Entrepreneur, speaker, charity proponent, and founder of Taz Solutions, Inc., Michael Tasner, in his practical and idea filled book Marketing in the Moment: The Practical Guide to Using Web 3.0 Marketing to Reach Your Customers First.

Michael Tasner describes how to achieve success in the rapidly evolving world of next generation internet, mobile, smartphones, and social marketing.

Thanks to Michael Tasner for his time, and for his intriguing and informative responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.









What was the background to writing this book Marketing in the Moment: The Practical Guide to Using Web 3.0 Marketing to Reach Your Customers First?

Michael Tasner: I run a web site marketing firm, and to be quite honest, 95% of businesses can't afford our services. But the businesses that couldn't afford our services were the ones I was most passionate about. So I wanted to write a how to guide for those businesses to be able to grow their profits quickly.

There are so many social media tools available, along with blogging platforms, how is a business person to know which tools work best for their business?

Michael Tasner: In the most simplest of forms, the tools you should be using are ones where your customers and prospects are hanging out. For example, if you're a musician, Myspace is great, if your a company selling hurricane windows, a Facebook Business Page is a better tool.

You describe the shift from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 as happening at the present time. Why are the differences between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 so important for marketers to understand?

Michael Tasner: The biggest shift is the modes of interaction and the time. We are looking at things on mobile devices and have less time. If you take away only one thing the biggest is mobile... we're in a mobile age, line none other.



Michael Tasner (photo left)

How is the movement to mobile devices changing marketing and how content is shared?

Michael Tasner: This is the biggest trend... Ive been writing about mobile for four years. In the next 1-2 years, everyone will be browsing web sites and buying things from a mobile device. Your web site and materials all need to be mobile compliant, you also need to get a mobile strategy in place, FAST.

You write that blogging is transforming into microblogging. What do you mean by that transition and why is it important?

Michael Tasner: We're becoming busier and busier and hit with more marketing messages each day... therefore, would you rather read an entire 1000 word article, or the most important point summed up in 140 characters or less?

Many people have heard about apps. Why is it important to understand how apps work and how they relate to marketing?

Michael Tasner: With the rise of mobile devices, apps are becoming the norm. Many businesses should look into getting applications developed as they continue to grow in popularity.

Why is virtual reality marketing a concept that marketers should understand?

Michael Tasner: This is one of those trends that's great for service businesses. Instead of flying all over the world, you can conduct the meeting in a virtual space. Its also great to test out if you do a lot of trade shows.

How can collaboration be made more effective for marketers?

Michael Tasner: This is more of a speed thing... the faster you can get things done, the faster you are to market. My favorite tool is Google Docs.. between Google and Salesforce.com, I run and manage all my marketing campaigns.

How can a marketer put all of the components of Web 3.0 together into an integrated and effective whole?

Michael Tasner: The first step is to do the 360 degree audit I talk about in the book and see where you are lacking. Then start with one of the places and grow from there.

What is next for Michael Tasner?

Michael Tasner: I have two more books in the works, and continue to speak throughout the world to help turn dreams into reality.

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My book review of Marketing in the Moment: The Practical Guide to Using Web 3.0 Marketing to Reach Your Customers First by Michael Tasner.

Tags: Marketing in the Moment: The Practical Guide to Using Web 3.0 Marketing to Reach Your Customers First, Michael Tasner, Web 3.0 marketing strategies, business author interviews.

READ MORE - Michael Tasner: Marketing in the Moment - Author interview

Technology consultant and speaker Phil Simon was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about his fourth book project The Age of the Platform.

Phil Simon describes how he is utilizing a unique fund raising technique using Kickstarter, how he is bypassing the constraints of traditional publishing, and his ideas for marketing the new title.

Thanks to Phil Simon for his time and for his interesting and thoughtful responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.







What was the background to writing The Age of the Platform?

Phil Simon: I thought about two things. First, I thought about how I transformed my own small business over the last three years. I have diversified and moved into many different lines of business since 2008. Second, if I had to work for a large company, which one(s) would it be? I have always had great admiration for Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. I looked at what they were doing—and why they were so successful. I realized that companies of any size can learn a great deal from them.

What topics does The Age of the Platform cover and what makes it different from other books in the field?

Phil Simon: The Age of the Platform is, to my knowledge, unlike any book out there. Sure, many books have been written about Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google—and I’ve read quite a few of them. I unaware of one, however, that looks at these companies in the context of the platforms they have built. What’s more, the book looks at the different planks they have built—and how new platforms such as FourSquare, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Force.com are using the platforms as a new business model.

Is this more than simply another book to add to the already existing small library of books on social media?

Phil Simon: I’m so glad that you asked that question. This is by no means another “me-too” social media book. I actually think that the book is much more like The Long Tail by Chris Anderson in the sense that it defines an entirely different way of doing business. No longer are companies taking the “buy you or crush you” approach. They are embracing mutually beneficial partnerships—and reaping the rewards in the process.

You are facing some challenges in writing this book. What are some of these challenges you are meeting?

Phil Simon: I had signed with a literary agent in the hopes of finding a publisher that would get this book out quickly. Interest from traditional publishers was strong, but they all said that they would put the book out in the spring or summer of 2012. I’m unwilling to wait that long for several reasons. Most important, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and other platforms change far too often these days. This book needs to come out—and soon. So I’ve started a project on Kickstarter to ensure that that happens. I did the same thing with my third book and was pleased with the results.

How has this book pointed out some of the weaknesses of the traditional book publishing model?

Phil Simon: Well, the book itself isn’t really about the publishing industry, although I mention how Amazon and Apple have had success in books on a number of fronts. Traditional book publishing is far too slow these days. People want to read and learn as soon as possible-and it’s easier than ever to circumvent old-school gatekeepers. More and more books are coming out faster and faster. Many publishers are clinging to antiquated methods. They’re less and less relevant these days.

You have expressed concern about the control of the book and the final book product. What are these concerns on your part?

Phil Simon: Well, many people don’t understand that when authors sign contracts with publishers, the latter has final cut. If they don’t like the direction of the book, they can change it. They can dilute the message. Suggestions to improve the book are one thing; but corralling the central theme of the book to make it more “mainstream” increases the risk that the book will not be unique and great. I believe that I have written a great book and I don’t want elements changed for the sake of making it more palatable on some term.

You have arrived at a unique funding solution to bring the control of the book back into your own hands. How does this funding solution work?

Phil Simon: As I did with my previous book, I am using Kickstarter to raise funds and, more important, awareness. After I raise $7,500, people submit payment via Amazon.com. I then send them copies of the book—both physical and electronic.

Should you reach your funding targets, how do you plan to spend the available funds?

