for lack of technology or product; they fail most often because of their inability to find customers. So the core of Customer Development is blissfully simple: Products developed by founders who get out of the building early and often, win. Products handed off to sales and marketing organizations that are only tangentially involved in the product development process will lose.  

The Owner’s Manual and the Customer Development model it details push startup founders out of the building, where customers live, to transform an entrepreneur’s guesses about his or her business model into facts. Getting out of the building means acquiring a deep understanding of customer needs, and combining that knowledge with incremental and iterative product development.

And when you blend Customer Development with Agile product development, the result is a product that evolves over time based not on the opinions of founders or investors, but on feedback from the folks who will ultimately buy it—the customers! In the process, it reduces the need for massive early infusions of capital and eliminates wasted time, money, and effort.

Face-to-face customer feedback refines or validates every component of the startup’s business model, not just the product itself. Who are my target customers, where will they buy my product, how much will they pay, and how will I “get, keep, and grow” my customers are among the many key questions posed by the startup business model—and answered with customer feedback.

Don’t think it’s possible? Try these 10 tools to give yourself a productivity boost.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t function without having a lot on my plate. I’m one of those ‘work-well-under-pressure’ type of entrepreneur.

One thing that I can’t stand is repetitive tasks; tasks that could and should be automated. I always look for ways to improve my productivity – if I can shave five minutes off something I do every day that adds up to a huge ROI.

Here are 10 tools that help do just that:

1. ActiveInbox

If you, like most people, use Gmail or Google Apps as your email interface, this plugin is a must have.

I have read every variation of Getting Things Done (GTD) there is. From articles to books, I try to live by the general principles of the teachings. In a nutshell, your goal is to organize your to-do list. If you’re like me, most of your to-dos exist within your email – so why not turn your email into a GTD system? ActiveInbox does just that by letting you categorize tasks: Action Items, Waiting On, Someday Tasks. The rest of the GTD principles become a layer within your Gmail account. The utility can range from basic principles that take 15 minutes to advanced methodologies for the super-organized. I don’t use any other to-do system. ActiveInbox is it. Additionally, the simplest way to add a personal to-do, like to pick up groceries, is to send an email to yourself!

2. Glympse

When you’re on the go, it can get hectic trying to let different people know where you’re at or when you’ll be there. Glympse is a mobile app that allows you to share where you are, with whomever you like, and quickly (without signing in or requiring the other user to have an app or even a phone).

Unlike Google Latitude or other location sharing apps, Glympse only shares your location around a specific time interval. In fact, it can even stop sharing automatically when you get to your location. Going to a scheduled meeting? With one button it sends an email or text to your scheduled meeting attendees. When they click that link, a simple Google map opens with your location, how fast you’re going, and approximately when you’ll get there. It’s the ultimate response to “where are you?”

3. Swype

Swype is a record-breaking solution to typing—swiping is more accurate—on your touchscreen smart phone. It comes from the same group that made T9 (remember how we used to text on a number pad?). After a couple weeks of using it, you’ll never want go back to a regular keyword.

Instead of touching each letter to type, you just drag your finger from letter to letter. It’s known to let users type around 40 words per minute on their mobile phones.

4. Tungle.me

End the back and forth of trying to settle on one meeting time that works for a whole group of people. With Tungle.me, however, everyone can easily see your availability (or unavailability) and select options for the time and duration of each meeting. It also incorporates e-calendars from Google, Outlook, iCal, and many others to make scheduling meetings much more efficient and streamlined.

5. Buffer

To build my personal brand through social media, I make sure I have relevant and consistent content to share. I don’t have much time to post what I find for each account, so I use Buffer to do it for me. Buffer will automatically queue content that I select and post it at the time I choose. It’s pretty handy for when I find something interesting through aimless browsing. To make the most of this tool, I’ve integrated it with SocialBro, which scans my Twitter followers to tell me when the majority of them are reading my tweets. That way, I can make the most of every tweet I send out and know I’m reaching out in the best way possible.

6. Skype

Skype is hands down the best free video-chat software available. Almost everyone in a business setting uses it, making it the preeminent place to connect with coworkers and colleagues instantly. I don’t have to wait to know when someone is available, as Skype will let you know when they’re online, offline, or currently away. Either way, through Skype I can get a message through quickly and know it’s been received.

The best part about Skype is that it has both free and premium accounts available. You have plenty of options to contact someone by instant message, or by calling (just voice or with video). Skype is also available for free on Android, iPhone, and iPad, allowing video calls and IM over 3G or WiFi.

