(Part 13 of 13) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 Weight Watchers must be sitting pretty! With a spokesperson like Jennifer Hudson, sales can only go up as people’s BMI improves. She’s lost close to 70 pounds. She’s looking like a new person, ready to take on the world. 3M has also seen a bump in sales. Did these changes happen by accident?

The abbreviation 3M stands for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. The company started out in mining but is best known for Post-it Notes. This product has turned out to be a major force in office organization tools. You can stick them anywhere. They’re often used as page markers and friendly reminders.

The company pulls much of its revenue from international sales. They even have a location in the island of Jamaica.. ha-ha! Their success gives meaning to the expression, “think global.” It also says something about pursuing your dream, even when you’re not 100% sure how it might play out.

This is not unlike Jenifer Hudson’s journey. She started out on American Idol. After being booted from the show she wasn’t sure what would be next. She gathered herself and got her life organized. Since leaving Idol, she’s gone on to achieve success in music, film and with her weight struggles.

Hudson recently released a new album. She seems to have a winning formula in career and life. Her 2011 resolution is to live “limitless.” This means living beyond the scope of someone else’s limitations. It’s about living with a larger vision. Sounds a lot like how 3M has turned Post-it Notes into big business. 

Tip: Living a ‘limitless life’ means living in possibilities beyond your normal line of sight.

Talkback: How has Jennifer Hudson’s story been a head-turner or page-turner for achieving personal and professional goals?

Coming in April: “Reinvent Your Game, Future-Proof Your Dreams: How Celebs and Pros Go From Played-out to Poppin’ Again!”

(Part 12) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 Did you see Chris Brown and Lil Wayne doing hard time on a Caterpillar tractor? No way! Brown has returned on the scene hoping to break music records. Wayne has again seen the light of day after spending time in the slammer. Their rocky road stories bring lots of buzz that’s louder than any tractor.

For sure they all have drive. This is an important ingredient to success. Caterpillar is a leading manufacturer of heavy duty equipment that delivers lots of drive. But, as we’ve seen, sometimes too much drive gets you in trouble. On the road or TV, when drive is out of control it becomes rage.

Caterpillar also makes trucks and heavy duty engines. Over the years they’ve broadened their appeal. Their equipment has been used in many natural disaster efforts like earthquakes. Brown and Wayne also have massive appeal. They now know that professional “disaster recovery” can be a defining moment.

You’ve seen those highway signs about federal funding of infrastructure projects. This is money used to rebuild roads, bridges and other transportation hubs. Rest assured there’s some CAT machinery being used on the job. That’s probably one way they make big money in sales and services.

So Brown and Wayne are back on the block. Caterpillar’s revenues are humming tick-tock. In 2010 they paid among the highest dividends on the Dow Jones Average. If there’s a lesson from Caterpillar’s success, it’s that winning in business takes hard work, good buzz and regular development projects.

Tip: Winning big in business takes a commitment to professional development which makes you more than just a one-hit wonder.

Talkback: Who are some of the one-hit wonders in music or business that you can remember?

Coming Soon: “Reinvent Your Game, Future-Proof Your Dreams: How Celebs and Pros Go From Played-out to Poppin’ Again!”

(Part 11) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 Just say, Cheese! It’s how you smile all the way to the bank. Well, that’s a stretch but Kraft Foods knows something about cheese. J.L. Kraft started the company by selling cheese as a middleman to local grocers. Mr. Kraft turned cheese into a mass-produced commodity that became All-American.

Maybe that’s why the company became so interested in the Ted Williams story. Williams was discovered at a traffic intersection by a local newspaper reporter. He was unemployed and recorded his “sales pitch” looking for work. The video went viral and major media outlets picked-up on his story.

Sex, controversy and celebrity sell! Just ask Donald Trump. But so does cheese along with an All-American story. Kraft foods identified with Williams because theirs is an All-American story too. Williams’ “golden voice” created a sudden rise to celebrity status. His was sort of like the “rags to riches” effect.

He was looking scruffy when discovered. We learned he was homeless. For some, becoming a household name has meant going from homeless to a living witness. These stories create an emotional connect to success. This may explain Kraft’s success in having an emotional bond with consumers.

After a few mergers and acquisitions, Kraft Foods is now traded on the Stock Exchange. It has seen quite a rise to becoming “big cheese.” Williams is not there yet. Even-though he was chosen to do voiceover on commercials. Here’s hoping that he’ll prove Kraft and others right as the newest “comeback kid.”       

