Perspectives

All in the family

Last weekend I was at a family gathering and had a surprising experience.  I was talking to a member of my extended family who I had not seen in a couple of years.  The conversation got around to our careers and I was very pleased to discover that he runs a marketing promotions company.  It is odd because I have been considering using promotional items lately.  This just goes to show that a good network connection can be made anywhere and that family members can be good contacts.  Many of us do not stop to think of ways in which they can help us.  Family members can be great contacts because for the most part, they have your best interest in mind.  There are usually no strings attached.  Take a look around your family and you might be surprised to find how much help you have available for the asking.

Ilan Smith

Visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com    

Relative Intelligence

Ever stop to wonder why we sometimes think that non-English speaking people are less intelligent than we are?  I was speaking to a friend a few weeks ago about this subject.  He has observed that many people think that when when someone does not understand English we sometimes tend to view them in a less positive light.  Here is a question to ponder:  If you were to move to Russia today, would you be less intelligent?  The same applies to immigrants.  We should realize that in fact the challenge is communication, not intellect and we should not confuse the two.  There is an equivalent for almost every English word in our vocabulary so the issue is translation.  Do non-English-speaking people become progressively intelligent as they increase their command of the English language?  I doubt it but our perception of them certainly changes.  Be mindful of what you think, because it can certainly result in action and cause harm to others.

Ilan Smith

Visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com

Get The Hired Gun

I had lunch today with a fellow business owner today just to talk and exchange ideas.  I shared with him some of Harvey Mackay's ideas regarding networking(Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty) which include making deposits to the "favor bank".    I could see him listening attentively and pictured the wheels turning.  It's great to see the impact a new idea can have on someone.  He shared with my the idea of a salesperson who is a hired gun.  It's someone who already has a large network of contacts, gets paid straight commission, can sell "a green cow" as he put it, may have other clients, and is eager to get going.  It was certainly my turn to listen attentively as I had never thought of a salesperson in that manner before.  I really liked the idea and when I got home called two of my contacts to inquire if they knew such a person.  In keeping with the spirit of Dig Your Well, I gave him a lead, asking for nothing in exchange.  The value of exchanging ideas can be immeasurable.  Try to do so as much as you can.

Ilan Smith

Visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com

Cash, Please

I recently traveled to Belize and had an interesting encounter with communications.  There were signs in the airport indicating that everyone leaving the country must pay a departure fee.  There were two rates:  one for citizens and one for foreigners and it was to be paid in cash only.  I got out of the line and asked an airport employee about the policy and he reinforced it and directed me to a bank branch in the airport.  I first had to go to an ATM, withdraw Belize currency and then go to the bank to buy American currency to pay the departure fee.  Back in line and having lost my place, another traveler inquired about the policy and I shared my experience of a few minutes earlier.  After checking in and inquiring as to when the departure fee was due, the airline employee advised me that it was included in the price of the ticket.  Removing the signs could not be that difficult and would certainly have avoided the unnecessary trouble of scrambling around for exact change in U.S. currency.  It is unlikely that I am the first traveler that this has happened to.  It is important to send a consistent message as there can be many opportunities for confusion and misunderstandings.

Ilan Smith

Visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com 

You Never Know

A few days ago I was visiting some former colleagues when I happen to bump into one who had transferred to another location a couple of months earlier.  He had come to pack up the last few items in his cube.  We talked for a little while and of course I told him about my company.  He was very interested in professional development training and told me that he now has a large staff and he might want to offer them training.  I think back to a few years ago and am very glad that we had a good relationship.  It just goes to show - just because someone cannot do something for you now does not mean they will not be able to do so in the future.  Be nice to everyone you meet, as some day you might need that person.

Ilan Smith

Visit our web site at www.oakleyassociates.com

Excuse Me?

I was on a flight from Dallas, Texas to New York this past Sunday which was very crowded.  Customarily, passengers would walk to their seats, put their bags away and then allow the person behind them to pass by.  I found my seat, put one of my bags away quickly but noticed as I had just finished that the young man behind me squeezed past before I could allow him to pass by.  This stuck me as unusual, as we usually wait until the person in front moves out of the way.  Granted that I did not take more than two or three seconds I felt that he could have waited - I have had to wait a lot longer.  I later found out that he was from the Kingdom of Swaziland(he had his passport out in the open).  This reminded me that courtesy practices may differ between cultures.  However, we must remember that this is not always the case and that some people are just discourteous.   

Ilan Smith

Visit our web site at www.oakleyassociates.com

Wash my back...

I met another father at my daughter's dance class who was interested in getting a business established.  He liked my web site and asked many questions about it and starting a business.  I offered to put him in touch with my web designer, gave him cost estimates and offered to answer any questions he might have.  I also offered assistance with researching and filing business forms.  As it turns out, his wife, who often comes with him, saw what I was doing to help him.  She offered two great contacts for me to get in touch with.  Not only did she offer their contact information, but she also informed them that I would be calling on them.  You cannot get better leads than that.  I did not ask for the information and had not expected anything in return for helping her husband.  Give of yourself and you never know what might come back to you. 

Ilan Smith

Please visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com

Work a Little

Career management is work.  First you must figure out what your goals are - short  and long term.  Your must then determine which skills are needed to advance to each objective.  A self-assessment is then necessary to identify those areas which you must work on.  The comes the real work - putting a plan together which identifies goals, objectives, and the actions you must take to reach them.  The most effective way to ensure the plan is followed is to put it in writing.  Research has shown that eighty-five percent of people who put their career plan in writing follow it.  So the question is:  Are you serious enough about your career to put your plan in writing?

Ilan Smith

Visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com

I thought we were clear

Earlier today my wife and I were discussing taking our younger daughter to see Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.  She told me that the movie would start at 1:15 PM but there was another at 2:15.  It was just after noon at the time and I was working on something that would take another half hour to finish, which I told her.  She wanted to go to the 1:15 show and suggested that I meet them at the movie theater, to which I agreed.  I finished what I was doing at about 12:30, took a shower and was surprised to see them still there. After a  few minutes I asked about the movie  and to my surprise she said to me that we were going to the 2:15 show.  We had walked away from the previous discussion with two different understandings of what we were going to do.  You would think that something as simple as making movie plans would be easy but miscommunication can occur at any time and during any conversation.  The lesson I learned was to make sure to double check arrangements to make sure we are on the same page.

Ilan Smith

Please visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com

Under Your Nose

This past Sunday I was speaking with a friend of mine whom I have known for over fifteen years.  The conversation got around to work and I mentioned that I was seeking to reach new clients.  She offered a wealth of information about her employer, including web site addresses and other types of valuable information.  The odd thing is that I had never considered her a networking contact and goes to show that everyone can be a good contact.  The key is to recognize those opportunities as they arise.  A friend once told me that you should always have the networking frame of mind because it can happen anywhere and when you least expect it.

Ilan Smith

Please visit our web site at: www.oakleyassociates.com