TNNW Bulletin and Updates, May, 2009, Week 4

Major Developments, Forward Motion, Events and Actionable Items: TNNW - We ARE Networking

May 25th, 2009

Bulletin # 17

*PUTTING THE BULL BACK INTO BULLETIN*

*We are a unique organization that offers our Subscribers and Members: 1) fabulous information, insight and intelligence in our Newsletter and through our continuous RSS and Email Feeds, 2) an unparalleled suite of services and products for making you personally and professionally successful, and 3) an actual interpersonal community where Human Beings work together in cooperation and synergy to achieve exponential returns.

When you become a Member of TNNW you haven't merely joined a list, or gotten access to products and services...you've joined a Strategic Alliance. We are an organization dedicated to making our Members successful.

THE NATIONAL NETWORKER is more than talk about networking and media -- we are about connections, team-bulding, personal introductions, constructive interactivity and RELATIONSHIPS.

• Our free Newsletter: The highest quality standard in the industry -


• Our Suite of Services For Members: Unparalleled quality, utility and value -


• Our Community: We are an international organization, comprised of Subscribers and Members who truly interact, communicate, build strong relationships and promote and support each other for every individual's financial and social benefit. Relationship Capital.

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1. ALL-NEW BUTTONS AND APPLICATIONS (FULLY-FEATURED AND COLORFUL) FOR YOU TO PLAY WITH: Part 4

If you look at the bottom of any of our articles, you will notice a whole set of new applications to save, bookmark re-publish, broadcast, email, comment about, rate, follow, subscribe to or promote any of our authors, any of their articles, or the whole Newsletter. Look for the buttons and use them. Promote TNNW, our authors, or yourself.

Widget Selection Button: Opens up a gallery of widgets for you to use on your blogs, websites, newsletter and homepages.

Buzzworks Self-Promo: Opens up to our brand new self-promotion buzz page. Click on it, land on the special page, and tell us if you've talked TNNW or its authors or services up (in any medium). We will buzz you back (across a veritable plethora of media) in a giant way. You promote us, we promote you. Networking is a mutual proposition.

Submit Article to Google: Click on this button to submit the url of your favorite articles (as many times as you would like), or of the whole blog or website address to Google. This is very, very helpful SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Google is the most potent and well-regarded engine. They like us already -- help them to fall in love with us, and with each of our authors.

TNNW Member Services: This button opens up to a page which describes and contains links to all of our services for Members.

Re-Tweet This Article (not shown): You can automatically re-tweet the entire content of any article by merely pressing this button. This greatly helps cultivate the buzz and branding for your favorite authors. Let's help them get word out to the broadest and biggest possible market. This gadget does it all for you with one click.

Re-Tweet This ArticleEmail this • Sphere: Related Content • Save to del.icio.us • Add to del.icio.us • Digg This! • Discuss on Newsvine • Stumble It! • Add to Mixx! • Email the author • 2 Comments • Technorati Links • Share on Facebook • outside.in: geotag this story

2. EXCELLENT NEWSLETTERS AND BLOGS WRITTEN BY TNNW AUTHORS

Our Featured Columnists and Bureau Chiefs are superb writers...each from a different industry, and each with his own unique area of expertise. You can preview three of these resource letters, each written by one of our TNNW professionals, and subscribe to any or all of them for free. This may be a limited time offer -- subscribe now before these fellows become mad with power and start charging huge fees for subscriptions!

Yossi Feigenson’s ORB REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS Newsletter

First Issue:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs024/1102532372824/archive/1102566635914.html

Subscribe Free:
http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=0011QHrsLot1-f8NHVX5ng00g%3D%3D


Bruce Newman’s THE PRODUCTIVITY INSTITUTE Newsletter

Back Issues:
http://www.prodinst.com/PI_all_newsletters.php

Subscribe Free:
newsletter@prodinst.com (just shoot Bruce an email saying that Douglas Castle sent you -- not only will he subscribe you; he buys me a cup of coffee for every thousand subscribers I refer! His generosity is unsurpassed. In the meantime, I'm becoming more caffeinated than Will Banter of J.D. Gershbein's THE HANDSHAKE CLUB).


Andy Lopata’s CONNECTING IS NOT ENOUGH Newsletter

Back Issues: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs019/1101533091183/archive/1102423150837.html

Subscribe Free:
http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=0018qhVFXyt4BiYJlFxE6UJVg%3D%3D [Note: Take advantage of Andy's new double CD offer. Click here.]