Phil Simon: Many self-published books look unprofessional. Mine won’t. The New Small is a case in point. It turned out great. To make that happen, I needed to hire professionals: a cover designer, an editor, a production person, and a proofreader. I’ll also build the site www.theageoftheplatform.com and spend money on public relations.

How do you plan to keep marketing the book to maintain and increase marketing momentum?

Phil Simon: Well, I have a big mouth. People like you are also going to help. Kickstarter does more than allow me to fund the book. I use crowdsource elements like cover design and interior production. I want people to feel like they’re involved in the process of making the book a reality. That should help keep momentum going after the book’s released.

How can people get involved in your book publishing funding initiative?

Phil Simon: It’s easy. Go here.

What is next for Phil Simon?

Phil Simon: I’m turning one of my client’s blogs into a book through my publishing company. That book will be out in October of 2011. I’m also moving to Las Vegas, NV from New Jersey.

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My book review of The New Small: How a New Breed of Small Businesses Is Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies by Phil Simon.

Tags: The Age of the Platform, Phil Simon, emerging technology, business author interviews.

READ MORE - Phil Simon: The Age of the Platform - Author interview

Accomplished sales professional and entrepreneur Julie Steelman, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her no nonsense and practical sales idea packed book The Effortless Yes: Demystifying the Selling Process and Discover: Your Selling Archetype, Your Natural Asking Style, Your Bankability.

Julie Steelman describes how many entrepreneurs, including women business owners, dislike and even fear selling, and shares straight forward and effective ways to sell successfully.

Thanks to Julie Steelman for her time, and for her very comprehensive and extremely informative responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book The Effortless Yes: Demystifying the Selling Process and Discover: Your Selling Archetype, Your Natural Asking Style, Your Bankability?

Julie Steelman: The reason I wrote this book is because I was appalled at how many self-employed people, entrepreneurs, experts, small business owners, and coaches were barely breaking even and were feeling very disempowered. They all started their businesses because they felt called to help make a difference in their customers' lives. Yet, they struggled with turning their passionate endeavors into a profit; or worse, they began feeling very lost because they weren't making the impact they wanted to.

It moved me and broke my heart at the same time. I knew I could help and had to. This powerful group of people could be ushering in a new, conscious business era, but that won't happen unless they are financially successful. Thus, the writing was on the wall that they needed sales help and they needed it in a form that would allow them to naturally serve their customers and their mission without diminishing their spirit.

One the key themes of your book is how entrepreneurs are averse to selling. Why are so many entrepreneurs so afraid or uninterested in sales?

Julie Steelman: I think so many entrepreneurs are averse to selling because they were a mistreated buyer one too many times. They feel awful and awkward about selling because they have had a very negative experience of salespeople who didn't care about them and only wanted to fulfill their agenda--not the customer's needs. So, as soon as they step into the saleperson's role, they think they become just like those negative role models they associate with selling. The funny thing is, that is far from the truth.

This is why the whole practice of selling gets dicey for entrepreneurs. They feel as if they are getting ensnared in the sales-versus-soul trap. Most entrepreneurs got into business because they wanted to make a difference in the world, but as soon as it's time to ask the customer for the sale, entrepreneurs think they are compromising their gifts. So instead, they do nothing and wish, wait, want, and hope for that customer to call who is ready to buy and requires no interaction from them. In short, avoiding the sales process makes many entrepreneurs feel safer. That is nice, but it isn't bankable and won't pay the bills.

What causes this stomach knot inducing fear of sales on the part of otherwise fearless entrepreneurs?

Julie Steelman: Great question. I think this happens to fearless entrepreneurs because they are selling something very personal to them. It is their baby and they don't want to subject themselves to rejection or hear that their life's work is less than appealing in any way. So, they totally avoid talking about it with their customers and forfeit their divine right to live abundantly. But there is a fix for this, and it's in my book. It's called "Claiming Your Sweet Spot."

I show entrepreneurs how to go through a short exercise that helps them define, claim, and celebrate what they do that's so great, different, valuable, compelling, useful, masterful, unique, and so on. Once you can do this, you stand in unwavering confidence about the value you offer and are immune to any rejection. In fact, claiming the sweet spot is the BEST way to eliminate sales phobia for anyone.

The thing is, customers don't know what we know and if they did, they would do business with us immediately. But who is going to explain the benefits to them if we don't?



Julie Steelman (photo left)

Why should entrepreneurs consider sales an opportunity rather than a problem?

Julie Steelman: Simply because without any customers there isn't any mission to fulfill, any difference to make, or any way to create a business that is financially supportive. Said another way, it is very painful to have all of these great products and services that provide so much value, but no one is getting any of the benefits because no one is using or buying anything. It's been said that sales is about being of service. That is a very true statement. When you are willing to help your customers make the right buying decisions (selling), you are actually being of service to them. If not, then a disservice was done to the customer. The customer misses out on the value they could have gotten, and the reluctant seller has withheld that opportunity from their customer.

You suggest that entrepreneurs start a conversation to boost sales. What do you mean by that?

Julie Steelman: What I mean by that is to get the listener--the prospective buyer--to take down their defense wall and give you permission to tell them more about your product or service. Selling isn't something you do "to" someone. Selling is something you do "with" someone. It is a dialog, a back-and-forth conversation in which you are the leader. If you spill the juicy beans about what you do and never draw the listener into the conversation, it becomes one-sided and awkward very fast. In my book, there is an entire section that presents normal and natural ways to start a conversation. It is much easier than most people think. In fact, everyone reading this starts conversations all the time.

How can an entrepreneur be inspirational and heartfelt in the sales process?

Julie Steelman: This is an easy fix. They can be inspirational and heartfelt during the sales process by treating the customer and everything they say with honor and respect. Additionally, telling the truth about their own story and what led them to create their product or service makes things human between buyer and seller. Selling is truly about connecting with your customers so you can tune in to what they do and don't say--and then respond accordingly.

While being helpful, caring, and service-oriented is the heart of sales, why is this concept so hard for many entrepreneurs to discover?

Julie Steelman: Whew...I truly think this goes back to the idea that "money is the root of all evil." And lots of people have translated that to mean, "When I ask for money, it means the sacredness of what I do is tarnished or diminished." This is much more of a money mindset question than it is a sales question. In my opinion, I think it has turned into an excuse not to ask for the money so the seller can avoid any perceived rejection. Money is just as spiritual as our nature. It is the means through which we can measure giving and receiving. That is just how it works in our society today. The way to solve this dilemma is to understand exactly how your product or service translates into value for your customer. Once you acknowledge the value you are offering, you can feel deserving of the money you accept for it.

How can entrepreneurs become better at understanding the true needs of the buyer?

Julie Steelman: Simple. Listen to the buyer with a quiet mind and focus on the heart center. I call it "Intuitive Listening," and I describe how to do it in the book. When your mind is quiet, you can listen with all of your senses, and then your inner guidance, which is usually accurate, will prompt you what to do and say. This is one of the most powerful skills any entrepreneur could learn.