7. Writethat.name

Keeping track of all the new names when I’m networking is exhausting. Usually when I tell people to email me, it’s because WriteThat.Name will help me to get their information organized and saved. This tool uses the information from the signatures of emails to sort and archive contacts automatically. It operates on cloud architecture, so it only requires your email to use the service. I’ve saved hours of tedious updating through this tool by purchasing a daily merge of information for only $3 a month, but a free version will do the same once a month.

8. Unroll.me

A cluttered inbox is a cluttered mind. I easily get distracted from sorting my inbox of junk emails and unsubscribing from lists, all of which don’t interest me in the first place. Luckily, Unroll.me helps to cut time and distraction by allowing me to mass unsubscribe from lists, and organize the emails I do receive into one single email.

9. Imgur

When I have to share an image and do it quickly, I always end up going straight to Imgur. Imgur is a free image hosting site that requires no sign in. What’s even better is that the link can be used in emails, IMs, and through social media.

10. Wikisend

Wikisend is like Imgur—but for sending files. With no login required, you can upload and share files up to 100MB. It cuts the time and hassle of sending files through email and downloading them, only to find you need to update your software or the file is corrupted.

When looking to maximize my time, I try to examine the details rather than the big processes, for that is where you have the most opportunity to become more efficient. Maybe you’ll spend five minutes per task without these tools, but in the course of a day, that’s an hour a day lost. Doing the math into what that can be in weeks or months should be enough motivation to make a change in your daily routine.

Are you bringing home the paycheck of your dreams? You can get paid well for doing what you love when you tap into the visionary within.

When we entrepreneurs talk about “the dream,” we are not talking about a fantasy, like winning the lottery. We are talking about the things that really matter to us and what we are willing to do to make our dream a reality.  It’s one thing to be a visionary and have a creative idea that you’re really passionate about, and another to have an idea that’s also practical and strategic. A true and viable entrepreneurial dream is something that we are excited and passionate about—and will also be very profitable.

“The ideal professional dream is to be paid well for doing what you love,” says Marcia Wieder, CEO of Dream University. Wieder is a 14-time published author, personal transformation expert, former president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and has been the catalyst for thousands of individuals turning their dreams into realities over the past 20 years.

“I think that sometimes people forget that we need to marry the two ideals, passion and strategy, to achieve success,” Wieder says.

And for entrepreneurs who aren’t bringing home the paycheck of their dreams, it’s difficult to decide if they should abort the mission altogether or continue to shape and mold their dream to keep the hope and business alive.

“It’s a tricky decision,” Wieder says. “In my experience most of us either give up on our dreams or compromise them down to what we think is realistically possible. The alternative is to gain clarity on what we really want and explore other ways to make the dream a reality.”  

To do this, Wieder suggests what she calls a Passion Quest.

“Take a weekend, or a whole week if necessary, to explore who you are now and who you want to be,” she suggests. “Ask yourself questions like, ‘What is it that I love? How do I want my life to be? And, what am I willing to do about it?'”

Wieder’s current dream is to give people tools and support to achieve their vision as she strives to see one million dreams be realized in 2013 through her Million Dreams Campaign.

“The whole process of actually living your dream starts with one very specific action step,” Wieder says. “Sharing your dream gets it out of your head and puts it out to the world—and that changes everything.”

What is your business dream? How do you put it out to the world? Are you able to articulate what you do succinctly and with clarity? Wieder believes that in order to make your business dream come true you must master the skill of enrollment.  

“In business, enrolling is about sharing your vision in a way that inspires others to join you, hire you, or even invest in you,” she says.

Wieder knows that even if someone believes that they cannot afford your product or services, that belief will often disappear when you are able to speak about your dream like a true visionary.

“A visionary has a big dream, articulates it with clarity so people get it, and expresses it with passion so others can feel it and get excited with them,” Wieder says. “Most importantly a true visionary has mastered the skill to inspire, invite and enroll others.” 

When you do this, people will magically find the money to invest in your product or service—or to invest in you.

Here is Marcia Wieder’s four-step process. Do this and you will be well on your way to achieving your business dream like a true visionary.

1. Establish Rapport

People have to like and trust you before they will do business with you. Once you gain their trust, make sure to ask your prospect questions like, “What else do you need?” And, “what would make your life easier?” Find out what they are dreaming about and even suffering about. How can you make their life better in some way? Remember, in the enrollment process you are inspiring people, not selling to them.

2. Build Value

People need to believe that you are delivering more value than they are paying for. To build value you must understand what your customers want. Be willing to ask good questions, take the pulse of your customers across the board, and don’t assume that you know what your people need. Create surveys in social media, talk to people, and ask your customers about their needs.