Douglas Castle's Blogs (all available with free daily email or RSS feed):

The Internationalist Page

The Global Futurist

Braintenance

Links 4 Life

Beware Of The Blog (The Castle Consultancy)

3. SITES TO SEE AND FAVORITIZE

For a complete sitemap and index of all of our sites, simply click on http://tnnwindex.blogspot.com/, and FAVORITIZE. {yes, yes...the page name sounds like a window cleaner} Keep this handy - when you're on any page, look for the INDEX TO TNNW SITES button to return to the Index at any time.

Visit http://tnnw10.blogspot.com/, and FAVORITIZE. We have UPDATED our listing of advertisers, affiliates and services. There are some deep promotional discounts and other advantages exclusively for TNNW subscribers. Look for ChapterTracker, Andy Lopata's 2 CD set, and, of course for Douglas Castle's exciting, self-serving and extremely bothersome new ad for THE CASTLE CONSULTANCY. If you are curious as to what Douglas does (outside of TNNW) -- He works very closely with young, growing enterprises on strategic planning and development. He is relentless, determined and demanding; on the bright side, he has good table manners. Visit DOUGLAS CASTLE PUSHES PEOPLE TOO HARD, for more details.

FAVORITIZE this one: http://tnnwservices.blogspot.com/ . See why it pays to become a full-fledged Member.

CUSTOM TEXT-MESSAGING PROGRAMS: TNNW offers its Members the best state-of-the-art text messaging services for announcing/broadcasting, sending alerts and for advertising to a captive audience...we might walk away from our computers, but we are always carrying our cellphones or PDAs! Visit http://tnnw4.blogspot.com/.

4. FACT: HOW YOU DEAL WITH FEAR WILL MAKE YOU EITHER A LOSER OR A WINNER - Christine West's Critically-Acclaimed Webinar Series.

The primary motivating force in most people's lives is FEAR. People respond more readily to fear than to opportunity. Fear holds us back, inhibits us, makes us indecisive, attracts negative energies (misery loves company), and keeps us from reaching our potential, both personally and in business.

Question: Are you going to saddle up and ride the shark... or be eaten by it?

Question: Are you going to surf on the tidal wave or be crushed by the tsunami?

Question: Can you possibly think of any more ridiculous metaphors than these?

TNNW Featured Columnist, noted consultant and speaker, Christine West is hosting a fabulous five-part webinar series called How To Master The Fear In Challenging Economic Times. The series begins in July -- it was originally scheduled to begin on June 9, but we thought that if deferred it, your anxiety level would be increased.

Subscribe today for this 5-part webinar series at MASTER THE FEAR. Don't let the self-imposed limitations of fear stand between you and complete business and financial success. Invest in your future today! Christine West is a brilliant social scientist -- give yourself the gift of conquering your fears forever.

Seminar-related materials will be widely-circulated during the next several days -- you will need to register early. How you deal with fear can transform every aspect of your life.

Whether or not you are aware of it, fear has kept you from achieving many of your goals...it has kept you from maximizing your life's potential and realizing the voctory and success that you deserve. Christine will teach you how to 1) identify those times when you may be making a dangerous fear-based decision; 2) set the fear aside and proceed confidently; and 3) how to see the fear in others and to change the way in which you communicate in order to gain their confidence.

***To hear a sample voice clip of Christine West, simply click on: http://www.thebusinessmd.net/downloads/TheBusinessMD-Interview-Business-Corner-09.mp3.

5. REMINDER: DAILY EMAIL AND RSS FEEDS

You're missing out. To get the full benefit of THE NATIONAL NETWORKER and all that we have to offer, you MUST subscribe to either the RSS FEED or the EMAIL feed. Please do it now in order to keep your free subscription! Click on:

or on

It's really quite simple. If you actually do it, you'll find out that this is indeed true. By the way, the email feed, which contains all of the content of the RSS Feed as well, is the more popular of the two by a significant margin. I personally prefer the Daily Email Feed. Plus, I can forward copies of articles which I like to my colleagues.

6. TWITTER US! BUZZ TNNW UP.

You are cordially invited to follow TNNW (and we will follow you back) on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TNNW_BUZZWORKS. Also, remember to take a look at the TNNW BUZZWORKS page (http://tnnwbuzzworks.blogspot.com/).