When the inner nagging voice is loud, then the seller has no way to truly connect with the customer, beyond the words. Customers want to know their potential business partners "get them" or have their back. They won't believe you too much if there is no connection. Intuitive listening is how you make that bond happen.

You describe a concept you call claiming your sweet spot. What do you mean by that?

Julie Steelman: I mean zeroing in on that special thing you do or offer that results in the change or transformation of the customer. What is that "thing" that actually gives the customer more of what they want? And how do you give them that? It is a very personal and intrinsic thing. But when you can identify what that is, then your distinct offerings and their potential to be lucrative become instantly obvious. Selling from your sweet spot allows you to say "what I do best is" or "My product's best feature is."

You describe three common sales mistakes. What are these mistakes and how can they be avoided?

Julie Steelman: Ha ha! There are more than three but these pretty much sum up why most people barely break even.

1. Winging it and not putting together a sales plan. How can you get to where you want to go if you don't know where that is? I believe a sales plan is much more than a way to watch your numbers go up or down. I believe it is a big intention you set, letting the universe know how serious you are about generating money. I go through how to create a sales plan in detail in the book. You can start by deciding you are going to do whatever it takes (with honor and integrity) to make more than you need. Write down the amount of money you want to keep and add your expenses to that number. Voila! That is your new sales goal.

2. Not asking for the business. Some people do a great job of educating their customer and they spend lots of time doing it. But then they wonder why their efforts don't result in a sale or cash in the bank. It's because you didn't take the most important step and ask your customer if they are ready to sign up. I provide many scripts in the book so everyone can find a way to do this that suits them perfectly. My suggestion is to recap key parts of the conversation and then ask if they are ready to partner together.

3. Setting the wrong price. This is where you set prices based on what will get you out of having to sell instead of setting prices based on the value the customer gets. I see this happen way too often and have been guilty of it myself. People always ask me, "What price would make it easy for them to buy?" Wrong question. The question is, what price reflects the true value they get and you deserve?

How can an irresistible sales presentation be formulated and put into action?

Julie Steelman: There are five components that make a pitch irresistible, which I detail in my book. But one of the most important ones is to make sure to tell the listener a short and compelling sentence about what you do and how they can benefit. Then ask them if that sounds interesting, on target, or would they like to hear more. It removes the listener's permission barrier and now they are ready to listen with both ears!

How can social media enhance the sales process?

Julie Steelman: Social media is such a great gift to all of us running our own businesses. We don't have to pay for expensive advertising that doesn't work. Instead, we get to go out on the social web and talk directly to our customers. The most effective and efficient way to use social media that I have found is to invoke dialog with your tribe. Get them talking and then respond to the things they bring up. Not only will they feel as if you helped them, but everyone else watching reads it too.

Social media is the start to the conversation with your customers. It works in your favor to develop the age-old "know, like, and trust" model. But there is a slim chance you will close a deal on social media. Watch for that moment when your customer's interest peaks, and then invite them to talk offline. That is how you will turn that intensive social media time investment into money in the bank.

You suggest getting rid of the cold call. Why do you not recommend this age-old sales practice?

Julie Steelman: I say nix cold calling because it doesn't work and most sellers loathe doing it. So, no matter how you slice it, sales are commonly made using that technique. My suggestion is to warm it up by doing research on your customer. Find some common ground and tie that into your reason for calling. It acts like an instant bonding moment and the customer is much more accepting and willing to hear what you have to say. With a little bit of extra thought, anyone can find a comfortable way to start a conversation over the phone. Keep in mind everything you say is about the customer and not about you. Avoid using the word "I" too much.

Research the top 5-10 customers you want to do business with, and jot down something you can really relate to about each one. Now, make a note of what you believe their top challenges are and how your offerings could help them, and craft an opening line based on that information. When you finally call them, explain why your companies have great synergy and discuss what you can do for them.

Is there a better way to overcome objections than the usual canned responses?

Julie Steelman: Yes, yes, and yes! Canned responses don't work. Remember we talked at the beginning about customers wanting to feel like the seller cares about them? As soon as you say something that doesn't ring true or that doesn't come from the heart, the customer instantly decides you are not trustworthy. I believe there is no such thing as "no." An objection means the buyer is thinking about doing business with me and they have encountered a speed bump while trying to make a decision. It is my job to uncover the source of that hurdle. And once I do, it is most likely a misunderstanding, misinformation, or I didn't explain the benefit well enough. You have to know what is causing the objection so you can overcome it. Just ask more questions and gently probe a little deeper.

Are there special benefits and challenges in your approach for women entrepreneurs?

Julie Steelman: Yes, absolutely. My approach puts heart back into the basic business transaction. And when women can stay in their heart while they sell, they not only feel they are making a difference, they tap into their natural instincts and build a partnership. What woman doesn't thrive when she can sit elbow-to-elbow with her customer and problem solve?

Engaging this way allows women to make use of their caretaking DNA and connect more deeply with their customer. It is natural, then, that a sale will be made.

What is the first step an entrepreneur should take to become effortless at sales?

Julie Steelman: Make a whole-body decision that what you have to offer is valuable enough to your customer that they would be ecstatically happy to pay you for the result. Then start taking action as though that were true.

What is next for Julie Steelman?

Julie Steelman: Thanks for asking! What is next for me is a speaking tour and another book about creating long- lasting bankability! Stay tuned!

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Julie Steelman has generated more than $100 million in sales during her 30-year sales career using her unique "heart-based" selling approach. She is author of a new book, The Effortless Yes: Get the Sales You Want and Make All You'll Ever Need (Franklin-Green Publishing, 2011, www.EffortlessYes.com), featuring a 7-step approach that helps sales-averse entrepreneurs create profits by learning a new way to sell that's pleasurable and easy.

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My book review of The Effortless Yes: Demystifying the Selling Process and Discover: Your Selling Archetype, Your Natural Asking Style, Your Bankability by Julie Steelman.

Tags: The Effortless Yes: Demystifying the Selling Process and Discover: Your Selling Archetype, Your Natural Asking Style, Your Bankability, Julie Steelman, entrepreneurship sales, business author interviews.

READ MORE - Julie Steelman: The Effortless Yes - Author interview

Entrepreneur, CEO, writer, and keynote speaker Margaret Heffernan, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her insightful and thought provoking book Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril.

Margaret Heffernan describes the concept of willful blindness, or looking the other way, through a combination of the latest brain research and business, social, cultural, and personal anecdotes, providing a fascinating window on this very human way of seeing and behaving in a complex world.

Thanks to Margaret Heffernan for her time, and for her very informative and comprehensive responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril?

