Journal - paulcummings.com

A glimpse into the life of Paul Cummings.

Are You Hungry?

Some of the greatest moments in life are unexpected. I believe the most important bank account we need to make deposits into is our experience bank account. Why? The answer is relatively simple. The truth behind this premise is because we get to take all of our experiences with us, unlike the money and stuff we acquire. I always tell people I have never seen a hearse pulling a U Haul, and furthermore they don’t come with a luggage rack.

Maybe it is my belief in this premise that keeps me hungry for new experiences. I have an insatiable appetite for learning on every level. I believe most people have lost this hunger, and thereby they deny themselves access to powerful experiences. Straight up…when you aren’t really hungry … you don’t eat. I encourage people to stay hungry for experiences that help them expand their life. Music, literature, travel, art, relationships and challenging activities are available to all of us, if we have an urgent need to satisfy our hunger for new experiences. Are you hungry?

It was this hunger that lead me to the Funky Blues Shack at the Baytown Wharf in San Destin Florida last Saturday. I was hungry for music, specifically blues music, and a friend of mine told me that Anthony Gomes was playing at 9:30. You may not have heard of Anthony, but I have used one of his songs in my workshops for years. The song is called Unity. I wanted to hear Anthony in person, and I also wanted to let him know how many people that song had impacted.

After indulging myself in some amazing Crab Cakes at Café Marina, I made my way to the Funky Blues Shack. The venue was small, but the performance area had the feel of an old style blues joint…a handful of tables and a walk up bar with a few stools. The walls were adorned with old posters and the random neon sign that simply said – “Blues.” I instantly felt at home in the place.

What also struck me as odd was that the place was empty. Including the bartender and the waitress, there were 5 people in the place. Finding this odd, I went and checked to see if Anthony was still playing. My answer came quickly, as I ran into Anthony as he walked through the front door. My immediate thought was, “how cool is this that I get this opportunity to meet Anthony and experience his music in this setting?” My hunger was diminishing as the experience began to take shape.

After Anthony set up, I went up to introduce myself. Our conversation quickly evolved, and the connection was instant as a love for music and reaching people intertwined. Anthony had already heard about our use of the Unity song from people who had attended his concerts and shows. He even knew we had created a Unity Dance that thousands of people learned on our campus. It was a surreal moment for both of us. We agreed to talk again on the first break, and Anthony headed to the stage.

I had no idea what a blessing the next 4 hours would be. There are differences between owning a guitar, playing a guitar and touching people’s soul with music. Anthony played like there were 10,000,000 adoring fans in the room. I was certain he had sold his soul somewhere along the line, because what came through his fingers and cascaded through the night air was so powerful, that I lack the words to describe the experience.

I watched in amazement, as he played and sang his ass off to a small, but mesmerized audience. As the evening progressed, the place filled up as people were clamoring to see who this skinny long haired dude was that seemed hell-bent on making sure everyone felt every single note he played, and we did feel it. I can still feel it because it was so packed with passion, it has a permanent place in my experience bank.

Anthony and I talked throughout the evening. We exchanged contact information, and he since has agreed to play at my campus on Friday, December 9^th. The cool thing about experiences is you can share them with others. I plan on helping some other lucky people get rid of their hunger.

The evening afforded me many things; great music, great conversations and I also met a lot of great people. It seemed his music created exactly what the song Unity talks about…“You gotta love your brother, you gotta love your sister, we gotta love each other we all gotta come together … Unity.” For one night at The Funky Blues Shack – WE ALL DID JUST THAT.

Are you hungry?

Sometimes Action Is Required

On Wednesday, April 27, seven people were killed, including four members of one family, when an EF4 tornado with winds exceeding 200 mph struck the neighborhood about 8:15 p.m. Cherokee Valley, a quiet peaceful family centric community, would be devastated in a matter of minutes.

A week later, power lines were still a tangled mess and snaked for miles, strewn across the pavement of Cherokee Valley and Friendship roads. What had once been a peaceful valley filled with the sights and sounds of homes and families had been replaced by devastation. Battered homesteads and farmland sat eerily silent, and the majority of occupants had long gone to safer ground.