Tip: Getting ready for success means doing the ground work before opportunity knocks.

Talkback: Ted Williams or Charlie Sheen, who has a better chance of having the “All-American, Comeback Kid story?”

Coming Soon: “Reinvent Your Game, Future-Proof Your Dreams: How Celebs and Pros Go From Played-out to Poppin’ Again!”

(Part 10) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 What’s the connection between gas prices and Wall Street? Speculation! This is the cost of trying to anticipate how Mid-East turmoil will affect supply and demand for fuel. What’s the connection between Phil Mickelson and ExxonMobil?  They’ve become masters of their game. Did luck play a part?

Many wonder if there’s a connection between success and luck. In one sense “you reap what you so.” In another sense “what goes around comes around.” Being a master of your game is less about luck and more about constantly growing in self-awareness. It’s in knowing what you do well and what you don’t.

Mickelson didn’t become a golf champion by chance. ExxonMobil in becoming the world’s largest oil company started with exploration. They developed techniques to go deeper into the ground. They refined fuel that allows planes to fly all around. They turned exploration into large-scaled production.

To know your strengths is to go deeper into self. This allows you to find more things you can do for good. A master at the game takes their strengths to the fullest length. They produce value on a winning basis. After a while you’ll have more ways to use your strengths to penetrate the marketplace.

ExxonMobil has figured out multiple uses for oil. There’s kerosene, gasoline, aviation fuel, plastic, rubber and more. So mastery is in how you multiply your strengths. A champion in golf, business or in life turns exploration into more chances for total domination. And that’s no speculation!

Tip: A champion lover, fighter or golfer works on going deeper to explore and produce greater domination.

Talkback: What’s the connection between rising gas prices and your being mad at oil companies?

Coming Soon: “Reinvent Your Game, Future-Proof Your Dreams: How Celebs and Pros Go From Played-out to Poppin’ Again!”

(Part 9) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 Procter and Gamble (P&G) serves over 4 billion people worldwide. If you’ve ever washed clothes with Tide or your face with Ivory soaps then you’ll know why. Their product line covers wellness and health, household cleaners and beauty care. P&G started out selling soaps and the rest is history.

On a recent Oprah interview Iyanla Vanzant mentioned that she sold home-made soaps. Who knew that someone so known for writing books was mixing chemicals? Vanzant and Cicely Tyson have had tough going in their careers. Their resilience and P&G’s brilliance is in how they develop their crafts.

Your craft is more than just what you do. It’s in how you define, refine and sustain what you do. Being crafty is making the most of something at least cost. You see this in the way P&G does business. They stay close to the consumer. P&G was one of the first companies to use data-based market research.

They have established a wide presence in the marketplace. Having 300 brands is like having 300 hands. It gives you lots of ways to make money. Whether as an individual or company, your presence has much to do with your inner and outer esteem. P&G is held in high regard as an industry mover and shaker.

The way you remember a person or product is in how they leave their mark. What did they do to make an impression on you? How did their service make an impact on others? That’s why so many are hooked-on P&G. It’s also why fans stood and cheered as Cecily Tyson accepted her BET Honors award.

Tip: Sometimes people will remember you by name and other times by what you did with or without fame.

Talkback: How much do you use P&G products without even realizing?

(Part VIII) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 Shine! That’s the song written/produced by John Legend on the Waiting for Superman soundtrack. The Backstory says a lot about how Legend puts technology to work in songwriting. It starts with an idea fueled by innovation and inspiration. Bill Gates might describe Microsoft the same way.

Just look at how it has impacted business. When IBM needed software to run their new PCs, Microsoft provided DOS. This proved to be their “creeping before walking” moment. Gates understood how PC evolution and revolution would mix. It needed to tap the hearts, minds and souls of people and culture.

Microsoft has been in the forefront of the information revolution. In going from DOS to Windows OS they showed the importance of having an operating system to achieve greater success. Every good school, business or leader needs a system of doing things in order to make success easily repeatable.

Behind Superman the superhero is Clark Kent the person. As a newspaper reported he was guided by purpose. He wasn’t just driven to make money or a name for himself. His day job took care of that. But Superman was also fueled by a desire to perform some greater good. Bill Gates is doing that today.

Many were surprised when Gates announced his “retirement” from Microsoft to focus primarily on his foundation. His day’s work puts money in his pocket. His life’s work puts meaning in his money. That’s how John Legend and Bill Gates have been able to achieve success without waiting for Superman.

Tip: Time waits on no one but success is calling those who believe in their ability to fly.

