See – Mark talks about how to see the situations and events through the eyes of a surfer. In that you embrace and ride forces bigger then yourself to succeed. A great concept when so many people are so focused on seeing what they cannot change.

“The value of experience is not in seeing much, but in seeing wisely.” William Osler

Think – There are 4 ways we can think about how we keep score in our life: Results, Recognition, Recreation, and Relationships.

“Your actions, not your intentions, tell you which priorities rule in your life.” Mark Sanborn

FIDO. Forget It and Drive On. Mark tells the story of a friend who instead of rehearsing the past difficulties he focused on what he could do and the impact he has had.

Do.  V = E + E + SE. Value equals Expectations plus education plus something extra.

What can you provide that goes the extra mile or is distinctive?

To get your own copy of Up, Down, or Sideways  go to www.MarkSanborn.com

 by Eric Papp

I had the pleasure of touring Wish Farms in Plant City, FL yesterday.

The real treat wasn’t my strawberry shortcake which they graciously provided but it was seeing how a successful company competes in a tough business that is affected by weather, international competition, pests, and more.

Accountability                                                                                        

Every carton of strawberries that is sold can be traced back to a certain farm, location on that farm, and the actual person who picked that strawberry. Wow! This not only holds people accountable for the work but also is a way of congratulating them for a job well done.

“Responsibility is the price of Greatness.”  Winston Churchill

Constant Improvement                                                                        

Wish Farms is the only producer of strawberries in FL that uses a scientific system to gauge the accuracy of where to bloom and at what time the strawberry will bloom. This helps their customers because they are not just selling on speculation and are viewed as a resource by their customer.

Brand Loyalty                                                                                           

Wish Farms is creating a strong brand in the marketplace where customers are only buying Wish Farms berries.

“If you can differentiate a dead chicken, you can differentiate anything.” Frank Perdue

Special thanks to Gary, Terry, and Amber at Wish Farms
And special thanks to Katie, Rhonda, and Chris with the Tampa Bay Business Owners

by Eric Papp  – Leadership Speaker and Author (Leadership by Choice – John Wiley and Sons 2012)

I had the pleasure of hearing Dean Akers speak to our Rising Leaders
group this past Friday and what profound concepts he has about business. 

Here are some key take aways from his presentation.

Do you wanna go swimming in the ocean or bike ridining around Tampa Bay?

A majority of people would choose bike riding b/c it appears to be safer.

Fact – 3 people worldwide die of shark attacks each year.
      22 people died last year in Hillsborough County due to bicycle accidents

“You can’t change the economy or your competitor.”  D. Akers

The real question is…What is your market share? And what deals are you not even at the table for?

Get in on the deals.

“You control your own success.” D. Akers

Other great points from Dean
• Quote price and close your mouth
• Compile a list of top customers you want to have
• Focus Locally – We drive by business all the time
• Know Peoples Zone – Get their attention then engage

About Dean Akers
Dean is a 1974 graduate from the University of Florida.
He is the former CEO of Ideal Image, helping them grow to 65 locations.
And is the current CEO of Simms Crane

By Eric Papp – Author, “Leadership by Choice” (John Wiley and Sons 2012)  Available now on Amazon

www.EricPapp.com  – Leadership Speaker and Trainer

Whatever happened to the word Belief?
Are we afraid to use the word or tell people what we believe?

It’s my belief one of the most effective ways to lead is by Belief.
Telling and Showing people what you believe.
I have a poster of MLK Jr. that hangs in my living room and it         reminds me of leading with belief.
When he gave his famous “I have a dream speech” he shared with folks his beliefs. Look at the following he generated, the impact he had and the result that took place.

Are you leading with belief?

Here are 2 ways of how to start Leading by Belief

1. “Know Thy Self” Socrates. In our over stimulated “caffeine crazy society” make time for you. Stop and slow down.  Most folks don’t know where they are running from or where they are running to;
they are just running.

Make time for reflection on what you’ve done and where you’re headed.
Make time for meditation and inner calmness and relaxation.

“Our ability to generate power and be effective is in direct proportion in our ability to relax.” E.Papp

And finally make time to think.
It’s your creativity and ideas that will solve your problems,
and allow you to lead a more effective life. Slowing down, reflecting,
and thinking will help you discover what you believe.