3. Overcome Obstacles

You are in the business of making your customer’s dreams come true. By building more value and rapport you will quickly eliminate the obstacles that stand between you and your future customer. Make it easy for people to say yes to you by encouraging them to share their ideas with you. Explore all of the possibilities, which includes having the guts to ask why if someone says no to your offer. This can create a more meaningful, rapport-building conversation that may open the door to other opportunities. Be clear about what you are asking for and make sure you are not asking for too much too soon.

4. Secure an Agreement

Don’t leave a discussion without determining the next step. Is it a complimentary consultation, an introduction to a decision-maker, or is it time for a contract? Always be very clear about the deliverables and stand by the value of your offerings.

“Extraordinary things happen when we take action on what matters to us the most,” says Wieder. “Do what you love, value your gifts, charge what you are worth, have powerful enrollment conversations—and repeat often!”

• Sasha Gibbs · Marketing & Sales Manager at Wholesale Pages – UK Wholesale Network

Self confidence of any person can give him an achievement which he wants, many people have very good knowledge but they can’t communicate their ideas in such manner that can give them an edge to do something new and creative. Wining the trust of people by assuring them that you have such abilities that can satisfy them by fulfilling their needs and giving them more value as compare to others, will remove your obstacle in way of success.

Reply ·

· 6 hours ago

Marla Tabaka · Life & Business Coach, Speaker at Marla Tabaka Coaching, LLC

Thanks Marcia Wieder for a fun interview and for sharing your wondering insights! We are surely lost without our dreams….

Reply ·

· 23 hours ago

gouldronnie13530899 (signed in using yahoo)

like Arthur replied I am shocked that a student able to earn $9035 in four weeks on the internet. have you seen this web link NuttyRich.com.

Reply ·

· 4 hours ago

Loc Hang Wong · Projectlid at AFC Leuven vzw

Thanks for sharing!
Hopefully I can try out the concepts soon 🙂

Reply ·

· 5 hours ago

The best managers have a fundamentally different understanding of workplace, company, and team dynamics. See what they get right.

A few years back, I interviewed some of the most successful CEOs in the world in order to discover their management secrets. I learned that the “best of the best” tend to share the following eight core beliefs.

1. Business is an ecosystem, not a battlefield.

Average bosses see business as a conflict between companies, departments and groups. They build huge armies of “troops” to order about, demonize competitors as “enemies,” and treat customers as “territory” to be conquered.

Extraordinary bosses see business as a symbiosis where the most diverse firm is most likely to survive and thrive. They naturally create teams that adapt easily to new markets and can quickly form partnerships with other companies, customers … and even competitors.

2. A company is a community, not a machine.

Average bosses consider their company to be a machine with employees as cogs. They create rigid structures with rigid rules and then try to maintain control by “pulling levers” and “steering the ship.”

Extraordinary bosses see their company as a collection of individual hopes and dreams, all connected to a higher purpose. They inspire employees to dedicate themselves to the success of their peers and therefore to the community–and company–at large.

3. Management is service, not control.

Average bosses want employees to do exactly what they’re told. They’re hyper-aware of anything that smacks of insubordination and create environments where individual initiative is squelched by the “wait and see what the boss says” mentality.

Extraordinary bosses set a general direction and then commit themselves to obtaining the resources that their employees need to get the job done. They push decision making downward, allowing teams form their own rules and intervening only in emergencies.

4. My employees are my peers, not my children.

Average bosses see employees as inferior, immature beings who simply can’t be trusted if not overseen by a patriarchal management. Employees take their cues from this attitude, expend energy on looking busy and covering their behinds.

Extraordinary bosses treat every employee as if he or she were the most important person in the firm. Excellence is expected everywhere, from the loading dock to the boardroom. As a result, employees at all levels take charge of their own destinies.

5. Motivation comes from vision, not from fear.

Average bosses see fear–of getting fired, of ridicule, of loss of privilege–as a crucial way to motivate people.  As a result, employees and managers alike become paralyzed and unable to make risky decisions.

Extraordinary bosses inspire people to see a better future and how they’ll be a part of it.  As a result, employees work harder because they believe in the organization’s goals, truly enjoy what they’re doing and (of course) know they’ll share in the rewards.

6. Change equals growth, not pain.

Average bosses see change as both complicated and threatening, something to be endured only when a firm is in desperate shape. They subconsciously torpedo change … until it’s too late.

Extraordinary bosses see change as an inevitable part of life. While they don’t value change for its own sake, they know that success is only possible if employees and organization embrace new ideas and new ways of doing business.

7. Technology offers empowerment, not automation.

Average bosses adhere to the old IT-centric view that technology is primarily a way to strengthen management control and increase predictability. They install centralized computer systems that dehumanize and antagonize employees.

Extraordinary bosses see technology as a way to free human beings to be creative and to build better relationships. They adapt their back-office systems to the tools, like smartphones and tablets, that people actually want to use.

