When They Throw Spitballs

(And Other Present Day Decisioning Deceptions)

The history of illegal baseball spitballs reverts to days when the pitch was actually legal. Because an official size baseball will not fit in the mouth of a professional ballplayer, the saliva required to make a spitball must be applied to the ball either directly from the player's mouth, or via a finger or fingers.

Spit, like many foreign substances, can make a baseball change direction on its way to home plate when thrown by a skilled pitcher. In 1920, Major League Baseball deemed spitballs an unfair advantage for pitchers and therefore banned the pitch. The basic rule is: (a) a pitcher shall not "apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball." (b) a pitcher shall not "expectorate (spit) on the ball, either hand or his glove."

Even with the explicit ruling, major league pitchers have continued to throw spitballs and other "funny" pitches throughout the years. Once in a great while someone will be caught. Generally, pitchers are either clever enough to get away with their mischief, or umpires choose to ignore it (turn their head), waiting for it to become obvious or excessive, or challenged by the opposing team.

Problem:
Point is, some folks (deceptive baseball players and deviant others) are determined to bend the rules with slight of hand (and spit) and attempt to get away with it, or drive their own agenda.

Solution:
Due Diligence

As if it is not hard enough already, in the world of decisioning, watching the right hand while the left hand is picking your pocket is a definite obstacle to informed decision making.

Like throwing spitballs:

Some will still try you after all these years (This ruling was in 1920.)
Watch both hands (One rubs while the other applies the juice.)
There is a price for deception (Censured, kicked out, penalized, banned…)
Some would prefer that you decide wrongly (When it’s in their best interest.)
Due diligence is more critical than ever (Do they have a history of spitballs?)
Add your personal experiences

Decisioning adage:

“Spitball me once…Shame on you.

Spitball me twice…Shame on me.”

Is Decisioning the New Selling?

(An Alternative to a Growing Industry Problem)

New life insurance premium sold (average/year over last five years)
$512,000,000,000*

First year lapse rate (based on premium-same period-approximate industry averages)
6%*

Dollar cost to companies (based on above)
$30,000,000,000*

As if this picture is not bad enough, consider all the other ancillary losses and costs (e.g. policy owner losses in premium and benefits…agent and office charge backs…underwriting expenses…threats to company financial stability…lost opportunity from dollar losses…litigation) to name a few.

The larger question is HOW does this continue to happen?

Sales and Marketing
Agent Training/Education
Due Diligence and Suitability
Misrepresentation or False claims
Commission Based Distribution
All Others

Before you yawn at this list, let’s add one more…Decisioning.

Consider this:

One of our team members had the opportunity to consult with and observe the hiring and training practices of a 100+ year old “Traditional Mutual” company. Having been a manager in a similar organization a few years back, it was amazing that (with the exception of the computers and technology apps, compliance regs, product design and newest marketing techniques) little else had changed over the years. For one example, selling to friends and family was not discouraged, but it was even emphasized in order to fulfill the training requirements. It is well documented that the lapse rate in this category is sky-high.

The larger issue was that there was absolutely no emphasis placed on the idea of a decision model and its development considering the effect that it could have on policy lapses and many other transactional issues. It was sales training 101 as usual, and we believe it is happening in more places than this one.

Paradigm Shift

In other words, the emphasis and recognition of the life insurance transaction could be seen as primarily a decision (vs. a “sale”), and that the delivery and persistency of this product could more distinctly depend on a decisioning relationship with the consumer.

Once professional “decisioning” becomes the objective (vs. the “sale”) and agreed to (buy-in), the opportunity to build a solid industry model could then be developed. The answers may be found under these sheets:

Beam up “the role of decision making in selling” to get millions of results on any number of search engines. I believe this also shows the growing appetite of the public for such a role.

Even further, if this industry were to shift their focus to a “decisioning” process as their methodology, it could even become a template to other larger decisioning purchases in other industries e.g. (automobiles < first year back to lender = cost $22 billion…home mortgage lapses = Zillion$...and others).