2. Use Belief in your language. Start using the word Believe.
Don’t be afraid to tell folks what you believe.
Instead of saying I think or I feel. Change it to “I believe”. 
As I watch politicians talk on television I hear “my plan… or I hope…”
more often then I hear what the candidates actually believe.
I’m not interested in their plans rather their beliefs. Your followers want to know what you believe.

So what do you believe?

By Eric Papp – Author, “Leadership by Choice” (John Wiley and Sons 2012) Available now on Amazon

I live in Tampa about 1 mile from Downtown and it seems Tampa and Florida
in general are popular places for homeless people. This could be due to our mild climate.

What amazes me about homeless people is how clear their signs are. You can read them from 12 car lengths back.

Their message is simple and clear.

You can attend a meeting with your boss and after the meeting
you still might be a little hazy as to what his/her message is.

Or you can receive a 2 page email from someone and you still have to pick up the phone and call them.

As Leaders when we communicate let’s strive to

1. Get Clear on our message and what we want before we talk
2. Listen First
3. Ask Open-ended Questions

by Eric Papp  Serving Others w/ my gifts of listening and speaking

www.ericpapp.com

I don’t believe so.

I believe we watch the Grammy’s for one of the following reasons.

1.  Entertaining – See what stars are there, who they are there with and perhaps what they are wearing.

2.  Inspiring – Music has the ability to move us. It has the ability to lift us up, alter our moods and make us feel good about ourselves.

3. Dream – Watching the Grammy’s reminds us to dream. I’ll bet at least once during the show your mind wandered and a question came to you like: “What would it be like to be “Taylor Swift” of “Bruno Mars”? Or “What would it be like to date…” or “Have I discovered my true talents?”

As leaders we must keep these 3 concepts in the front of our minds.

Whether you’re leading a classroom of children, doing a business speech,
or talking about your product or service to the client; you must be entertaining.

“The ability to entertain takes someone from uninterested to curious to follower.”  E. Papp

People want to be inspired.
We must be mindful as leaders that once we provide the spark to that person, employee, or relationship that we must nurture it w/ inspiration.

“We are a product of what we do and who we spend our time with.
Why waste time hanging around un-inspiring people?”  E. Papp

Dreams our like vehicles of hope; they give us the ability to
stay on course and keep our spirits high when times are tough.
And after each accomplishment they allow us to reach higher and higher.

“Your impact in this world is limited to your ability to dream, focus and act.” E. Papp

 By Eric Papp – “Serving others through my gifts of listening/speaking.”                www.EricPapp.com – Author of “Leadership by Choice” (John Wiley and Sons – June 2012)
Pre-order Today on Amazon

“I’ll call you tomorrow”         “We can discuss your issue at the next meeting” 

“Will discuss your pay raise next month”

And it never happens…Talk is cheap

Last week I received and email from Josh who works for Pirate’s Booty popcorn.                            (A tasty crunchy snack that takes the place of chips and is half the calories)

He told me how much he valued the newsletters. I told him Thank you and that I was going to buy some of his popcorn for my Gasparilla Party (Pirate parade in Tampa Bay)

He said, “I’ll send you some.” And the popcorn came!  Two boxes of it.

1. As leaders do we talk more than we do? 

2. Are we not constantly breaking promises to ourselves and others?

3. Right now, who do you need to follow up with? (client, co-worker, your child)

Your Word (what you say) = Trust others have in you

“Preach to others and if necessary use words.”  Father Zach

“I might not believe in what you say, but I will believe in what you do.” E. Papp

by Eric Papp  www.EricPapp.com Serving Others w/ my gifts of listening/speaking

Leadership Author and Speaker

I had the opportunity to hear a panel yesterday at the Tampa Bay Business Owners meeting.

Thank you to Chris, Katie, and Rhonda for making it all happen! 
If you are reading this and have not experienced and event you need to check it out. http://tampabaybusinessowners.org/

It was comprised up of 3 successful Business leaders in the community. And here is what we can learn from each of them
1. Ron Laker – CEO of Next Century Studios and former CEO of TMR.

