Do Things Differently With a Desire to Do Things Better

"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new." (Niccolo Machiavelli)

Machiavelli was right. The person who boldly introduces a new order of things is too often alone in their quest and also often right in their new order of things. Independent of the level of success ultimately achieved, the necessary and bold change in the order of things will illuminate "some that will and some that will not."

Changes in life or in business are never ending. Change comes in all shapes and sizes.

The opportunity to be a part of positive change is yours to embrace or reject. You may be at the forefront of change in the new order of things and as so, you are most vulnerable. Be prepared for the attacks from those in the organization that do not embrace the opportunity to change. These people are the very ones that change will leave behind. Pay more attention to they who say "I will" than they who say "I will not."

When you commit to a new order of things, stay committed inspite of the uproar you hear from the masses. The unique individual, that seizes the chance to take a positive role in becoming a part of the new order of things, will learn a lot about themselves and about the people around them. It takes just one spark to start a raging fire, you can and should be that spark, at whatever level, you are given the opportunity.

Failure is Required

The tech industry is one of the places you will find many more failures than successes. Some of the failures are colossal. Failure in the tech industry is not only accepted as a the norm it is almost required. The tech industry learned that in their wold they are going to fail before they succeed so the industry understood, on a grand scale, that failures are part of the norm. Because of the willingness to fail and willingness to accept failure as a vital part of success, the tech industry has changed the world.

Failure requires money but money is simply a by-product of success. The moment you start putting too much emphasis on the money is the moment you will likely divert your attention from the challenges of making incremental progress and overcoming the obstacles that are a part of every successful endeavor. Failure requires guts and money. Failure requires commitment, dedication and money. Failure requires efficiencies and money. Failure requires and thrives on persistence and yes, money. All too often we see failure as, a dark spot on our progress, it is anything but that. The very act of failing means you are doing something and doing something is vastly more productive than waiting. The more you experience unique failures, the closer to success you get. Make sure to learn from your failures. Making the same mistake repeatedly, is not failure, it is not paying attention and cannot be accepted.

You cannot make a commitment to succeed , without factoring in the reality that, in order to achieve success, you are going to fail. Failure is a part of the process. Success is all the sweeter the more failure that is mixed in with it.

If I Presented to Me

There is more of an art to making effective presentations than there is a science. You surely must focus on presenting the facts and to a large extent let the facts do the talking. The fine art of presenting includes several vital components that will help to make you a very effective presenter and effective presenters are more successful at whatever their chosen careers. Sales people need to be effective presenters if they are going to help prospects and clients fully understand the value of their proposition. There is only one way to get better at presenting and that is to make more presentations. Start by making the presentation to yourself, in front of a mirror. Score your presentation based on:

1. How much of a command do you have of what you are proposing?

If you stumble through the facts, you need to acquire a deeper knowledge of your offer. Clients and prospects do not need to dedicate time to helping you get a better grasp of your offering. Know before you go.

2. Are you fluid without being too slick.

Decision makers will be interested in your presentation if it makes sense on a step by step basis. It must be fluid, but it cannot be slick to the point of being cavalier or disengaged.

3. Is there clarity?

One of the biggest mistakes is to assume people will understand simply because you do. People need time to process what you're saying while you visually present, so don't assume they understand enough to make a positive decision without your help in delivering a clear message.

4. Are you allowing time during your presentation for questions.

In acting they call it, dramatic pause. That is the time between dialogue that is given so the audience can fully digest the point being made. You need to pace yourself and pause during the presentation so you can give the person the time to process what you just said.

5. Do you exhibit a professional image?

You must be professional in your dress and the hard-copy documents you leave behind and very professional during the presentation.

These are only a few of the artistic things you need to consider while you endeavor at becoming a great and effective presenter. Practice by presenting to yourself and others in the controlled environment of your team.