As I drove through the area with Esther Suggs, my Allstate Agent and dear friend, I couldn’t believe the devastation. Mangled automobiles and boats looked more like broken toys carelessly thrown around the landscape. Some were broken in pieces and others were resting on their sides or upside down. In fact, the lady we were going to visit, Myra Cochran, had lost her home and 7 vehicles in a matter of 45 seconds.

As we continued our emotional drive, naked concrete slab foundations were all that remained in some places, with their houses completely gone. Everywhere we looked, large ominous piles of debris and brush dotted the edges of the roadways and hillsides.

Relief workers and equipment dotted the hillsides as we continued our journey. Occasionally, we would see a family digging through the debris as they tried to find anything left behind by the storm. I was struggling with what I saw before me. I knew in my gut that I had to do something to help. Sometimes action is required, and this was one of those times.

As we drove up the hillside driveway, my emotions were spiraling in many directions. What would I say to Myra? What could I say to someone who had lost everything? We recorded an interview with Myra about the storm, the community and the after effect of the devastation. Little did I know how blessed I would be over the next few hours.

Lessons I learned from Myra Cochran

When faced with adversity, you do everything you can to protect those you love.

I learned this as she described lying on top of her 84-year-old mother-in-law as the storm destroyed her brick home and covered her in debris.

Even when things are as bad as you think they can be, you are still more fortunate than others.

I learned this as she described walking down the hill and finding the bodies of her neighbors lying in the highway. She actually helped move the bodies, so emergency vehicles could get through to help the injured.

Nothing brings you more comfort than the sound of your loved one’s voice, when something is tragically wrong.

I learned this when she described what she felt when she heard her son’s voice, whom she had been separated from as they took shelter in her home.

When tough times hit, and you have lost everything, you need your friends more than you know.

I learned this when she described how much she appreciated Esther Suggs being there for her family. Esther was monumental in delivering food, helping clear away debris and making certain she and her family would be ok. Esther proved the “Good Hands of Allstate Insurance” were much more than a brand logo.

At the end of the day, all the “stuff” you have is replaceable. What can’t be replaced is your family.

I learned this, as she talked about how thankful she was that her family survived. I learned this as she talked about how blessed she was that her Grandchildren just happened to not be there on April 27th.

In closing, Myra inspired us to launch a relief program that lasted for 10 days. We provided aid to four separate communities. We assisted in over 6,000 meals being delivered to families affected. We stocked the gymnasium of a local Baptist Church with all the supplies they needed to help the community. We provided school supplies to the middle school and upper school students whose schools were destroyed by the storms.

We were reminded again by Myra, that the secret to living is giving.

Sometimes action is required.

My Son’s Birthday

You really don’t realize how important communication is, until you can’t communicate with the people you care about the most.

April 27th started out as a day of celebration and ended up as a day of devastation, destruction and death for many people in our community and surrounding area. Let me explain.

My son Chris turned 24 on April 27th, and little did I know that a few minutes after I wished him Happy Birthday, a series of violent tornados would begin their assault on Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. I was in Florida working on a film project, and as the days news came filtering in, I was shocked to learn just how devastating these massive tornado systems turned out to be.

200 mph winds and paths 800 – 1500 yards wide were being reported on all of the news stations. My team called and told me they were huddled in what they believed was the safest building on our campus, as the storms approached Wildwood. All I could do was wait, hope and pray.

My daughter, Kobi, and son, Ryan, live in Chattanooga, and I was unable to reach either of them at school or work. You really don’t realize how important communication is, until you can’t communicate with the people you care about the most. I just wanted to hear their voices and make sure they were safe and secure.

As the day unfolded, the area was hit by one tornado after another. From approximately 9:00 a.m., until just after midnight, they just kept coming. Relentless, heartless, powerful and deadly, the storms seem to grow by the hour in number, size and speed. Little did I know, the storms would end up destroying two communities surrounding our campus in Wildwood. Literally, we were spared as the tornado jumped over us only to continue its deadly journey three short miles away.

When I arrived back home, I was shocked by the devastation and destruction that I witnessed. After touring the affected areas with my great friend, Esther Suggs, I realized we had to do something to try and help those families who had been most adversely affected. This decision set in motion a 7-day plan to provide relief efforts, and that turned into one of the most fulfilling weeks of my life.

I have always believed the “secret to living is giving,” and in next week’s post I will share with you some of the wonderful experiences we had living that philosophy. I will introduce you to one family’s powerful story of courage in the face of fear. Until then I hope you have a great week and continue to remember how blessed you truly are each and every day.