If you talk us up, we'll give you and your organization more cross-media exposure and SEO exposure than all of your best friends combined. If you would like to follow Kovitz or Castle on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/ajkovitz or http://twitter.com/douglascastle ...we'll even follow you, too.

Enjoy the articles, and enjoy all of our TNNW sites. We have so much to offer each other. Let's put it to work for everyone's benefit.

Yours,

Adam J. Kovitz (mostly) and Douglas Castle (to a lesser extent)

THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW):
PRESS OUR BUTTONS & CLICK OUR LINKS...

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TNNW Bulletin and Updates, May, 2009, Week 4

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Virtual Community, Part 4

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Meaningful Work

Community offers an opportunity for members to learn and grow. Part of each individual’s commitment is to be of service to others, one of the highest callings of humankind. As networks populate with self-selected compatible members pursuing a shared purpose, opportunities to help and be helped is the “glue” that keeps the network intact. In doing this meaningful work, network members evolve simultaneously with the community, both becoming more powerful.

*******
Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Virtual Community, Part 4

JETNETTING: The First Impression Factor, Part XII: Facial Expression II

JetNetting with Heshie Segal

In last month's article, the gist of what we covered was how facial expressions:

*Are a significant form of sending and receiving wordless messages

*Can convey the real meaning behind the message, often expressing what words cannot.

*Can invariably determine someone’s emotional state by simply watching the movements of their facial muscles.

When you understand and can monitor the expressions you reveal and comprehend what you observe in others, the first impression factor can be influenced in significant ways.

Ponder this: Are you impressed by the calm you see in someone’s facial expressions? Do you feel uplifted when you see an expression of joy? Are you disturbed by an expression of anger? Do you worry when you see a look of confusion? Anger, contempt, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise, the seven internationally recognized states of emotion seen through facial expressions, are the focus of today’s column. The categories below will give you a brief overview of how to recognize someone’s emotional state. This will assist you in “reading” them. It will also help you know what reaction you might expect when you are perceived to be expressing any of these emotions. Knowledge is power. Remember things don’t happen in a vacuum and your observation of a cluster of reactions. . . facial expression changes . . . will provide you with a more accurate evaluation.

Anger

The angry expression can convey a variety of messages, among them hostility and opposition. It has a toxic effect on the person who is angry as well as those who are in the same environment. Negative impressions are almost instantly triggered when anger appears . . . not the way to begin or maintain a relationship.

The emotion of anger strongly affects the facial and skeletal musculature. Generally, the face becomes flushed. The fore head is creased, brow muscles move downward and inward as upper and lower eyelids narrow and tighten. The eyes are open wide, holding a prolonged (or fixed), intense glare. Nostrils flare, lips have a tendency to clench tightly, with jaw thrusting forward.

Contempt

An expression of contempt is derived from a person having a strong feeling of dislike for something or someone considered to be undeserving of respect, inferiority and unworthiness.

The facial expression that universally signals contempt is a tightening and slight raising of the upper lip, or lip corner, into a sneer or smirk. It is the only emotion expressed asymetrically, appearing on just one side of the face, creating a sense of imbalance. The nose may turn up slightly or simply wrinkle a bit. Eyebrows may be lowered and, unlike the emotion of anger, the eyes themselves may appear to be relaxed.

Disgust

Expressions of disgust are often seen as the face and body react to objects that are revolting and nauseating, such as unclean or inedible food, something that is offensive or morally unacceptable, visually or verbally.

The most noticeable signs of disgust are raised cheek muscles, lowered eyebrows, wrinkled nose, raised upper lip, and protruding lower lip.

Fear

An expression of fear is an emotional response to imminent threats, danger or likelihood of bodily harm or pain. Unlike anxiety, it is triggered by an external source.

Because fear is often preceded by surprise, the eyes tend to open wide, with the whites becoming more visible and the pupils dilating, allowing additional light to enter. The muscles around the eyes tense up, especially the lower eyelids, the brows draw together as they and the eyelids are raised high, caused by the tensing. Mid-forehead wrinkles appear. The mouth opens wide. The upper lip rises, both lips stretch horizontally and the jaw drops.

Happiness

Happiness comes from a sense of well-being, contentment, enjoyment and satisfaction.

It’s difficult to fake happiness or a true smile. It can be done for the camera and then disappears. With an expression of happiness, a sense of calm lingers in the background - even though the heart may be racing with joy. It is being content and at peace with yourself.