Margaret Heffernan: I was commissioned to write 2 plays for the BBC about Enron (I'm one of the few playwrights who can read a balance sheet and earnings statement!) So I was reading the judge's instruction to the jury in the trial of Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling. And Judge Lake instructed the jury on the concept of willful blindness, according to which, if there are things you could know and should know, but somehow managed not to know, the law still deems you responsible.

The concept is applied most frequently in drug trafficking cases: if a friend gives you a suitcase to take across the border and, when opened, it is found to contain drugs, you are held responsible. You could have known and should have known and that's enough. I thought this should send chills down the spines of most CEOs. And it made me think of the very many instances of willful blindness in our corporate and private lives.

What are some examples of willful blindness in action?

Margaret Heffernan: I write extensively about the 2005 accident at BP's Texas City refinery. There are years of consultants' reports, prior to 2005, saying the place is unsafe. Employees are on record as saying "When I come to work, I wonder if today is the day I will die." Yet the executives claim to have had no knowledge of the dangerous conditions of the plant.

I also write about Libby, Montana which was poisoned with asbestosis. Although people in the town had been dying young for years, many of the townspeople resolutely refused to ask any questions about these deaths -- even though the asbestos mine had long since closed down.

I also write about the banking crisis which pundits said came as a bolt from the blue - when in fact all kinds of people, many of them perfectly ordinary citizens, had warned of it for several years.

Ditto mortgage fraud. The Iraq war. Bernard Madoff. WorldCom fraud. And so on.

Why do people actually prefer willful blindness to facing the reality of the situation?

Margaret Heffernan: People often safer when they turn away from the issues they don't want to face. The horrible irony is that this ostrich-like behavior in fact places them in greater danger, as they just give the problem time to get worse. Employees consistently believe that they have only two choices: shut up or risk losing their jobs. In reality there are far more choices than this, but they don't know how to surface them. And they often feel they're being good soldiers by keeping their mouths shut -- when in fact, every leader depends utterly on the workforce surfacing critical issues. But it takes a very great deal before employees understand and believe this.



Margaret Heffernan (photo left)

How does willful blindness develop and take root in a person?

Margaret Heffernan: There are positive aspects to willful blindness. When you say nothing about the spot on your neighbor's tie, or the fact that her lawn is overgrown, that oils the wheels of social life. In the Blitz in London during the Second World War, dancing and going to parties sustained morale far better than agonizing over the mortality rate might have done. And of course few of us confront the issue of our own mortality each day! So it may start as a survival mechanism - but mis-applied, or over-applied, becomes a risk in itself.

What are some of the dangers posed by being willfully blind to circumstances, events, and people?

When you don't open your credit card bill, when you decide you don't have time for the medical check up, the dangers are personal.

Margaret Heffernan: But when you are in an organization that won't tolerate dissent, that prizes loyalty and conformity above critical thinking, you put entire organizations at risk. The complexity of vast organizations often makes it impossible for anyone to see from one end of a transaction to another. Out-sourcing introduces such vast physical and cultural distances between operations that no one managing them really knows what is going on. (See the case of SIGG water bottles or Apple's shock over working conditions at the Foxcomm factory where its iPhone was made.) I argue also that over-paying individuals - blinding them with money - makes companies less engaged socially. Our willful blindness to pollution, global warming, over-population puts everything at risk.

The gravest challenges we face aren't created by things we don't know about but things we do perceive but turn a blind eye to. The problem isn't that we can't see these problems but that we don't want to look at them.

Are there situations where a person may even be required to be willfully blind to what is happening around them?

Margaret Heffernan: As above for positive aspects. But also in many organizations, when fraud occurs, employees may feel (and sometimes - but only sometimes - are right) that if they say anything, they'll lose their jobs. Clearly Lynn Brewer at Enron felt this. Walt Pavlo at WorldCom felt that he had to turn a blind eye to the accounting malfeasance around him. And it is clear that many people in the mortgage and banking industries knew that mortgages were being mis-sold, that there was widespread fraud and high risks of defaults but that their managements wanted them to ignore this.

What is the first step a person should take to avoid the affliction of willful blindness?

Margaret Heffernan: Check the facts. Consult with colleagues. Build coalitions. And remember: what you do matters.

Are there some techniques that can be employed to end willful blindness for a person?

Margaret Heffernan: Yes. Seek disconfirmation: have friends who try to prove you wrong! Develop an appreciation for conflict done well. Construct hypotheses and test them. Build organizations where dissent is positive.

What is next for Margaret Heffernan?

Margaret Heffernan: I was very struck, examining the housing and mortgage crisis, that the competitive marketplace didn't work the way it is supposed to. Instead of competition creating diversity of products, it produced vast, dangerous conformity. I think that's very interesting and am looking into why and how that occurs. It is not at all what economists expect.

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My book review of Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril by Margaret Heffernan.

Tags: Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril, Margaret Heffernan, cultural psychology, business author interviews.

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READ MORE - Margaret Heffernan: Willful Blindness - Author interview

President and CEO of Giant Impact and a founding partner in the GiANT Companies, Jeremie Kubicek, Was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about his insightful and groundbreaking book Leadership is Dead: How Influence is Reviving It.

Jeremie Kubicek describes a new form of leadership that applies influence and well meaning power to contribute to the greater good of all people.

Thanks to Jeremie Kubicek for his time, and for the comprehensive and informative responses. They are greatly appreciated.




What was the background to writing the book Leadership is Dead: How Influence is Reviving It?

Jeremie Kubicek: Leadership is Dead is a philosophy of leadership that came through years of practicing being a liberating leader. As new concepts were created and experiences happened our clients and friends kept telling me to write them down. This is that – years full of experiences and wisdom to serve influencers.

What has happened that has caused people to no longer trust their leaders?

Jeremie Kubicek: Words. Rhetoric and Soundbites. Everyday leaders are tired of people saying one thing and doing another. That creates a lack of trust, which is rampant in Washington DC, at the corporate level and with Wall Street.

What do you mean when you write that the traditional leadership model is outdated?

Jeremie Kubicek: Our current leadership model was born out of the industrial revolution with a command and control, top-down style of leadership. The Technology revolution has ushered in different styles of jobs, management of people and products. Thus, it has affected our leadership models and they need to be reestablished.

A good example of this is the US military adjustment made to fighting terror versus another established nation. Fighting terror has caused the way we fight to be extremely different than the past.



Jeremie Kubicek (photo left)

Is it possible to break free of the conventional leadership model and create a new type of leadership?

Jeremie Kubicek: The second part of the leadership model is more of a mindset. Leadership is a vehicle for influence. The way to change the model is to understand the flow of Influence. Leadership is influence. Influence is power. Based on the intent of the leader will lead them to becoming either an empowering leader or a dominating leader.

To become a liberating leader is to break the conventional leadership model.