Building a Stronger Team

Socialize The Work Environment

I firmly believe that socialization is a key component of happiness, both at work and at home. Truthfully, we all need interaction with others. Socialization is a great means of elevating the spirit of your team.

I believe that employers and team leaders should find ways to encourage social relations. One of the first things you can do could pay off in a big way. Look at how your workspace is currently designed and consider an office rearrangement that fosters communication. Arrange workstations so employees can see each other and talk.  Their ability to interact will improve morale and improve efficiency.

Feed The Team and Celebrate

We often feed our entire team lunch on our campus. This provides us the opportunity to spend quality time together. We also encourage office celebrations for holidays and birthdays. These lunches and celebrations do not need to be expensive. It can be as simple as a cookout or many times we will just have each person bring a dish.

Even when there is no reason to celebrate, we encourage employees to eat lunch together. We have provided our team with many comfortable areas where they can eat lunch together inside and outside of our building. These gathering areas provide individuals with a chance to talk and relieve any stress or tension they may be experiencing.

Volunteering Together

Socialization does not need to stop when the workday stops. I think you should encourage your team members to get together and volunteer their time towards causes they believe in. We certainly support and encourage this behavior.

In fact, we recently dedicated five days and four employees’ time to supporting the relief efforts regarding the tornadoes that devastated our communities on April 27, 2011. It turned out to be one of the most fulfilling things we have ever done. I will share that story with you next week, and I hope you will be inspired by everything that took place.

Have a great week!

The Greatest Bargain On Earth

Years ago, I read a simple statement in a book that changed the course of my life forever:

90% of all the half-million dollar homes in America feature a library. The truth is, the books were bought before the mansions were built. READ.

This happened in 1977, when I was in the beginning phase of my business career. Five thousand books purchased-and-read later, I’ve come to the conclusion that a book is the greatest bargain on earth.

An individual spends a lifetime collecting wisdom through a multitude of daily experiences. This individual then places pen to paper and reveals all the knowledge gained, and provides the reader with insight into all that was learned from these experiences. For less than $30.00 in most cases, we can access all these distinctions and strategies without living through the experiences ourselves. The return on investment is amazing and is available to any individual who is willing to invest a small amount of time and money.

Assembling a personal learning library is one of the single most important decisions you will ever make. I wanted to assist you in beginning this journey by recommending five unique books regarding the subject of sales that will enhance your life and sales career. I’ve read each of these books more than once and strongly feel their message has stood the test of time and application. I hope you will write me back and provide me your insight regarding these books as well.

Five Books Every Sales Leader Must Read

I highly recommend that you read Selling the Invisible.

Harry Beckwith was an advertising and marketing man, but the lessons he lays out in Selling the Invisible are essential for any successful salesperson. “Don’t sell the steak. Sell the sizzle” may have some buzz appeal, but that approach will lead to failure. Instead, Beckwith argues, people actually buy products for the way a company does business.

For Beckwith, it’s never about the product, it’s about the business. Rather than marketing one feature or another, you should be marketing your company and focus your messages around that. Your client interaction should be geared towards listening and building long-term relationships.

Quotable Quote:

The problem wasn’t that the story had no appeal. It was that the story was just a story to the editor because he had never heard of Hellenic Adventures. How could he be sure the company was real and viable, his trust in me notwithstanding?

I also recommend Attitude 101 by John Maxwell.

Attitude 101, part of the 101 series, is a short read but for someone looking to be a sales leader. It is a good desk reference to remind you that your attitude, as much as anything else, can determine your success - attitude cannot be overlooked or underestimated.

Quotable Quote:

Value people. Praise effort. Reward performance. I use that method with everyone. I even use a form of it with myself. When I’m working, I don’t give myself a reward until after the job is finished. When I approach a task or project, I give it my very best, and no matter what the results are, I have a clear conscience.

This next recommendation was written by Tom Hopkins, an author who literally changed my life. Tom is a brilliant teacher and author, and the book How To Master The Art Of Selling Anything really is a sales classic.

Whether you’re a seasoned sales pro or just starting out, How to Master the Art of Selling is an indispensable source of information that includes the five essential steps to successful selling. Guaranteed to give you the edge you need to excel in today’s competitive business environment, this book is for anyone who is ready to realize their goals and fulfill their highest potential.