Happiness is visible on the face when teeth are exposed, the corners of the lips are drawn back and curve upward, lifting the mouth into a smile. Raised and wrinkled cheeks are accompanied by a widening of the eyes. This is associated by the creation of wrinkles in the corners of the eyes, also known as "crow's feet"

Sadness

When people are sad, they are experiencing sorrow or discontent, distress, dejection, dissatisfaction or depression.

In a typical sad expression, cheeks are raised, eyes are narrowed, eyelids droop as eyebrows

are pulled down . . . and in extreme sadness, drawn together. The mouth and corners of the lips create a down-turn and while lips may quiver, the lower lip may push up in a pout and the chin drops toward the chest.

Surprise

Expressions of surprise are spontaneous, momentary and involuntary. They can last for as little as a fraction of a second and can be longer. Surprise is generally followed . . . almost instantly

. . . by expressions of fear, happiness, confusion or other facial characterizations. Invariably, they are in response to an unexpected event. The magnitude of the surprise will determine the measure or the exaggeration of the facial expression.

When surprise is expressed in the face, wrinkles appear across the forehead; upper eyelids and brows rise. As the upper lid is raised and stretched up, the lower lid is drawn down, resulting in the eyes being naturally widened. The jaw drops and the mouth becomes relaxed and open.

In a first impression situation, you may not take the necessary time to get to know someone when that fleeting signal spells something negative. When you are perceived to be transmiting this type of signal, others may not know you are having a bad day, not feeling well, lost a job, were momentarily thrown back to a past negative experience, and so on and so on. Suddenly, you are history! When the situation is reversed, you will want to avoid being judgemental. You will appreciate the favor in return.

As you now move into a new stage, understanding what your facial expresions can mean, there are some key points to keep in mind. You DO want to make a positive first impression; you do want to remain aware of what you are projecting.

Fake does not work. If your facial expressions are not congruent with your feelings,

words and message, they will reveal incongruence, which will be interpreted as dishonesty.

So, avoid inappropriate and artificial expressions as they will rapidly initiate distrust and

alienation.

*******
Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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JETNETTING: The First Impression Factor, Part XII: Facial Expression II

REAL ESTATE...AND OTHER THINGS OF VALUE: It's a Buyer's Market - Shouldn't I Buy?

Real Estate...and Other Things of Value with Yossi Feigenson

Note: Neither THE NATIONAL NETWORKER ("TNNW") nor any of its members, directors, officers, employees or authors offers investment, accounting, tax or legal advice. The article which follows reflects the opinion of its author, Yossi Feigenson, and should not be construed under any circumstances as an offering of advice of any sort. The views of this author do not necessarily reflect those of THE NATIONAL NETWORKER, or its owners.

___________________________________

It’s a buyer’s market - shouldn’t I buy?

As a so-called real estate professional, I get this question a lot. People want to know when is the exact time for them to be in the market for real estate. Let me say up front and get this out of the way: I have no idea. I don’t have a crystal ball, nor am I a licensed prognosticator. What I do know, however, is that market conditions alone cannot be the lone factor in making that determination.

It seems to be the prevailing thought out there right now that its not a good time to be in the market, whether for a home, or office use. For proof, simply take a look at the number of closed transactions. They are way down from the numbers of, say, six months ago. In this latest run-up, grub-fest, land-grab people were grabbing every piece of real estate in sight, (or in some cases, sight unseen) with apparent disregard for cost, value, terms of deal and their own needs. And now, we have all frozen up like an Alaskan glacier (if such a thing exists). And me, the little real estate broker, is left to ponder, what exactly is going on here?

Research for this essay landed at my doorstep this past weekend in the form of an article in the NYT Real Estate Section, titled: “Don’t Even Say the Word”. It goes on to say that as much as real estate was such a hot topic of discussion back in the day, it has now become a dirty word.

Where has all the love gone?

To answer this quandary, I look at what drives people’s decisions in real estate, and often in other aspects of life. Instead of focusing on what will satisfy a person’s needs, and what they can afford people tend to follow the “monkey see, monkey do approach.

What Can A Conductor Teach You About Leadership Strategies ?

CLICK ON THE ICON ABOVE TO GET STARTED TODAY

Back in the day, when we were pitching an apartment building for sale, we often had to choke on it for a while. But, the moment, and I mean the moment, there was interest by one party, we couldn’t keep the vultures away. We often said when you’re close to a deal lock it up as fast as you can, because when one person wants something, everybody else does.

