If I only criticize…

…then I’m no better than those I’m criticizing.

Those of you who have been reading The Invaluable Leader for a while have seen me rail at the media for a variety of ills – at least my perception of their ills.  I have not, however, offered an alternative – until now.

I’d like to introduce you to Community News, www.mycnews.com.   This local paper, under the guidance of Robert Huneke, publishes only good news.  It serves St. Louis and St. Charles Counties in Missouri.  They print:

• good news
• upcoming events
• health and fitness tips
• safety tips
• movie reviews
• recycling tips

and a host of other topics all designed to make people’s lives better.

Kudos to Robert and his team for showing us the inspiring side of life.  They comment candidly on the stimulus package and its effectiveness, or lack thereof, and other timely topics without either sugar coating the message or reporting with the intent to create fear or anxiety.

If you listen to most members of the media, you know that they consider Community News’ approach to be, at best, naive and, at worst, a prescription for failure.  Yet the Community News continues to thrive in the markets it serves.

The public craves good news, particularly in challenging times.  It’s why box office hits during tough economic times have historically revolved around superhero and good-triumphs-over-evil themes.  The public, at least subconsciously, seeks an escape, a respite, from the difficult reality it faces.

It’s counter-intuitive, at least in the minds of most media people, that good news is what the public desires.  Any time you, whether you’re a member of the media or not, have a chance to deliver good news, you have an opportunity to inspire others to overcome whatever challenges they face.

Isn’t that one of the reasons we’re here – to help others navigate the storms they encounter during their journey?  And if we help others in this way, aren’t they likely to reciprocate when storms cloud our vision and attempt to throw us off course?  Please follow the lead of Robert Huneke and the Community News’ staff and deliver good news whenever you can.  You never know when your message will be just what your listener needs.

The 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE program is designed to help you see more effective ways of doing business – ways that dramatically improve your bottom line while making your life easier.  In today’s blog I used Step 1, Contributory Negligence, to see that my criticisms of the media wasn’t well balanced and to rectify the situation.  I also used Step 2, The Persuasion Myth, to ask a few questions to allow you to form your own judgment about our purpose in life and Step 5, Contrarian Mindset, to show how the Community News‘ approach is contrary to conventional media wisdom (group think).   For more information on the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE visit www.furtwengler.com/7steps.htm.

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog or if you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

I’m pleased to announce that AMACOM, a Division of the American Management Association, has set September 9, 2009 as the release date for my new book, Pricing for Profit.  The book shows business owners and leaders how to free themselves from the bonds of industry pricing.  Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com are both taking prepublication orders.

How can one individual become a World Champion in both chess and Tai Chi Chuan?

More importantly, how can his insights help you?

Josh Waitzkin, a world-renowned chessmaster and Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands champion, in his book, The Art of Learning, says:

“A key ingredient to my success in those years (his youth) was that my style on the chessboard was a direct expression of my personality.”

Later in the book Josh often references how he adjusts his approach to Push Hands competition to reflect both his personality and his physical capabilities.

What does this have to do with social networking?  Today’s latest craze has spawned a plethora of “experts” who tell us exactly what we need to do to attract opportunities using the overwhelming number of social networks available to us.  Each, of course, has enjoyed great success with his or her model.

Personally, I have wrestled with this advice.  Logically, it has merit.  Emotionally, I find myself resisting the effort.  What’s going on?  The advice I’m resisting doesn’t fit my nature!

As soon as I read Waitzkin’s words, I knew what I had to do.  I had to embrace those bits of advice that felt good to me, adapt them to my nature and run with them.  The other advice, while good, won’t help me because it drains my energy.  It doesn’t feel good so I’m not going to make a worthwhile investment to make it work.  Armed with that knowledge, I know I’ll get much better results with activities that fit my nature.

It’s counter-intuitive, but when you’re getting advice, regardless of what that advice is, if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it – even though what you’re hearing makes perfect sense.  Instead, examine the advice you’re getting to determine:

1. What makes sense about this advice
2. Why you are resisting it – what is it that you’re not likely to do?
3. How you can adapt the approach to fit your style
4. What alternatives exist, if you can’t adapt the approach to your style

Success is a function of clear, concise and consistent effort.  You can’t achieve any of them if what you’re expected to do goes against your nature.  Be true to yourself and you’ll enjoy greater success.

For more information on Josh Waitzkin, visit www.joshwaitzkin.com

The 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE program I offer is designed to help you see more effective ways of doing business – ways that dramatically improve your bottom line while making your life easier.  

In today’s blog I used Step 6, Eclectic Education, to gather insights from a World Champion chessmaster and Tai Chi Chuan master, and combined it with Step 4, Seeing Similarities, to demonstrate how to overcome the challenges many of us face in dealing with the explosion of social networking tools available to us.  For more information on the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE visit www.furtwengler.com/7steps.htm. 

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog or if you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.