Tom Hopkins wasn’t born to wealth and privilege. He was a mediocre student and began his work life in construction, carrying steel. By the age of 19, he was married, with a child on the way, and trying to find a better way to support his young family. Since he wasn’t afraid of meeting new people and was known to be somewhat talkative, someone suggested he try selling. After looking around town at the people who were best dressed and driving new cars, he decided on the field of real estate.

Tom’s first six months in real estate were anything but successful. He had sold only one home and averaged $42 a month in income. He was down to his last $150 in savings when a man came into the real estate office promoting a three-day sales training seminar with J. Douglas Edwards. Tom hadn’t yet heard of either “sales training” or Mr. Edwards. He decided to invest his last bit of savings in the program. Tom was so inspired by Mr. Edwards’ training that he became an avid student. He attended seminars, read books on selling, and even invested in some vinyl records on self-improvement

Tom applied everything he learned and by the time he turned 27, he was a millionaire salesperson in real estate. He set records that remained unbroken until this century. His last year as a real estate agent, he sold 365 homes—the equivalent of one each day. Grand total, he closed 1,553 real estate transactions in a period of six years. 

Quotable Quote:

I am not judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed: and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I fail and keep trying.

My fourth recommendation is Secrets of Question Based Selling by Thomas Freese.

Salespeople have always believed they should tell in order to sell. This book reveals you must learn to ask yourself to greatness. Do you want to read Secrets of Question Based Selling? Should you read Secrets of Question Based Selling? Let me ask you a better question. Have you tried opening every statement with a question? If you haven’t, Thomas Freese thinks you should. He lays out every stage of a selling process that begins and ends with a question. Questions will change your sales career and results.

Freese not only shows you how questions can work to keep the customer engaged, but how they can effectively close a sale before you give away too much. A question opens the door to an answer, but that answer can just as easily be “Thank you, that will work perfectly for me” than a new manifestation of reluctance.

Quotable Quote:

The “kill ’em with customer service” closing mentality isn’t restricted to department store clerks. It’s alive and well in large-account corporate sales, insurance sales, medical sales, technology sales, and many other types of selling. Instead of identifying obstacles in the sale and then addressing the outstanding deficiencies, too many sellers try to close by asking questions like, “What else can I do?”

My last recommendation is The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino.

Augustine “Og” Mandino (December 12, 1923 – September 3, 1996) remains a best-selling inspirational author today. His books have sold over 50 million copies and have been translated into over twenty-five different languages. He was the president of Success Unlimited magazine until 1976. His The Greatest Salesman in the World offers a spiritual philosophy of salesmanship, which involves a message of honesty and believing in what you’re selling.

Mandino found sales accidentally. After his WWII military duties, Mandino discovered that many companies were not hiring former bomber pilots. As a result, he became an insurance salesman. Traveling on the road and sitting in bars at night, Mandino became an alcoholic. As a result, he was unable to keep a job, and was left by his wife and child. One morning Mandino’s life changed when he became compelled to attempt suicide. But as he sorted through several books in a library, volumes of self-help, success and motivation books captured his attention. He selected some titles, went to a table and began reading. Mandino began to read hundreds of books that dealt with success, a pastime that help him alleviate his alcoholism. Eventually became a writer. His works were inspired by the Bible and influenced by Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, and Emmet Fox.

Quotable Quote:

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.

I hope you’ll make the decision to read these books as I truly believe they will make a difference in your life. Have a rich and rewarding day and I’ll post other books in the future that I believe will also impact your life.

Am I Talented?

I am always curious when people talk about individuals with natural talent. They speak in terms of amazement at the natural gifts these “rare individuals” possess. In fact, you would tend to believe that natural talent is something reserved for the few and that this phenomenon is not available to the masses. I actually disagree with this premise.

Do you believe you are a talented person? Do you feel you have any natural gifts that make you outstanding? Even if you say “No”, I am going to do my best to convince you that you are wrong. I believe our belief system affects our perception and thereby our feeling of self worth. We must believe that we do have individual talents and natural gifts that make each of us talented in our own right.

It is easy for us to think of and amazing artist and say, “Wow, that person has amazing talent.” The fact is that we are right. However, when we think of ourselves and say, I don’t have any real talent, we are equally as wrong. Yes we do have talents and we need to see ourselves as someone special. We are just talented in a different way.