Our actions are too often guided by what the current conditions are feeding into our psyches. Instead of thinking about what we really need and can afford, we’re busy chasing the dream. When things are flying everyone is in the game and is willing to play no matter the cost. As we now see so clearly.

This particular form of playing on our emotions is what carried the market to the insane stratospheres it reached, and is precisely the reason we are in the stalemate we are in now.
Better judgment would lead to more efficient markets.

So, when is the right time to be in the market?

I believe this determination requires a two-step process: First, analyze from within, and then "play" the market accordingly. Be certain of what you need, what you can handle, and then, by all means, go into the market and negotiate the best possible arrangement.

--Yossi Feigenson

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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REAL ESTATE...AND OTHER THINGS OF VALUE: It's a Buyer's Market - Shouldn't I Buy?

THE CONNECTED BRAND: Own Your Connections

The Connected Brand with Maria Elena Duron

Your connections begin in your own database. When I’m asked about how to “own your game”, or dominate your niche, the first place I begin asking about is what do you know about your database?

Even those born within this last minute, already have a handful of people in their personal database. From the mother that carried them, to the physician that delivered them, to the nurses in the delivery room, the pediatrician and the nurses in the nursery – the newborn even know somebody!

How can you make the most of who you are already connected to?

First, clean your list. Start going through to see whose email, phone number, cell phone, address, and employment information is up-to-date and who is not. Your first focus is to make sure you have the most current, effective information for those people who already know you.

Second, grade your list. No, I’m not talking about judging people yet I am talking about categorizing them in a way that makes sense for you. Who really knows you well? I mean they have spoken positively on your behalf, they know your hopes, dreams and aspirations. They may even know the good, the bad and the ugly! They know you. They know what you do for a living. How many close contacts can actually say that? Often we’re connected with those who “kind of, sort of” know what we do so they could never repeat it to anyone or effectively explain it or even speak to a prospective employer or prospect about how you can help them.

Start first with those who really know you well. And, then work through your list seeing who you really know. Again, use the same criteria.- do you know their hopes, dreams and aspirations? Do you know their strengths? Do you know what they really do for a living (not just their title)?

Third, of those who really know you – what gaps do you see in the information you have on them? Maybe you don’t even know if they’re currently married, divorced or single. Maybe you don’t know where they graduated from? Or, you might have their work number yet you don’t have their email address or cell phone number. Focus on where you have gaps and make a plan on garnering some of that information. It might be that you’ll find out at the next ball game or happy hour get together. Whenever it is, make sure that you flow your information gathering into the conversation and not sound like you’re going through a checklist. To do so, would surely shut down conversation.

Lastly, who on that list really supports you? They have been “your brand advocate” all along. They cheer you on and sing your praises! Do any of them fall in the following categories?

• People who have mentored you?
• People you have mentored or taught?
• Former managers, supervisors or instructors?
• And, yes, even co-workers?

These are the foundation of your brand advocates and you must identify them first to own your connections.

Author:
Maria Elena Duron is chief buzz officer & identity coach of buzz2bucks | a personal branding + word of mouth firm. and blogs about connecting your personal brand and SMART Connections. She is also the creator and moderator of brandchat: a live streaming branding discussion on twitter. Follow her on Twitter for daily updates or connect with her on Facebook.

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THE CONNECTED BRAND: Own Your Connections

NETWORKING YOUR WEBSITE: A Review

Networking Your Website with Rita Wilhelm

I have enjoyed writing for the National Networker the last few years. I hope that all of you have enjoyed my column as well. I have had some business opportunities come along in the past few months will demand more of my attention. With that being said, this is my last submission to The National Networker.

As this is my last column, I thought it would be good to review some important aspects about ‘Social Media’. So let’s do that now.

What is Social Media?

Social media is the conversation that takes place online between people. It may be in the form of videos, wikis, blogs, forums, podcasts, social bookmarks, etc. Sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, MySpace, Digg, Technorati, Delicious, and thousands of other niche online communities are all part of the online discussions that are taking place all over the internet.

Why should you care?

70% of people do research online before buying a product or a service. Additionally, 51% of internet users spend most of their time reading and watching personal content that is created by other people? They are watching videos, reading blogs, reading posts on message boards, etc. And, according to Jupiter Research, 30 percent of frequent social networkers trust their peers' opinions when making a major purchase decision, but only 10 percent trust an advertisement.