Talkback: How do people (celebrities, superheroes, mentors) or your inner purpose inspire you to elevate your game, whether with technology or personality?

(Part 7) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 AT&T hooks-up with Apple and the iPhone. Verizon connects with Google and the Android. Both have forged winning partnerships. What’s AT&T going to do, now that the iPhone is with Verizon? AT&T knows you have to stay current to compete and keep paying the rent.

MaBell has a history of stepping things up to compete. They keep on ticking, sometimes taking a licking. Their consumer side mixes tech, talk and TV content on three merging screens. It also helps to have name recognition. What a beautiful thing! It has kept AT&T in the swing.

They didn’t become a biz giant overnight. Their corporate side relies heavily on R&D. They’ve kept that close even during times of break-ups and busts. They’ve gone from Bell Labs to Lucent. Not to mention all they’ve received in awards. Staying current helps maintain your industry cred.  

Brand diversity is a two-way street. One way is how you position your products. The other is how you identify with people of all stripes. AT&T stays connected with the community through various forms of charitable giving. For them staying current means living up to your civic duty.

 Sounds a lot like Diddy too, right? They both show how to diversify your appeal by being a Big Brother/Sister in the community. They’ve made a name for themselves among multiple ethnic groups. All this takes being in touch with your consumer, corporate and community sides. 

Tip: Staying current on the job or in the marketplace is about being in touch with the changes in your field, the business and the world.

Talkback: At the Grammys he’s Puff Daddy again, so what’s up with Diddy and all his name changes?

(Part 6) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 Who’s got the best Fries, McDonald’s or Wendy’s? Zagat survey says, McDonald’s. Their Superbowl ad showed how bears dig them too. McDonald’s is probably the best known Fast-Food Chain hands-down. Their business is not built on French Fries alone. They’ve become a marketing machine.

Imagine paying three million dollars for a Superbowl ad? You’d have maximum exposure to a national, even international audience. A lot like mass-marketing appeal. How does this work in business? Well advertising is like a Quarterback’s pass. Marketing is like the catch on your way to a touchdown.

Ads introduce a product/campaign in the marketplace. Marketing is geared towards boosting sales. Taken together, that’s what Superbowl ads hope to achieve. It may be one reason why McDonald’s is so widely known. Their brand is more than just burgers and fries. It’s about marketing Mcfeast Satisfaction.

Marketing helps with people to meet, places to go. It’s social and financial. Just look at all those Superbowl ads. Most of them had a Facebook page to visit. Social media sites have become common in TV commercials. It’s a sort of handshake as businesses find new ways to interact with consumers.

McDonald’s history is well documented. Ray Kroc bought the restaurant from two brothers. He wanted to duplicate it everywhere. Kroc built a network of eateries into franchises. So Network Marketing has come a long way. Just ask Tom Joyner, Michael Baisden, Steve Harvey and others in radio syndication.  

Tip: If advertising gets you noticed then marketing helps get you more business as a bonus.

Talkback: What do you like most about your favorite Fast-Food Chain or Radio Jock?

(Part 5) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 “67% of billionaires made their fortunes from scratch!” That’s what pops up in the TV commercial. Thomas Edison is a good example. He invented the light bulb. Now 100+ years later, General Electric (GE) makes billions. So what do GE and President Obama have in common? It’s all about what’s in their hand!

Obama received high marks for his State of the Union speech. It sounded like the playbook of GE. The company is a proven innovation leader. They’ve continue the tradition of Edison’s inventions. Obama wants to re-ignite our creative genius with a new birth of innovation to impact the nation.

Edison became known as the wizard of Menlo Park, NJ. He spent hours working in his research lab. Many Commentators see education as today’s Civil Rights issue. Formal education puts you in the flow of higher learning. Edison showed how self-taught education puts you in the flow of higher earnings.      

Wonder if we’d still be in the dark without his invention? Edison started tinkering from scratch. Look what it did for GE and his legacy. He worked tirelessly, using what he had the power to work with. Some see Obama’s new popularity similarly. Maybe it’s the power of imagination at work.

Obama recently named GE President Jeffrey Immelt to lead his Economic Advisory Panel. His marching orders might involve spawning job creation. Maybe even doing for the US economy what Edison did for GE. Whether it’s a new frontier or committee chair, success is built around serving the benefits of others.   

Tip: Innovation and imagination create modern-day inventions and tomorrow’s problem solutions.

Talkback: What invention do you wish you had a hand in creating or patenting?