The fact is most of us who don’t have brilliant careers in the arts have been trained to see ourselves as lacking in talent. True, we may be hard workers, and in many cases, we may be willing to learn what we have to learn in order to do well in our jobs, but we don’t see ourselves as talented. We just view what we do as a normal part of everyday life that requires no talent or special gift.

“I believe that every person is born with talent.” – Maya Angelou

Truth be told, all of us have some natural talent. In reality, our talent may not lie in the arts, sports, medicine or technology. Maybe we have the ability to remember numbers, or to help people we know work through their problems. Possibly, we can do amazing things with our hands and possess the ability to repair anything we see that is broken. Maybe we can balance 10 things at once and have the ability to multi-task without so much as breaking a sweat.

My point is that there are many kinds of talent, just as there are many kinds of people, and all are valuable. We need to break the negative process of selling ourselves short. We need to destroy our limited thinking and start believing in ourselves. In fact, we need to start encouraging ourselves with positive thoughts and healthy self-talk. We need to become the first member of our newly formed fan club.

“Every man has his own vocation, talent is the call.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What are your special talents and natural gifts? Take the time to sit down and answer this powerful question. Make a list of all your talents and review the list on a regular basis. Accept that you are truly rare, one of a kind and for that reason you are your own masterpiece. Say it out loud, “I am talented and gifted in my own unique way.” When you raise your self-concept your life will begin to change in many aspects. You will see life through a new and vibrant lens because of the paradigm shift. This will open up many new possibilities for you and your future.

Isn’t it great to know that you are a talented individual? I am thrilled that I could be the one to share the good news with you. You came to this earth equipped for greatness and destined to do something special with your life. Now grab your talents and go make a difference to someone else who needs to know they are talented too.

The Moment of Truth

The moment of truth has arrived and it’s time for you to decide. You have investigated alternatives, narrowed the field, determined all the positive and negative consequences, figured costs and benefits, and, all in all, done a great deal of careful consideration. You know something must change and then it happens, doubt and fear begin to work their way into your thinking.

It is in our moments of decision that our destiny is truly shaped. We can truly create a compelling future and shape our own destiny by making high quality decisions. The key to making superior decisions lies in our ability to ask high quality questions? If we ask a better question, we will get a better answer. The converse is also true. Ask a bad question and you will get a bad answer.

So here it is again, the moment when we must decide. The paralyzing fear of actually choosing can render us helpless. Our mind begins to process the bad questions brought about by the emotion of fear. What if I make the wrong choice? What if what I choose to do doesn’t work? What if other people don’t agree with my decision? And then you start to sweat and your stomach aches and your head hurts and pretty soon you start to wonder if maybe you should decide not to decide.

What if you have no other choice but to make a real decision? Maybe you “have to” choose between one path and another. Or maybe you’re tired of feeling paralyzed, of being hesitant and you commit yourself to finally bite the bullet and actually do something. You realize you have no other choice but to take some kind of action. How do you destroy the path of limited thinking that invites fear and doubt into your journey?

Well, here’s an idea that may help. This is a proven concept that will actually produce a better decision and set in motion a new series of actions that will produce a great result. The key is to turn the situation or challenge into a powerful and positive question. Once your power question is in place, make a list of your choices by answering the question. You must be in a great state of mind and think solutions at all times when addressing the question. Then, with all answers in hand, rank each answer with number one being the most acceptable, then number two, and so on.

Now, focus all your personal focus on your number one solution. Immediately place your energy into your number one solution and question the idea up. Look for ways to magnify and multiply the value inside the newly adopted idea. Work through the idea to seek out all the benefits of the successful implementation of the idea. Examine any obstacles you see concerning the implementation and put plans in motion to reduce the likelihood those obstacles will occur. Get excited about the process and take massive action now.

Once you’ve chosen to take action on the new idea, commit to it. Really give the idea your best effort and then pour your heart and soul into the implementation. Stay flexible in your approach and remember delays in result are not actually denials of the opportunity to see the idea become successful. Stick through all the challenges and keep yourself on a straight track by focusing on the outcome you desire.

When you’re stuck, remember that any step in the right direction is a milestone. There’s more than one route to any destination, and this method will give you the breathing room you need to get going. Have fun along the journey and be proud that you have taken action.