Point is, this industry has the unique opportunity to bring its transaction methodology up to the digital speed of their mechanical and software technology. If not, they may run the risk of being perceived as the railroads were (years ago) who could have dominated a much larger market if they had only realized that they were foremost in the transportation industry.

The Financial Services Industry could have a window. Yes, the insurance industry could potentially save billions in just this one category of policy lapses, but the influence and leadership they could have on the other larger markets through a decisioning based methodology…Zillion$.

Your thoughts?

* Approximate figures per industry sources

Are you...

Better off, worse off or about the same?

Decide on one.

Back in the day, we worked with a master manager who had the exceptional gift of common sense. This slogan was his mantra as it applied to any meeting, learning experience or various information advances. The key was to measure and weigh the experience carefully and not casually or passively.

With that as a backdrop, let’s apply that scale to the universe of sales and marketing (industry neutral) over the last ten years to weigh where we are and where we may be headed. Are we…

Better off: From technology with the resulting apps and revolutionary advances? Some of the gains are information and document retrieval, wireless hardware portability, instant and digital speeds, graphic developments, social and networked communications, limitless storage capacities, micro sizing and nano tech, universal web platforms, to name a few. Going forward, we can get ready for the multi-dimensional virtual world to come…

Worse off: Considering indeterminate learning curves...Hardware and software expenses...Initial and maintenance costs...Constant upgrades…Supplier and manufacturer criteria…Legal, informational personal and intellectual property exposures…Relentless regulations and interventions...Unpredictable markets…(the short list).

About the same: We are still us. We resist changes coming too quickly...Senior friendly options are continually perishable…Political intrusion sucks as usual…Our appetite to blindly buy-in remains skeptical…We seem to still be vulnerable to herd mentality…We typically fear Big Brother…(consider your own POV).

In all, if we had to choose just one option, we would clearly be better off from the evolutionary advances of technology as they apply to sales and marketing. Yes, the negatives are there, but nothing revolutionary is built on negatives, and the positives outweigh them by a zillion.

Question: What do we do with these assets?

Simple answer: Use the product of what has been created. There is little down side to employing the technology of sites, blogs, e-publications, networks, graphics, podcasts, data mining, software apps for everything, and the latest hardware to name a few.

That is the carve out to sales and marketing in general. What about the application to your industry, your position as owners, managers and producers (and all others)?

The technology is now here…Are we better off? You decide.

ZDT Author’s comments:
“I’m thankful for PhotoShop surgical procedures…”

ZDT peek into the next few years:
Consider that “I’m not my Avatar’s Keeper” yields 2,000,000 search results today. What does that say about the direction of the future?

Will You Fear this Year?

A Decision

Fear is a hyper-sensitive topic, and because it stems from uncertainty and the unknown, it can act like a viral infection. It starts with individuals, spawns into entities and eventually to nations with world threatening potential. Its spread can be serious business.

We are all saddled with it to some degree. Individually, we cannot stop fear and its effects, so it essentially boils down to the management of it.

Couple of examples:

In the positive: You can use fear as a teaching tool: cautioning kids about the threat of street traffic while bicycle ridding, lightening, poisons, bad habits, etc.

In the negative: It is the principle tool of threat used by gangsters, terrorists, corrupt politicians and governments.

Question: In your life, is fear dominating, crippling or manageable? Since it can vary so widely and unexpectedly, awareness and supervision could be a minimum goal. But, if it is left unchecked or ignored, fear can ultimately be debilitating.

Fear comes in various forms (examples):

Call reluctance…fear of rejection
Fear of the sneer of your peer…fear of acceptance
Stage Fright…fear of performance
Fear of death...fear of eternity
Fear of...(fill it in)

The key is to recognize that fear is a real issue, face it head on and do not let it get a lethal grip on your life. A few nuggets of wisdom:

Leaders and Presidents

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) Thirty-second President of the USA.