How is the concept of influence changing the way leaders behave and how people respond to them?

Jeremie Kubicek: Once you understand your motives or intent (packaged into your agenda) then you can become better at influence. To be a positive influence is to practice relationships before opportunity, to learn to be FOR people and how to give yourself away for the benefit of others.

Are there some steps a leader can take to move beyond the standard leadership model and enter the emerging influencer paradigm?

Jeremie Kubicek: This starts with confronting what keeps them mediocre – self-preservation. Self-preservation happens to all of us. Each of us want to protect certain areas in our lives – assets, jobs, salaries, etc. However, when we choose to over protect we divert our energies to keeping what we have worked so hard to obtain. That process leads to actually spending more time on ourselves and less time in our day jobs being excellent for others. Thus, self-preservation is a self-fulfilling prophecy – when you work so hard to protect what you afraid of losing you will lose it faster than you imagined.

To know what your self-preservation tendencies are is to ask the question, “what are you afraid of losing?” When you begin to break through these fears you are well on your way to moving into become an influencer.

Many leaders have forgotten that the more they give, the more they receive. How can leaders be reminded of this age old wisdom?

Jeremie Kubicek: Being an influencer is a lifestyle. The focus is not on what you get, but understanding that by being focused on being significant and memorable in others lives affects your life as well in better sleep, peace filled relationships and goodwill.

You only experience this when you try it. So, start by being learning to be for others rather than simply for yourself.

What is the first step that leaders should take to remove the artificial barriers that surround them?

Jeremie Kubicek: In Chapter 8,9, and 10 in Leadership is Dead I have made a series of lists and questions that are meant to be tools to awaken leaders to think and lead differently. I believe that questions are key to removing barriers. A good question can significantly impact a leader, so I recommend these as a good starting place.

What is next for Jeremie Kubicek?

Jeremie Kubicek: I really believe that the next for me will be in taking a higher message to the National scene in the context of the presidential elections. I am working on some plans to insert a more important message than simply partisan politics and policy issues.

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My book review of Leadership is Dead: How Influence is Reviving It by Jeremie Kubicek.

Tags: Leadership is Dead: How Influence is Reviving It, Jeremie Kubicek, leadership principles, business author interviews.

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President of Human Asset Management, Jeff Kortes, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about his straight talking and idea packed book No Nonsense Retention: Painless Strategies To Retain Your Best People.

Jeff Kortes describes, in no uncertain terms, the problems and realities of the modern workplace that lead to employee turnover,and shares practical advice on how to keep the best employees.

Thanks to Jeff Kortes for his time, and for his informative and comprehensive responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book No Nonsense Retention: Painless Strategies To Retain Your Best People?

Jeff Kortes: When I was in human resources I had to retain people in some very competitive industries so I learned retention the hard way…through trial and error. When I started my executive search firm I immediately began to hear first-hand from candidates I was attempting to entice out of organizations why they would consider leaving their current organization. This got me researching the entire topic so I could better do my job as a professional recruiter and I quickly decided that a book on the topic would be invaluable for Human Resources professionals, department managers and other people in leadership roles that have responsibility for retaining talent in their organization.

What are some of the leading reasons that good people leave organizations?

Jeff Kortes: The top reasons good people leave their organization are a poor boss, lack of communication, limited growth opportunities and a lack of respect by the organization. The most compelling reason is really their boss. In fact, 75% of the people say the worst thing about their job is their boss! A lousy boss usually means poor retention.

Does the size of the company make a difference regarding retention rates?
Size is not a major issue in retention. Everyone thinks that large organizations are able to retain their people more easily because they have vast resources at their disposal. Size can actually make certain key factors in retention such as communication more difficult and the fact of the matter is that lousy bosses can be found in any size organization! One recent study I saw even indicated that a majority of the millennium generation plans to work for an organization of less than 500 employees so size may not be an advantage with future workers.

What does this employer turnover cost companies in terms of dollars, lost productivity, and additional recruitment and training costs?

Jeff Kortes: Studies by American Management Association and others report a range between 25 percent and 250 percent of annual salary per exiting employee. Beyond the cost, perhaps more importantly, is the fact that as the economy improves and baby boomers retire, there will be a critical shortage of workers to replace them. There will be a shortage of people to work in general. There has always been a significant demand for the top performers. This will intensify in the future due to the impending labor shortage. Retention will become a simple matter of survival. Those organizations that are able to find and retain people will be the only ones that survive simply due to the shortage of talent that will exist.



Jeff Kortes (photo left)

Will giving employees more money result in better retention rates?

Jeff Kortes: Assuming a company is paying below the market rate for a job, money can have a definite impact on retention. If a company is paying competitively, however, money generally ranks as the 4th or lower priority for most employees. Money is rarely the major factor that prompts a person to leave their organization. There are usually other underlying concerns that prompt an employee to begin looking for another job that have nothing to do with money.

How can a company culture be improved to retain more good employees?

Jeff Kortes: First, there has to be a conscious decision to improve the culture of an organization which starts by looking at the core values of the organization. Once those core values are defined an organization can begin to take concrete actions that will support strengthening those core values that support improved retention. A decision to embark on a cultural change initiative is one that requires a long-term strategic commitment but, ultimately, will lead to consistently better retention. This is the optimal way to approach improving retention but is also requires the most commitment.

Should employers be concerned if less valuable employees leave the company?

Jeff Kortes: Some turnover can actually be considered positive for an organization. If a poor performer leaves it creates the opportunity to replace them with a solid performer who will add to the strength of the organization.

How can the best people be hired and retained effectively?

Jeff Kortes: Organizations can find the best people by knowing what characteristics they are looking for and by having a systematic recruiting process. I am also a huge advocate of psychometric testing to assess for the best “fit.” Fit is one of the most important determiners of success in a company. Once a person who fits the organization is found, the organization needs to have a strategic retention process in place that addresses the key elements that are important to employees.

How can an organization create and implement a strategy to retain more of the best employees?

Jeff Kortes: An organization needs to create a strategic retention plan very similar to what they would have for other areas such as quality or marketing. This plan should fit into the overall strategy of the organization. This ensures that there is a coordinated, well thought out approach to retention instead of merely engaging in a series of ad hoc “activities” that the organization decides to try in order to improve retention.

What is the first step an employer should take to make their workplace a desirable place for the best people to work and thrive?

Jeff Kortes: There is no doubt that the most important step to take is to look at the quality of your leadership at all levels of the organization. Unfortunately, 75% of the people in this country say the worst thing about their job is their boss. Most turnover is driven by a poor boss more than any other factor. The organization needs to assess the quality of leadership to ensure they have the proper training and value system that is consistent with the value system of the organization. If a leader does not have a value system that will drive retention, the organization needs to remove that person from a position of leadership or that leader will negatively impact retention.