8. Work should be fun, not mere toil.

Average bosses buy into the notion that work is, at best, a necessary evil. They fully expect employees to resent having to work, and therefore tend to subconsciously define themselves as oppressors and their employees as victims. Everyone then behaves accordingly.

Extraordinary bosses see work as something that should be inherently enjoyable–and believe therefore that the most important job of manager is, as far as possible, to put people in jobs that can and will make them truly happy.

perfection at all costs, which is why Apple is Apple today. Good management comes with having dealt with and resolved your personal issues before dealing with other people. The tough bosses, in some way or another, have had some type of baggage to deal with, that has not been resolved, and so it shows in their management style, though not necessarily in their accomplishments; they accomplish far and beyond, but everyone hates them. And to me, that does not define success. This is a great article, and I know great people exist, whether they are managers or not; Good leaders, in general have a Buddhist mind!

The best managers have a fundamentally different understanding of workplace, company, and team dynamics. See what they get right.

A few years back, I interviewed some of the most successful CEOs in the world in order to discover their management secrets. I learned that the “best of the best” tend to share the following eight core beliefs.

1. Business is an ecosystem, not a battlefield.

Average bosses see business as a conflict between companies, departments and groups. They build huge armies of “troops” to order about, demonize competitors as “enemies,” and treat customers as “territory” to be conquered.

Extraordinary bosses see business as a symbiosis where the most diverse firm is most likely to survive and thrive. They naturally create teams that adapt easily to new markets and can quickly form partnerships with other companies, customers … and even competitors.

2. A company is a community, not a machine.

Average bosses consider their company to be a machine with employees as cogs. They create rigid structures with rigid rules and then try to maintain control by “pulling levers” and “steering the ship.”

Extraordinary bosses see their company as a collection of individual hopes and dreams, all connected to a higher purpose. They inspire employees to dedicate themselves to the success of their peers and therefore to the community–and company–at large.

3. Management is service, not control.

Average bosses want employees to do exactly what they’re told. They’re hyper-aware of anything that smacks of insubordination and create environments where individual initiative is squelched by the “wait and see what the boss says” mentality.

Extraordinary bosses set a general direction and then commit themselves to obtaining the resources that their employees need to get the job done. They push decision making downward, allowing teams form their own rules and intervening only in emergencies.

4. My employees are my peers, not my children.

Average bosses see employees as inferior, immature beings who simply can’t be trusted if not overseen by a patriarchal management. Employees take their cues from this attitude, expend energy on looking busy and covering their behinds.

Extraordinary bosses treat every employee as if he or she were the most important person in the firm. Excellence is expected everywhere, from the loading dock to the boardroom. As a result, employees at all levels take charge of their own destinies.

5. Motivation comes from vision, not from fear.

Average bosses see fear–of getting fired, of ridicule, of loss of privilege–as a crucial way to motivate people.  As a result, employees and managers alike become paralyzed and unable to make risky decisions.

Extraordinary bosses inspire people to see a better future and how they’ll be a part of it.  As a result, employees work harder because they believe in the organization’s goals, truly enjoy what they’re doing and (of course) know they’ll share in the rewards.

6. Change equals growth, not pain.

Average bosses see change as both complicated and threatening, something to be endured only when a firm is in desperate shape. They subconsciously torpedo change … until it’s too late.

Extraordinary bosses see change as an inevitable part of life. While they don’t value change for its own sake, they know that success is only possible if employees and organization embrace new ideas and new ways of doing business.

7. Technology offers empowerment, not automation.

Average bosses adhere to the old IT-centric view that technology is primarily a way to strengthen management control and increase predictability. They install centralized computer systems that dehumanize and antagonize employees.

Extraordinary bosses see technology as a way to free human beings to be creative and to build better relationships. They adapt their back-office systems to the tools, like smartphones and tablets, that people actually want to use.

8. Work should be fun, not mere toil.

Average bosses buy into the notion that work is, at best, a necessary evil. They fully expect employees to resent having to work, and therefore tend to subconsciously define themselves as oppressors and their employees as victims. Everyone then behaves accordingly.

Extraordinary bosses see work as something that should be inherently enjoyable–and believe therefore that the most important job of manager is, as far as possible, to put people in jobs that can and will make them truly happy.

perfection at all costs, which is why Apple is Apple today. Good management comes with having dealt with and resolved your personal issues before dealing with other people. The tough bosses, in some way or another, have had some type of baggage to deal with, that has not been resolved, and so it shows in their management style, though not necessarily in their accomplishments; they accomplish far and beyond, but everyone hates them. And to me, that does not define success. This is a great article, and I know great people exist, whether they are managers or not; Good leaders, in general have a Buddhist mind!