Fear God and you need not fear anyone else.
Woodrow T. Wilson (1856-1924) Twenty-eighth President of the USA.

Bible Verses
[Bible verses (KJV) has about 400 references to the word “fear”].

Fear no evil…Fear not…God hath not given us a spirit of fear…Do not fear them which can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body into hell.

Weigh man-made fear as opposed to a “peace that passes all understanding”

Various miscellaneous quotes

He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.
Napoleon Bonaparte. French general.

You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. Remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind.
Dale Carnegie. American writer.

Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.
Ralph Waldo Emerson. U.S. poet, essayist and lecturer.

One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was fearful to do.
Henry Ford (1863-1947) American industrialist.

Point is…This is a very dominate subject in all our lives. Could it be that as a part of this year’s resolution, it should include a pro-active plan of how and to what degree you will deal with fear more effectively and directly?

Decisioning or Rush to Judgment?

Hiring Decisions

As many as four out of five hiring decisions are made within the first 10 minutes of an interview, according to some studies. Those decisions can be based on little more than the applicant's clothing or hairstyle, a subconscious stereotype or a preconceived notion about a particular candidate or type of candidate…in other words, a rush to judgment.

Indeed, the whole hiring process can be driven by a hiring manager's first impressions of candidates in the initial interview. A candidate who makes a favorable impression on first glance is expected to give better answers and is usually perceived as doing so, but answers from a candidate who disappoints on entry can be received much less favorably than if the candidate had been expected to make a better impression.

Lois Lindauer, president of Lois L. Lindauer Searches in Boston, says, "Once an impression is formed and the potential candidate has been accepted or rejected, additional information that goes against the impression carries less weight in evaluating a candidate's ability to do the job."

Advice: Don’t rush to judgment…Take the longer, more careful and diligent approach.

For full article and credits: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_1_49/ai_112799820/

Management Decisions

NEW STUDY FINDS:
Half of Business Decisions Fail Because of Management Blunders
(Rushing to Judgment), Columbus, Ohio

With the rash of recent corporate scandals, investors and others wonder if company managers are able to make sound decisions. The answer will not soothe your nerves. About half of all business decisions end in failure, according to a new book that summarizes a multi-decade study of real-life organizational decisions.

"Vast sums of money are spent to make decisions that realize no ultimate value for the organization," said Paul Nutt, professor of management sciences at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business, "and managers make the same mistakes over and over again as they formulate the decisions."

Nutt said his research found that failed decisions share three common blunders. Managers rush to judgment, misuse their resources, and repeatedly use failure-prone tactics to make decisions.

Nutt's research also shows that managers who make any of these three blunders find themselves caught in one and sometime several, traps. The managers got ensnared by traps that arise from: (full article/credits) http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/decfail.htm

Nutt said many managers make bad tactical choices because they believe following modeled and recommended decision-making practices would take too much time and demand excessive cash outlays…so the pressure can cause a rush to judgment.

"Following good decision-making practices actually costs very little, especially when you compare it to the painful costs of dealing with the consequences of a bad decision."

Personal Decisions

To further this decisioning dilemma, a personal rush to judgment is perhaps one that can inflict the heaviest toll. Many today have new labels for premature decisions such as a “paradigm shift.” This story quickly explains this issue:

Man on the train with his kids seemingly out of control, loud and very disruptive…fellow passenger finally has enough…goes to the dad and complains about his lack of supervision…father (somewhat dazed) responds with “I’m sorry that these kids seem uncontrollable, and I’m not sure what to do, but we’ve just come from their mother’s funeral, and they probably do not understand how they should act?” (Judgment shift?)

A rush to judgment, paradigm shift or any other label we want to assign…the end product is a premature and mistaken decision. Political figures, Hollywood stars, friends, relatives and even spouses can become the victims. The key here is to wait, get the facts, weigh the emotions and then calculate your response.