It’s in those social networks, that people stumble upon solutions to problems and new ways of doing things. They get together, and start communicating. They build friendships along the way. They become interested in things they read about, and then start searching to learn more about new things.

It’s through browsing blogs and other social media, that people may discover you, and that you are a solution to their problem!

What does this mean for you?

Basically, this means that as a business person, you need to be in the path of your target audience. Whether you are in product or service sales, you need to be where your target audience is spending their time, so that they find you!

I wish all of you much success. Please come and visit my blog, where I share different online marketing strategies that have been successful for me. www.ritawilhelm.com

*******
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To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

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NETWORKING YOUR WEBSITE: A Review

TEAMWORK - BUILDING TEAMS THAT WORK: Why Can't We?

Teamwork - Building Teams That Work with Douglas Castle

Dear Readers:

WHY CAN'T WE ?

Admittedly, the title of this article sounds a bit like a hybrid cooked up among Dr. Robert Schuller, Dr. Wayne Dyer, an out-of-work Obama campaign manager and the executive director of some charity. "WHY CAN'T WE?" does not sound like a title appropriately fitting a practical post geared toward a growing community of serious networkers (for example, the growing subscriber group of TNNW). Rest assured that this article is practical, inciteful and, if taken seriously by a bunch of aggressive, hungry and ofttimes frustrated entrepreneurs trying to "go it alone," it will be life-changing. In fact, after you have seen the video (which you must), you'll realize that the title of this article should have been "WHY DON'T WE?"

Here's a brief video, courtesy of Yahoo! Videos, accompanied by my letter of transmittal:

=========================================

Douglas Castle has sent you a video.

------------------------------------------------------------

Personal message: This is a video which would normally have had me walking away -- it seems like a typical public relations ploy by the "haves" to show something about how they are being "socially responsible" and "giving back." We've heard it before. But what captured my interest is how they chose to do it: as a TEAM. If we put aside our jealous resentment and envy of the rich and famous, these people are, perhaps by design -- or perhaps by accident, making a subtle but powerful point about partnership and essence of Teamwork. Click on the video and watch the whole thing:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=13584224

============================================================

In the words of a profoundly beautiful sermon by Jon Donne, "No man is an island, standing alone...". The fact of the matter is that none of us can get great things accomplished in business, politics or sociologically without enlisting the cooperation and assistance of others. This is common knowledge.

Despite this, we insist on networking as soloists, hawking our wares, promoting and selling to any increasingly financially challenged, skeptical and informationally overloaded audience. And that audience is either trying to run from us or to sell us something of their own. When we do not cooperate, when we get "too busy" to join forces in order to promote and help each other, and to accomplish great things as a cohesive, unified group, we work many times harder, and we play right into the now infamous (I invented this while shaving!) "One-sided Marketplace -- where everyone is selling, and no one is buying."

Combining and bundling our services together gives us a more competitive, more comprehensive package to bring to market. It appeals to a much broader marketplace, and carries more traction. It makes the purchase decision easier for a besieged consumer. It even makes us look stronger and more capable.

Why do we fail to partner up and to work in cooperation, as a Team? Here are my educated guesses:

1. We are naturally distrustful of others and feel that they will steal our clients and market;


2. We are too busy trying to be soloists to actually listen to a teamwork proposition;


3. We are so used to self-promotion, that we have forgotten about the benefits of cooperation, united efforts, the power of large numbers and having the comfort and support of partnership;


4. We view virtually everyone as an adversary;


5. We are so overly busy with our efforts, that we view spending time with others in a consolidated effort to be burdensome -- we can't afford the time.

Allow me to observe that not a single one of those reasons is a valid excuse for failing to work together. As I mentioned in a conversation with Wendy Weiss (the Queen Of Cold-Calling) just two days ago, cooperation trumps competition any day.

At TNNW, we are not just an information source, a services provider or a promotional platform. We are a community, and a community is merely a large team. If we do not work to support each other, we hurt each other and hurt ourselves. The smaller and newer our businesses, the more we need to leverage the efforts, experience and expertise of others just like us.

Some last things:

1. Don't just sell your product or service -- sell the idea of your being a great prospective partner;


2. Don't just collect cards and broadcast on the social media. Reach out to build relationships, and your Relationship Capital Quotient.


