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:

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Douglas Castle has sent you a video.

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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

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

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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

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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/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Virtual Community, Part 3

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

Ensuring Equality

Equality among network members assures all involved of their value to the community. Inequality potentially leads to tyranny. How does equality manifest in virtual networking communities? Equal voice is one aspect. As the size of the network increases, what will prevent equality from becoming invisibility? The opportunity to be heard, as well as being responded to, resembles equality in a virtual networking community.

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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/

You are also invited to click our buttons:




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Forward/Share This Article With Colleagues And Social Media:

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Building Virtual Community, Part 3