The Sophisticated Beggar

During a recent trip to Edmonton I encountered someone who made an indelible impression on me. In fact, he captured my attention, made me laugh and yes he even closed the master closer. He did all of this in a matter of minutes by following several basic selling principles. As a matter of fact, I would say he was truly a professional at his trade. Ragged clothing, mussed hair, torn up shoes and rotting teeth aside, this man was at the very least a “sophisticated beggar” and at the most someone’s child who somehow, somewhere and someway lost his way in life.

It is amazing how some of life’s greatest lessons come from the least likely people or circumstances. The truth is there are an abundance of lessons available to all of us if we simply open our eyes and our hearts to the endless possibilities. So many times we are so caught up in “our own little world or pressing problems” that we are blind to the magical moments that surround us. I try to keep my head on a swivel at all times so I don’t miss these moments. This “by chance” encounter on a street corner in Edmonton was a great example of one of those magical moments.

As I left the restaurant with my business associates, Gordon and Bruce, we were immediately confronted by an abrasive person demanding money. Yes, I said demanding money and he was doing so in such a manner that someone’s desire to help would quickly diminish. Simply stated, the approach was flawed and overbearing. I have stopped many times to buy someone a meal, a pair of shoes , a coat or to provide some type of help when I felt strongly they truly needed assistance. I have also refused many times when I thought the spare change or money requested would go straight to booze or drugs. This was one of those times that I simply said no.

As I waited on the light to change, Gordon and I were involved in a great conversation. Excitement was in the air because we were embarking on a great new business venture that we were individually and collectively stoked about. All of the sudden, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and as I turned to see who was behind me, I heard a very kind voice say, “Excuse me sir, may I ask you a question?” I looked into the eyes of a man whose face could tell you a million stories. I said, “sure, go ahead?”

He said, ” If I tell you a joke and make you laugh, will you give me a dollar?” I found this approach to be very engaging. Think about it for a minute. The gentleman opened the conversation with a polite permission based question. He made great eye contact, smiled and spoke in a pleasant voice. He then used a strategy I have taught my students for years by offering me value before he asked me for money. Not bad, for a beggar on a street corner in Edmonton. Every salesperson could learn from this man’s approach.

I responded, “sure if the joke’s clean go ahead”. He immediately became very animated in his movements. I was shocked as he used great communication skills to tell his joke. This man used voice inflection, cadence changes and planned pauses to deliver the joke with impact. One thing you can’t really teach is timing .. and this man had great comedic timing. Obviously he had mastered his presentation skills. It is safe to assume he had delivered this joke over and over and over until it was second nature to him. Truth be told, it was hilarious and we all burst out laughing when he finished.

At this point, he gently held his hand out with his palm facing the sky as if to say “pay me now.” It was his very sophisticated yet subtle version of a closing question. I reached in my pocket and gave the man a 20 to 1 return on his original request. He had definitely exceeded my expectations in every way. As I handed him the $20.00 he thanked me graciously and wished me a great “rest of the day.” I thanked him for the laugh and the enjoyable experience. As he walked away, I saw him stop and gently tap another business person on the shoulder. When is the best time to close a sale … right after you just closed one.

Gordon, Bruce and I discussed the moment and I told them I would use this story in an upcoming segment of Morning Coffee on paultvlive, our web based Learning Management System. I wish all my students would follow the guiding principles of selling that this man used that day in Edmonton. This man was much more than a “Sophisticated Beggar” ; he was a truly great sales professional.

Rating Videos – The Brutal Truth

As a teacher I have always believed in student evaluations as a meaningful tool to gauge my work. Over the years we have used many methods to quantify the opinions of people who attend our live events. We have used this data to adjust various components of our work. The changes we have made as a result of student feed back have kept our approach to education, fresh and unique.

6 years ago we made the transition from a “Live Event” education company to a full circle education company offering our content through a series of web based learning applications. We immediately decided that we needed to seek the opinions of our on line audience by asking them to rate each education episode at the conclusion of viewing. We felt this approach would serve as a meaningful measurement tool for our learning management system’s effectiveness.

When deciding what would be the best method for asking for the feedback we traveled down the YouTube Highway and simply mirrored their 1 to 5 star approach. This decision seemed logical enough and we felt strongly this would help us make decisions about future content development. As the ratings began to flow in through the system we were puzzled by the data we received.