3. Let's stop the economic anarchy. Let's stop the epidemic of social solitary, and quiet desperation. Let's get back into the youthful habits of learning and teaching -- of bartering and trading -- of being friends.

Dedicate time to building relationships, and to forming partnerships and teams. None of the Billionaires who we read about become successful without help. We are just like them -- Human Beings needing other Human Beings. The difference between being financially secure and struggling is RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING. Don't just broadcast; converse!

Teams are productive entities. Pick your teammates carefully...start really talking to your colleagues to find the best team players to enrich and accelerate your efforts.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

p.s. The uncomfortable-looking guy in the center of the photo (looking like a Mafia don) is me, forced into making a speech at a philanthropic event.

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TEAMWORK - BUILDING TEAMS THAT WORK: Why Can't We?

BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: “Great Listeners Have Great Connection”

Beyond Networking: Being with Ron Sukenick

As many of you know, listening is one of the most sought after marketing tools of all time.

In fact, why is it so hard to find a good listener?

Here’s another question - When was the last time anyone said to you - Thanks for taking the time to listen?

Has it been awhile?

So without further ado, allow me to share a few of the many great listening quotes that are out there.

If you have a favorite listening quote, please don’t to hesitate to send it to me.

I can always get better at this thing called – listening.

Enjoy.


The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them. — Ralph Nichols


Effective listeners remember that "words have no meaning - people have meaning." The assignment of meaning to a term is an internal process; meaning comes from inside us. And although our experiences, knowledge and attitudes differ, we often misinterpret each other’s messages while under the illusion that a common understanding has been achieved. — Larry Barker


Our first responsibility as effective listeners is to understand ourselves as communicators. Just as the sources of the communication message shout are trained in self-intrapersonal communication, so, too, should listeners know themselves? — Carolyn Coakley

Every person in this life has something to teach me -- and as soon as I accept that, I open myself to truly listening. — Catherine Doucette

We listen in order to learn and retain information. If we are speaking, we are not listening or learning anything to add to our sum of knowledge. This is why the first step to effective listening is to stop talking! — Ken Fracaro

Listening effectively to others can be the most fundamental and powerful communication tool of all. When someone is willing to stop talking or thinking and begin truly listening to others, all of their interactions become easier, and communication problems are all but eliminated. — Ken Johnson

The contrast between hearing and really listening can be as different as night and day. And in a business environment, not listening effectively to customers, employees, and peers can mean the difference between success and failure. — Ken Johnson

Listening well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well. — John Marshall

When making personal decisions, listen to what your head says; then listen to what your heart says. If they differ, follow your heart! Whenever you listen to your heart, you listen to that part of you that is most interested in your well-being. — Anonymous


This is a time to give the gift of listening. There are an unknowable but very large number of folks who could really be helped with our listening to them. I know your hearts are all very warm and giving. Please, take time to listen to those around you.
- Richard D. Halley,



My only advice is to stay aware, listen carefully and yell for help if you need it. — Judy Blume

I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying. — Charles C. Finn


History repeats itself because no one listens the first time. — Anonymous

A vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener. — Anonymous

The older I grow the more I listen to people who don’t talk much. — Germain G. Glien

The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously. — Humphrey Hubert

One advantage of talking to yourself is that you know at least somebody’s listening. — Franklin P. Jones

Just because I didn’t do what you told me, doesn’t mean I wasn’t listening to you! — Hank Ketcham

The opposite of talking is not listening. The opposite of talking is waiting. — Fran Lebowitz

Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing, nobody listens and then everybody disagrees. — Will Rogers

Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening. — Dorothy Sarnoff

A good listener is a good talker with a sore throat. — Katharine Whitehorn


It seems that we shall eventually come to believe that the responsibility for effective oral communication must be equally shared by speakers and listeners. When this transpires, we shall have taken a long stride toward greater economy in learning, accelerated personal growth, and significantly deepened human understanding. — Ralph NicholsI

Talk less--you will automatically learn more, hear more, see more--and make fewer blunders. — Mark McCormack


You talk, you repeat what you already know; when you listen, and you often learn something. — Jared Sparks


- Ron Sukenick

*******
Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). All rights reserved.

To subscribe for your free TNNW Newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/ For the complete National Networker (TNNW) Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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Forward/Share This Article With Colleagues And Social Media:

BEYOND NETWORKING: BEING: “Great Listeners Have Great Connection”