What is next for Jeff Kortes?

Jeff Kortes: My goal is to grow the leadership training and speaking and side of my business. In the speaking arena, I am focusing on retention, recruitment and how to build a high performance team. With that in mind, I recently developed a new speech titled “Slug proof your organization…a no nonsense approach to building a high performance team” which I will be rolling out in July 2011.

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My book review of No Nonsense Retention: Painless Strategies To Retain Your Best People by Jeff Kortes.

Tags: No Nonsense Retention: Painless Strategies To Retain Your Best People, Jeff Kortes, personnel management, business author interviews.

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Senior editor and led technology writer for TheAtlantic.com, and visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, Alexis Madrigal, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about his eye opening and very engaging book Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology.

Alexis Madrigal describes a relatively unknown history or alternative energy production and use in the United States, how many good ideas were overtaken or lost, and how to avoid the to learn the lessons of the past could result in missed opportunities now and in the future.

Thanks to Alexis Madrigal for his time, and for his informative and comprehensive responses. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology?

I was reporting a lot on green technology for Wired.com and GigaOm back in 2007 and I kept hearing all these nearly apocryphal stories about crazy renewable energy projects from the 1800s or the 1980s. I realized that no one had ever gone out there and tried to collect and make sense of all those stories.

Your book explores some startling examples of what are now seen as leading edge green technologies, having existed for decades or longer. What are a few examples of long available green technologies?

Well, the first cab company in New York used all electric vehicles developed in the 1890s. That was part of The Electric Vehicle Company’s plan to build out a nationwide electric cab service. Or take wave energy. By the early 1900s, people were already talking about how many people had tried and failed to build a working wave motor. Or solar heating, which has exploded in China. In the first half of the twentieth century both southern California and Miami had thousands of rooftop solar systems.

Why do most people consider green technology to be a relatively unexplored area of energy?

You know how people say that history is written by the winners? Well, the same is true with technologies. Those technologies that win tend to erase any memory that the whole thing was ever in doubt. A great example of this is that just about every major city in America had a functioning trolley system that provided public transportation for working stiffs. As cars became more prevalent, car companies (among others) pushed to have the trolley tracks torn out and paved over. I think that’s a perfect metaphor for why we don’t remember green technologies from the past that nearly, but not quite, made it.

Have people's ideas and perceptions of both the environment, and the necessity of developing green energy sources changed over time, or are people still tied to the mainstream fossil fuel energy sources?

Sure, the biggest break came in the 1960s for a couple of reasons. One, the U.S. started having to import more and more oil. Two, we had a bunch of the pollution problems that you see in China right now. Third, as more people moved to the suburbs, they could see the destruction of the rural landscapes just beyond where they lived. People started to really worry that we were destroying the country and the mainstream environmentalism movement got its legs.

I don’t know that anyone cares that much about where their energy comes from in the way that they care where their kids go to school. But I do think that we care about the places we live and the wars we get involved in and whether or not we’ll be able to go fishing in the lakes we did as children. And it’s those kinds of issues surrounding our energy system that matter. So I think as the impacts of our oil addiction continue to manifest and climate change’s grislier predictions continue to play out, we’ll see more people realize that we need to switch energy sources, even though it create some (or a lot) of problems as we transition.



Alexis Madrigal (photo left)

What happened to cause the already in use and viable alternative energy sources to disappear, and be replaced largely by fossil fuels and nuclear power?

Well, there’s viable and there’s viable. On the one hand, many green technologies worked in a vacuum. But technological development of big industrial systems takes time, and they’ve been competing against fuel sources that either had been in development for much longer (coal, oil) or were receiving many orders of magnitude more support from the government (nuclear power).

The other thing to note is that individual technologies need to fit into a system. So, if you’ve got a solar panel, ideally, you’d want it to be able to interact with the power grid in a variety of ways. Those kinds of issues require major social and institutional changes at power companies and in governments. Green technology proponents weren’t generally in a position to make those changes quickly, unlike their counterparts who worked on nuclear energy.

An example of the rise and sudden disappearance of a green technology was solar power. What happened to curtail its potential in the immediate post-World War II era?

Well, there are two main things. One is that we were awash in relatively inexpensive energy and the dream of cheap nuclear power made projecting that kind of energy surfeit into the far future seem realistic. Second is that “solar planning,” as it was called, required that developers build the suburbs differently. They would have needed to think more about the design of the houses to reduce the heating and cooling loads for the homeowners. But the homeowners were the ones paying for the energy over time, so they were more than willing to stick them with houses that traded good design for air conditioners and heaters.

Keep in mind, too, that utilities actively promoted using more energy for decades after World War II. The whole idea that you’d want to use less fossil fuel energy by using a solar plan was anathema to the corporate goals of utilities and not really worth it for people who had access to tons of cheap fossil energy.

In today's tight fiscal environment, is there a role for the government to take a leading part in alternative energy research?

Certainly. I think we should think about investing in energy as a national security issue. It should be funded come rain or shine, come high oil prices or low. We don’t realize how dependent we are on energy systems until they go down, and right now, we’re just not worried enough that our current fragile system will be able to hold up.

How can the profit motive help the private sector to explore the potential of green technology?

That’s already happening. But what you have to try to do is design government policies that help draw in private companies so that they invest in the technological development of new things rather than just feeding at the government rough.

What is the most important discovery made in green technology of the past century that can be developed further?

In terms of long-term potential, you’d have to say the photovoltaic cell which completes the fairly magical operation of converting the sun’s photos (its light, that is to say) into electricity directly. That’s an achievement, I think, on par with splitting the atom, although you can’t weaponize it, so it wasn’t announced to the world with quite the same bang.

What is the alternative energy and green technology outlook for the next decade or two?

It’s good. The only question is whether green technologies will be developed by China, India, and Brazil or here in the U.S. or everywhere.

What can the average person do to encourage the further advancement of green technology?

Honestly, the systems we’re embedded in are difficult to change as a single person. Political pressure goes a long way though. I don’t think people should blindly support green technology, but I do think they should take climate change seriously and tell their elected representatives not to ignore thousands of scientists in a variety of different fields who believe that we should start reducing the carbon dioxide emissions of our energy system.

What is next for Alexis Madrigal?

I’m really focused on The Atlantic Technology channel now, and I’m going to keep building that. I’ve started researching two new projects, one a book, the other a movie, but I don’t imagine they’ll be truly public until 2012.

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My book review of Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology by Alexis Madrigal.

Tags: Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology, Alexis Madrigal, alternative energy, history author interviews.

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Consultant, coach, and partner in Giraffe Business Publishing LLC, Jane Murphy, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her very practical and idea packed book What Could Happen if You Do Nothing? A Manager's Handbook for Coaching Conversations.