- Develop a personal mission statement that is becomes so embedded in your DNA, that you have it committed to memory and live it daily.
- Be Consistent – Talented individuals will adapt their style around yours.  Know Thyself
- Buying a business can be easy; creating a cultural can be hard. The top leaders need to go out listen and make every employee feel understood.
 (All for One and One For All) (Employee engagement from 47% to 97%)
- 4 page newsletter w/ People’s names in it (3x yr)
- Show your employees how you make money
- $20 incentive for meeting safety goal. Different day then pay day
- Ask for help and find ways to make money. “I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. What would you do if you owned this property?” R. Laker. 1 month later $1.8 million in profit
- “We don’t want to miss an opportunity of a good recession.” R. Laker ( bought up several businesses)
- “We will come out stronger, then we went it.”
- “Go to your bench” R. Laker The right person for the job is not always you. In a operation of 1 or 2. Knowing what to outsource is critical to effectiveness.
- “Never be impressed by what people have, be impressed by what they did to get what they have.” Doyle Fellows 
- “Smarts and Drive are great, but without Integrity the first two will kill you.”
- Get a mentor early. Don’t think you can go it alone
2. Jamie Harden – CEO of Creative Sign Designs

- Surround yourself with people better then you in areas you are weak. Understand your weaknesses. (example – Managing Salespeople)
- “Lead w/ Core Values” J. Harden 1. Teamwork  2. Sense of Urgency 3. Do the right thing every time
 4. Commitment to Excellence 5. Innovation 6. Positive Outlook
- Measure Core Values by establishing behaviors and holding people accountable for those behaviors (performance reviews)
- Change directions ( 2006 – 253 mailboxes to 215y. switched to signs)
- “Keep focused on your sales and let everyone in the company know where you stand daily.” J. Harden (daily sales goal 30k)
- Market using different approaches (trade shows, LinkedIn, etc)
- Don’t get prideful ask for help. “Ask for help, not because your weak but because you want to remain strong.” Les Brown
- “Cut your losses early and run a business.” J.Harden
 (held onto several folks they should have let go a year earlier)
- Be decisive
- Seek Inspiration from family (Grandfather – taught Mutual fund in 5th grade)
3. Jane Toombs – Director of CEO Council of Tampa Bay

- Quiet Strength. You don’t have to be out front, to be an effective leader.
- “You can be behind the scenes and make it happen.” J. Toombs
- Ask questions.  When asked a question, ask there reason for wanting to know. Help them drill down deeper.
- Grow it slow, last longer. Build it fast it can go away fast.
 “When you grow slow, you maintain who you are. I like who we are.” J. Toombs
- Know the growth rate you want (10-12%)
- Values “Be a better CEO” J. Toombs
- Listen First then speak
- “Don’t answer the question before it is asked.” J. Toombs
- Have someone push you. (Guy King)

Sign up today for the next meeting and experience this live! – http://tampabaybusinessowners.org/ or call 813-489-5585

By Eric Papp – “Serving others through my gifts of listening/speaking”                                                Author “Leadership by Choice” (June 2012 John Wiley and Sons)      

“If you can only buy one leadership book that will make a difference in your life –This is the one.”
Rocky Bleier
Vietnam Veteran
4x Superbowl Champion w/ Pittsburg Steelers

“Is this a store” I said as I approached the elder man who was looking for something. 

“No, this is my shop” Jim said

“Oh ok, I thought it was a small store because you seem to have a lot of things.”

“I have everything I don’t need and nothing that I do need.” Jim said

Sound familiar in your life?

We have so much “stuff” that it just consumes us we can’t find what we really need?

Or throughout our day we are doing every activity there is except for our Priorities.
Filling our day with trivia activities and delaying the high important ones.

In our information overload (Google based) (caffeine crazed) society
being Productive will mean not having a to-do list but
creating a TO-Don’t list and sorting through and throwing away what we don’t need.

by Eric Papp www.EricPapp.com   – To Serve Others w/ my gifts of listening & speaking

Leadership Speaker and Author

1. Misplaced Priorities – You know what you should be working on yet you choose not to do it. You may find yourself on Facebook instead of catching up on a report or calling a client. 

“Pay the price today or we can pay it later with interest.”  (Sounds like the situation our economy is in)

2. Fear of the Unknown – “I’m not sure how to do it.” “The project is so big; I don’t know where to start.” Fear can sometimes stop us in our tracks causing us to put it off.
False Evidence Appearing Real

“Problems that are procrastinated are only amplified.” Rory Vaden

3. Lack of Vision – “I’m not sure what I want.” Being unclear about the outcome can cause not only procrastination but poor results.

“Successful people do the things others are not willing to do.”

Solution – Get real clear of your priorities and those that you lead. Have an accountability system in place and see the vision daily.

“Having a clear vision is what will pull you through the mundane tasks and allow you to achieve extraordinary results.” E. Papp

By Eric Papp www.EricPapp.com 

Leadership Speaker, Trainer, and Author