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“What we wish, we readily believe; and what we ourselves think, we imagine others think also.”
Julius Caesar
Upcoming Events
Death in the Elevator
The Mormon Way of Business
A Video Feast for CEOs
Econ Recon: The Consumer Shows Up
Upcoming Vistage Events
May 16 and 17
Ole Carlson, Aspire, how to get more of what you want.
Ole Carlson has addressed more than 1,000 CEO audiences on the subjects of goal setting, strategic planning and leadership development, and he has worked with more than 200 corporate clients to plan and implement strategy and improve business performance. His first book, Beneath the Armor: How Business Leaders Stand Tall in a Turbulent Global Economy, has been well received by CEOs and business owners around the globe.
June 20 and 21
James Newton, Visionary Leadership, how to be a non anxious presence in an anxious world. James is one of my favorite speakers. He is an internationally known consultant, facilitator and speaker. He brings a unique blend of insight and business acumen, providing inspiration integrated with practical tools. For more than 20 years, he has assisted companies to increase effectiveness and profitability through accountability, enthusiasm, productivity, trust and integrity. Newton Learning Corporation offers organizational consulting and training, professional development leadership programs and comprehensive personal development seminars.
August 16
Alan Beaulieu, noted economist, will speak to 200 CEOs and Key Executives at Meridian Hills Country Club. This will be the 10th Annual CEO Summit hosted by Vistage International. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with other business leaders and to see around the corner to what is coming in the economy. Visit Alan’s website at http://itreconomics.com/ or get a short example of his thought leadership in a brief video, click here for Alan’s video.
Prospective members often ask me why my current members joined Vistage. I think it’s best to let the members tell the story. Please find attached a copy of my brochure featuring a number of local member comments…..and check out another member’s comments that were recently featured in the New York Times.
Death in the Elevator
My friend and legendary Vistage Speaker on Sale and Sales Management Jack Daly, (click on his name for terrific free sales tips) is fond of saying that one of the problems with sales people is that they “show up and throw up”; They start talking and keep talking, oblivious to the opportunity of learning what the customer really needs.
We are often subjected to this behavior during the so-called “elevator speech’ in which sales people try to capture and keep our attention when they have us trapped in an elevator or other escape proof environment. Another good friend, Carol Weisman, president of Board Builders has a solution to this (Carol is one of the most effective and sought after consultants and compelling speakers in the not for profit world.). In her blog, Carol provides a very short but VERY powerful tutorial on the right and wrong way to give an elevator speech. It’s also VERY easy to start doing today.
Open the attached email and learn why Carol says “Death to Elevator Speeches,’….. then get your salespeople together and ask them to share their current elevator speech with you. (You may be surprised…..and distressed).
The Mormon Way of Business
2012 is shaping up as the year of the Mormon…. Mitt Romney will certainly be the Republican nominee, “The Book of Mormon” is a huge hit on Broadway and most of us have seen the well-produced “I’m a Mormon” TV commercials.
The Mormon community’s propensity for business success is receiving increased attention due in large measure to Romney’s candidacy and his earlier success at Bain Capital….other business notables from the Mormon community include Steven Covey of “7 Habits” fame, David Neelman of Jet Blue and many others.
In short, the Mormons appear to be enjoying commercial success at a rate disproportionate to their numbers; what’s the reason for this? A recent one page Economist article, “The Mormon Way of Business,” looks at this phenomenon and concludes that the answer lies in experiences and the habits formed early in life by this unique group of people. Check it out!
The Milken Conference: A Video Feast for CEOs (and anyone else who loves to learn)
For me, one of the highlights of spring is the annual Milken Conference in California that brings together a crowd of thought leaders for terrific panels and key notes on the most important topics in the world today, including but not limited to business, government, science, technology and many other topics.
Most important, these discussions are made available on streaming video. In particular, I found the panel discussion “What’s Happened to the American Dream” a refreshing interchange on a topic that matters to all of us;, it features a panel composed of Steve Rattner (Treasury Department point man for the GM bailout), Charles Murray (author of “The Bell Curve) and my favorite historian Niall Ferguson (“The Ascent of Money”).
This is an extraordinarily rich collection of subject matter experts on the topics that most leaders know will impact them. I suggest you first review the list of videos available to determine what’s relevant to your business (there are dozens and most are an hour or more in length….then bookmark the site….you will be coming back to it again and again
Enjoy!!. (My thanks to the Milken Foundation for making this material available to us).
Econ Recon: The Consumer Shows Up
The recovery that began in 2009 has been tepid by many measures including consumer spending, employment and construction. Were it not for business spending there would not have been a recovery at all.
In his blog this week, Vistage Staff Economist Alan Beaulieu of the Institute for Trend Research looks at two indicators of consumer spending and finds reason to be optimistic about the next 12 months. Check out these brief but informative blog postings about a new way to look at Consumer Sentiment and the recent surge in Consumer Credit…… and what recent movements in both portend for the economy.
MAKE it a great week!