Jane Murphy describes how adding or enhancing coaching skills as an integral part of a manager's toolbox can help facilitate improvement in the workplace.

Thanks to Jane Murphy for her time, and for her informative and fascinating responses. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book What Could Happen if You Do Nothing? A Manager's Handbook for Coaching Conversations?

Jane Murphy: There was no resource like this on the market, so we’re meeting a need for both managers and coaches. Some key factors that influence engagement and high performance in the workplace include:

 time to think and reflect
 opportunity to be supported and challenged to grow
 encouragement to collaborate and create

Coaching facilitates these often-neglected needs. I wrote this book to help managers get a basic grasp of how coaching works. It offers them easily accessible skills to instill a coaching orientation into the way they manage and develop their people, build teams, and boost performance. Integrating coaching into one’s management style is a significant factor in developing leadership.

The book describes the value of coaching as a managerial skill. Why is coaching so important for business people to consider?

Jane Murphy: I contend that the three pillars of coaching—engaged listening, deliberative questioning, animating suggestions—put the focus on the individual. Coaching conversations draw upon people’s potential, push them to think more deeply, reframe issues, consider new responses to challenges, and up their game. The process itself acknowledges the value and potential of the individual, the importance of healthy communication in teams, and how each person’s performance impacts business success.

How does the concept of coaching add to the leadership skills that are so important for managers?

Jane Murphy: Leadership involves inspiring top performance. Leaders need to support risk-taking and creativity. They need to offer valuable, timely, and specific feedback. And they need to model transparent communication. And they need to do all this with a view to developing people’s talent and potential and connect each person’s performance to business success. Coaching helps enhance all these behaviors.

Communication is critical for any organization. Why then do so many managers fail to communicate well with their employees?

Jane Murphy: Time is always a factor and an excuse for poor communication.
Often the reason is that managers need to understand the link between performance and healthy, ongoing, specific, and timely communication. Communicating clearly and often keeps people engaged. Coaching can help a manager recognize where gaps exist and take action to build successful communication with their troops. It can also work well across departments, and upstairs to the C suite.

The book stresses the importance of listening skills. Why is it so difficult for some managers to actually listen to what their staff is really saying?

Jane Murphy: We’re often too distracted to really listen well. Listening is a kind of acknowledgment, since it recognizes the importance of the other person’s words and thinking. Powerful listening can reveal hidden strengths and capabilities, but it takes time to develop the skills of listening to what’s behind the words and to what’s not said, as well as listening to what is said.

Keen listening skills can also uncover misunderstandings and misperceptions and help get people back on track. Listening well also opens the door to those penetrating questions that get a person to dig deeper and think through tough challenges, to innovate, and to solve problems.



Jane Murphy (photo left)

How can these managerial listening skills be improved?

Jane Murphy: Practice, practice, practice. The most critical factor impacting listening is presence. It’s the capability of being in the moment, getting rid of any internal or external distractions and focusing on the other person and the conversation. Like any skill, being present can be learned if one puts one’s mind to it.

You describe asking as part of the process for coaching. What do you mean by asking and why is it so important?

Jane Murphy: The manager who asks penetrating, open-ended questions helps someone expand their thinking, reveal hidden strengths, and promote forward momentum. All these things help a person create options to meet a challenge head-on.

Very often, there is a problem of everyone not understanding the manager's goals. How can vision and goals be formulated better for greater achievement?

Jane Murphy: Of course, managers have an overall responsibility to communicate their goals clearly. But coaching is about the goals of the person being coached. A manager may discover that the person she’s coaching has goals that aren’t aligned with the team’s goals. For example, a salesperson might be spending a lot of time trying to develop new business, while the team is focused on growing existing accounts. In that case, the manager could take the opportunity to articulate the team’s goals, then help the person being coached to clearly define the changes required to improve alignment with the team.

You describe suggesting as another crucial part of the coaching process. What do you mean by suggesting and why is it important?

Jane Murphy: Suggesting offers the benefit of some added options to put on the table. Suggestions can be powerful. They are, after all, just that— suggestions—ideas, possible plans, or actions for someone to consider. They are not direct orders or prescriptions.

There’s a difference between suggesting (“Have you considered using some vacation days?”) and advising (“You should use some of your vacation days”). Suggestions should follow the direction of the coachee’s thinking. The book addresses the issues of “when, how, and what” to suggest.

How can employees be put at ease throughout the entire coaching process so as to not feel threatened by it?

Jane Murphy: First, establish confidentiality. Coaching conversations are based on trust and confidentiality. The coachee must feel safe, heard, and supported—a critical foundation for effective change. Your role as a manager should not conflict with your ability to ensure trust and confidentiality when coaching your people. You must be clear about what is confidential and what is not. If you ever tackle a topic that must be shared with others, then you need to clearly explain this with your coachee.

Next, be clear about the process. Coaching is an iterative and animated process whose script gets written in real time. The coach manages the process. The coachee manages the content.

And you need to be clear about expectations. Coaching conversations don’t necessarily end with a solution. In fact, as a colleague has shared, some of her most powerful coaching sessions end “openly.” The coachee takes away thoughts to sit with and consider, and then returns with greater awareness and new thinking.

What is the first step that managers should take to enhance their coaching skills?

Jane Murphy: Being coached or having some training in coaching skills is optimal. Of course, my hope is that “What could happen if you do nothing?” will start people on their way and support them as they practice a coaching orientation in the way they work with their people.

What is next for Jane Murphy?

Jane Murphy: We’re working with authors in developing new titles for Giraffe Business Publishing to further our mission to help managers do their jobs better. I continue to coach managers and teams and write for my blog: www.coachingmojoformanagers.com. I’m also involved in two other projects: a multimedia adventure series for children and a novel for adults.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

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My book review of What Could Happen if You Do Nothing? A Manager's Handbook for Coaching Conversations by Jane Murphy.



Jane Murphy (photo left) is a partner in Giraffe Business Publishing LLC and Giraffe LLC, a consulting firm that designs custom solutions to help organizations improve the management capabilities of their people. Jane also leads Giraffe’s coaching engagements, working with clients to solve business and leadership challenges. Jane has been principal and co-founder of several publishing ventures, including KIDVIDZ, which won numerous awards for its special-interest videos.

She has received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Rockefeller Foundation National Video Resources. She has co-authored several books, including “What could happen if you do nothing?” A manager’s handbook for coaching conversations (Giraffe Business Publishing). Jane speaks and writes regularly about coaching in the workplace. Visit Jane on her blog: www.coachingmojoformanagers.com.

Tags: What Could Happen if You Do Nothing? A Manager's Handbook for Coaching Conversations, Jane Murphy, managerial coaching skills, business author interviews.