I seemed that on line students took an all or nothing approach to ranking content. Any other words, it was either 5 or 1 in most cases. This phenomenon really skewed the data and didn’t provide us with the answers we were seeking. I am sure there are many reasons why this approach is true of on line learners. My opinion is fairly cut and dried. I believe powerful videos … meaningful messages … create impact and therefore action by the viewer. Anything less seems to result in a more apathetic action on the part of the viewing audience.

I recently was sent a blog by great friends at Big Bang Technology regarding the same subject. This blog seems to share my opinion and is from the good folks at You Tube. In fact, I thought you might find their information useful so I have included a link to their blog: http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2009/09/five-stars-dominate-ratings.html

Losses Into Lessons - Four Fail Safe Strategies

This article is written specifically for individuals who have a burning desire and a willingness to do the work in order to achieve at the Ultimate Level. I always laugh when you see a speaker ask this question; “How many of you really want to win?” I’ve often wondered if the speaker really expected someone to stand up and shout out, “Not me man, I want to lose!” So let’s accept that we all want to win. That’s really not the point, in my opinion. The key is simple: Wanting to and be willing to and actually doing what you must in order to be the best requires completely different levels of commitment. This article is about what you do after your losses. How do you respond?

“The key is not the will to win… everybody has that; winners know it is the will to prepare to win that is important.” – Bobby Knight

Now it is time for some “Straight Talk” from me directly to you. Are you happy where you are in your career today? Are you achieving at the Level that fulfills you personally? Do you feel you are coming close to reaching your personal potential? Do others look up to you and admire whom you are and what you do as a sales associate, sales manager, parts counter associate, technician, General Manager or Dealer? Are you considered a Leader at your Dealership? What about in your State, Region, Country or Industry? How far up the ladder of success must we climb before you become unnoticed? How far must we take the questions before your impact becomes so distant no one even knows your name? Tough but fair questions for those who want the Highest Level of Success Possible? One more question; “Can you live with the pain of not fulfilling yourself?”

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” - Lance Armstrong

Now it is time to explore the “Loss to Lesson” Formula for success. I have shared this with many people and I will tell you only 2% take massive action and utilize the process. I am very proud of this select group of people because they are the students of mine who have accomplished miraculous achievements in many areas of their lives. From a struggling sales person on the verge of quitting, who owns a Dealership today, to a Dealer, who had rampant turnover because he was abusive to his people, who now owns multiple franchises and has garnered the love and respect of his people, to many stories of fathers and mothers who had let their careers rob them of the joy of being real Parents to their children, who today have reconnected with their families and found immense happiness. This formula works if you follow the steps consistently and Take Action.

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” - Benjamin Disraeli

Loss To Lesson Formula:

Change Your State: Anytime we experience a loss, set back or disappointment it is only natural that it will affect our outlook and our emotions in a negative manner. For this reason, it is critical that we manage our state so we can be more effective and efficient. Negative emotions rob us of our capacity to perform at a high level. The key is to interrupt the negative pattern and change your state into a positive emotional platform. Immediately after the loss do something that stokes your emotions in a positive way and then move on to Step two.

Reduce the Loss to Writing: First things first, you need to go purchase a hard cover journal unless you are organized and savvy enough to do this on your computer. Any time you experience a loss of any kind, a set back or disappointment, at the end of the day right a one-paragraph explanation of what happened. The key is to be brutally honest with yourself about what happened and why? Our goal is “To Kill the Loss Monster while it is little” and actually turn the experience into a Learning Event.

Question Up The Event: The next part of the formula is to answer these questions about the events or circumstances that created the loss, set back or disappointment. What did I do well this time? What will I do differently better next time in order to produce the desired result? What will I never do again in order to produce the results I desire? What is the most important thing I have learned from this experience and how will I use it to produce better results in the future? Remember, when you ask better questions, you always get better answers.

Take Massive Action Now: From the empowering questions and supporting answers you will find pearls of wisdom. These pearls of wisdom will allow you to reduce your future mistakes and avoid the pitfalls that created previous losses. Unlike most people you will actually benefit from your losses because you will see the power of the lessons contained within each loss. The key is to Take Massive Action on what you Learn from the Loss.