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Keynote speaker, recruiter, and the owner of Hobson & Associates, Danny Cahill, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about his fascinating and advice filled business fable Harper's Rules: A Recruiter's Guide to Finding a Dream Job and the Right Relationship.

Danny Cahill describes the fictional career change by successful business executive Casey Matthews, who through the guidance of headhunter Harper Scott, discovers the similarities of dating and finding the right job and for finding the right partner in both aspects of life.

Thanks to Danny Cahill for his time, and for his interesting and comprehensive responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book Harper's Rules?

My universes collided. As the owner of one of the country’s premier search firms, I knew a recession ending meant a plethora of the same old, boring books on “job search strategies.” At the same time I had been dating post divorce, and found that many of the strategies I advocated for a successful job search, related directly to dating. (what is a committed relationship, really, if not a non compete?) So I cast the book as a woman’s journey, Casey is recently divorced, angst ridden about “getting back out there,” and doesn’t like her job. Her Uber headhunter, Harper Scott, promises her that by following the “new” rules of job searching, relationship searching will be easier.

You choose to describe and present your job finding ideas as a business novel. Why did you choose this business fable format?

I’ve been a professional playwright in my other life, and I give seminars for a living on the world of careers. I have found people learn more through narrative, through story and character. I knew people would learn more about writing a resume if Casey actually had to put one together for an interview she was nervous about. Or that her first date in a long time would show people more about how difficult interviewing is emotionally. I don’t see why all of these career books have to be enumerated lists. We can learn and have a fast paced fun fiction ride too!

You describe finding the right job to be similar to all personal relationships. What do you mean by that?

You never have to ask people if their family is important. They’ll gasp and say it is the most important thing in their life. And of course it’s true. But you spend more time with your co-workers than you do with your family if you don’t count sleeping. People define themselves through their work. Losing a loved one is always tops on the list of “terrible things” that happen to us. Losing a job makes that list to. In my view, when you lose a job, you often lose several loved ones as well. Jobs, like relationships, are the source of our joy and sorrow.



Danny Cahill (photo left)

How can a person end their current job successfully without burning bridges and harming current relationships that are working well?

We often send the wrong signal when we give notice, usually because we feel vaguely guilty for having lied about days off when we were interviewing and for letting our boss down. So we make it worse, by turning the meeting into a therapy session. We hedge, we say it isn’t personal, we cry, we emote. Harper walks Casey through some tough love in this chapter. It is an informational meeting, made far less painful if you keep it short and sweet. You are leaving, your decision is irrevocable. You feel you made a contribution and hope they agree and will give you a sterling reference. You will give two weeks. You’re done. Tear that band-aid off

When many people leave a job, they very often receive a counteroffer to get them to reconsider staying. Why do you recommend turning the offer down?

In the counter offer chapter, Casey’s ex husband wants her back, months after the divorce. This is a counter offer! But he cheated on her to end the marriage. What will be different once this initial excitement wears off. Nothing. Harper tells her trust is almost never fully restored, at home or work. We all deserve to live and work without reservation.

How important are networking, and the creation and development of personal and business contacts, to finding that dream job?

Networking is critical but it is also misunderstood. Social media has made us passive. We post and wait. In the networking chapter Harper shows Casey how to access her “personal supply chain.” Most people get their own jobs without any use of headhunters or job boards, but you must be aggressive and proactive.

Everyone talks about resumes, and opinions differ widely about them. What is the real truth about resumes?

The biggest myth is that you have ONE resume. That is o-l-d school. Harper shows Casey how to customize your resume for each posting you respond to. Technology makes this easy. You accent different strengths and different parts of you background for different jobs. You need to re think your resume. How will people find it in a search engine is more important than how pretty it looks!

How can a prospective job seeker prepare more effectively for that all important job interview?

Here technology helps a lot. People rarely revise their first impression. So you need to open strong on an interview. So Harper shows Casey how to do her homework and research on the web the background of the person you are meeting. So now you go in and unlike every other candidate he has met you boldly say: “John, recognize you from your picture on Linked In, so let’s get condolences out of the way, I know you played for Butler so getting beat by Uconn, ouch, ouch”….he smiles, you smile, you CLICK!

How can the interview be made more successful for the job seeker so that a job offer is the result?

An interview is a test of your enthusiasm. So show some. Harper tells Casey to not leave that first interview without 1) asking for the second interview. 2) asking what if any concerns they have 3) offering references. And if it is a final interview, directly ask for the job. Nothing fancy or eloquent required. “Mary, I want you to know flat out I want this job. Will you be making an offer to me?”

What is the proper procedure and etiquette for following up after an interview?

Hand written notes are called for in most “how to” books. I’m sure it worked in the Elizabethan Age but nowadays Email Rules. A short follow up note saying 1) thanks for your time 2) here are 3 bullet points of where my background matches your needs (Harper calls this “linkage”) 3) Asking for the next step….must be sent within a few hours of the meeting.

How can a person work several interviews at the same time in such a way as to avoid problems?

This is where the Harper’s Rules central analogy to dating comes into play. Casey has one interview and wants to stop because she loves the job. Then she goes on a date and sees no reason to date anyone else. He’s “nice” and she’s lonely. Why bother. Because choice is the essence of freedom and success. You need make no apologies that you are continuing to look until someone makes a compelling offer. Ironically, this only gives you more leverage, or to quote Harper, “we want what others want.”

How can the best possible deal be made for the job seeker when the job is being offered?

Stay neutral when it comes to money. Tell them what you are currently making, if employed, or what your last W2 was if you are unemployed. When we grab a number out of the air we risk being perceived as too expensive or worse, unqualified due to your low salary.

What is the one piece of advice that all would be, and current job seekers, should remember?

Your story is not yet written. You are not “stuck.” Ever. I believe passionately that we don’t have to accept that “home is great but work, not so much” or “work rocks, but I have no reason to go home I’m so miserable there. Harper shows Casey you can have both. At one time.

What is next for Danny Cahill?

Well, I’m blessed. I do what I was meant to do. I work with amazing people and we have a great time doing important work. And when I can, I write, or I think about writing, or think about thinking about writing.

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My book review of Harper's Rules: A Recruiter's Guide to Finding a Dream Job and the Right Relationship by Danny Cahill.

Danny Cahill is the author of Harper's Rules: A Recruiter's Guide to Finding a Dream Job and the Right Relationship. A popular keynote speaker and recruiter, he is the owner of Hobson & Associates, one of America’s largest search firms. He is also the founder of www.AccordingtoDanny.com, an online training and mentoring company dedicated to enhancing the skills and jump starting the spirits of recruiters worldwide. For more information, please visit www.harpersrules.com or www.hobsonassoc.com

Tags: Harper's Rules: A Recruiter's Guide to Finding a Dream Job and the Right Relationship, Danny Cahill, finding the right career and relationship, business author interviews.

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