ZDT Author’s Comments:

These are but a few categories on this subject. If you data mine this predicament, you will find millions of results. This issue could not be hotter. Sitting and ex- Presidents, Juan Williams, Sara Palin, Rush…and on and on…have all been objects. We see paraphrases everyday as headliners intended to accuse, label or prematurely convict someone over what they said or did. And today, at the speed of digital, the subject can go viral never to be retrieved.

Point is, the subject of decisioning has many facets and responsibilities. One of them is taking the time to make a true assessment and decision before rushing to judgment and crucifixion.

Please remember that in our standard MODELTM System the first and most vital step is due diligence, with the greatest time allotment allowed for that initial step.

Deciding on Information: The New Digital Currency?

Today, do we need to say more than WikiLeaks or the Cyber Intelligence intervention of a nation’s nuke program?

As examples of line extension, Cyberworms, Data Mining Intelligence or within viral messages, a virtual model is emerging in the form of a universal currency.

Think about that. The Internet is often called the Information Super Highway for a reason. Information comes in various forms: decisions-facts-ideas-news-quotes-records-(on and on). As such, these vaults of information can be tainted, distorted, traded, high jacked, ransomed, misrepresented, altered, manipulated to name only a few options.

If we are thinking about this in physical terms, and we considered a commodity, then [like food] if you get too little: you can atrophy…get too much (overload) and you can clog all your avenues and die.

In the above example, information can be tradable or bartered like in the spy business where it is usually more tangible. Information is also the basis for decision making at every level…good or bad…true or false…public or private…big or small…life or death…on and on.

“Indeed, information could be

considered the new currency”

Now consider this; if at some level, a One World Government movement was eminent and immediate, and that information (at a certain level of knowledge and ownership) became an asset that could be traded for an influential chair in the New Regime…How much more valuable would that appointment be than mere paper money? Also consider that with a New World Order comes a new form of monetary exchange…not the dollar or even dollar for dollar?

Is that possible?

Another question; where are all the commodities like gold-silver-gems-gas-oil-water-etc. in the world? These are all these valuable physical resources that could transcend paper currencies. But, how quickly and quietly they could be harnessed, mined and captured would be vital information in today’s world economy.

Today, a client list, secret family recipe, business plan, military war strategy, political agenda, merger and acquisition announcement, insider knowledge (examples), are all forms of information intelligence with increasing value.

Considering where we are obviously headed in the digital and cyber world, will this concept get more or less credible? Just saying?

Last question: Is information intelligence worth zillions?

You decide.

Full articles and credits:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20110117/wl_time/08599204275000
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110117/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_britain_wikileaks

6,600,000,000 Decisions.

How did they decide?

In this world today, there are approximately 6.6 billion people. Within this population, here is a rough breakdown of beliefs and numbers of believers:

Religious Body                                Approximate Number of Adherents

Catholic Church** 1,100,000,000
Sunni Islam* 1,000,000,000
Eastern Orthodox Church* 225,000,000
Jinja Honcho* 83,000,000
Anglican Communion* 77,000,000
Assemblies of God* 50,000,000
Ethiopian Orthodox Church 35,000,000
Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD)* 27,400,000
Iglesia ni Cristo (based in the Philippines) 27,000,000
Sikhism 23,000,000
Juche (North Korea) 19,000,000
Seventh-day Adventist Church 16,811,519
Jehovah's Witnesses** 16,500,000
Southern Baptist Convention* 16,000,000
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 12,275,822
United Methodist Church* 11,708,887
Soka Gakkai 11,000,000
New Apostolic Church 10,260,000
Ahmadiyya * 10,000,000
Veerashaivas (Lingayats) 10,000,000
Coptic Orthodox 10,000,000
Sathya Sai Baba 10,000,000
Church of Uganda 8,000,000
Choge Buddhism 8,000,000
Church of Sweden 7,143,292
Church of God in Christ 6,500,000
Kimbanguist Church 6,500,000
Bahai World Faith 6,000,000
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus 6,000,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 5,500,000
China Christian Council 5,000,000
Rissho Koseikai 5,000,000
Swaminarayanism 5,000,000
Aglipayan Church 4,500,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland 4,400,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark 4,350,000
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) 4,000,000
Kale Heywet (SIM, Ethiopia) 4,000,000
Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran) 3,850,000
Church of South India 3,800,000
Armenian Apostolic Church 3,500,000
Christian Congregation (Brazil) 3,120,000
National Baptist Convention of America 3,106,000
"God is Love" Pentecostal Church 3,000,000
Zion Christian Church (South Africa) 3,000,000
Cao Dai 3,000,000
Ch'ondogyo 3,000,000
Church of the Lord Aladura 3,000,000
Reiyukai 3,000,000
United Church of Canada 3,000,000
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel 2,863,232
Balinese Hinduism 2,800,000
Christian and Missionary Alliance 2,644,296
Netherlands Reformed Church (NHK) 2,600,000
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod 2,582,440
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 2,560,201
Protestant Christian Batak Church
Huria Kristen Batak Protestan -- HKBP, Indonesia 2,500,000
Evangelical Churches of West Africa 2,500,000
Progressive National Baptist Convention 2,500,000
Tenrikyo 2,350,000
United Pentecostal Church International 2,300,000
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania 2,200,000
Presbyterian Church of Korea (Haptong) 2,094,338
Africa Inland Church (Kenya) 2,000,000
Brazil for Christ 2,000,000
Churches of Christ 2,000,000
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar 2,000,000
Syrian Orthodox Church ("Jacobite") 2,000,000
Radhasoami 2,000,000
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 2,000,000
True (Old Calendar) Orthodox Church of Greece 2,000,000
Reformed Church in Hungary 2,000,000
American Muslim Society 2,000,000
Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap) 1,660,248
Council of Baptist Churches of NE India 1,630,000
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus 1,625,994
Baptist Bible Fellowship International 1,600,000
Salvation Army 1,500,000
Myanmar Baptist Convention 1,500,000
Malagasy Lutheran Church (Madagascar) 1,500,000
American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. 1,455,855
Brazilian Baptist Convention 1,440,000
Dutch Reformed Church (NGK; South Africa) 1,403,180
Alawi 1,400,000
Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches
of Latin America and the Caribbean 1,400,000
Uniting Church in Australia 1,386,000
United Church of Christ 1,377,320
Christ Apostolic Church (Nigeria) 1,300,000
Union of American Hebrew Congregations (Reform) 1,300,000
Pentecostal Church of Indonesia 1,280,000
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church 1,252,369
Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian (CCAP; Malawi) 1,250,000
Nigerian Baptist Convention 1,250,000
Church of the Nazarene 1,216,657
African Methodist Episcopal Church 1,200,000
Divine Light Mission 1,200,000
Church of God Miss. Intl. (Nigeria) 1,200,000
British Methodist Church 1,200,000
Church of North India 1,125,000
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ 1,070,000
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1,043,943
United Orthodox Jewish Congregation of America 1,043,943
Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention, USA 1,050,000
Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil1,000,000
ISKCON 1,000,000
Syrian Orthodox Church of Malabar (Mar Thoma) 1,000,000
National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A. 1,000,000
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World 1,000,000
PL Kyodan 1,000,000
Sekai Kyuseikyo 1,000,000
Church of Christ in Nigeria 1,000,000
Unity Church 1,000,000
Igreja Evangelica Pentecostal (Brazil) 1,000,000
Church of Scotland 1,000,000
Sukyo Mahikari 1,000,000

(Disclaimer Note: The above are estimates (rounded off) based on internet and other research and represent only a partial listing and/or category. We can make no claims as to the accuracy of these figures.)

Again, these are approximate numbers, but it does show the enormous volume and immense diversity of beliefs in the world today. The question from our POV (point of view) is a simple one:

HOW did these believers decide to invest their entire life view in their belief choice? Over this world’s lifetime, people have made conscious religious decisions by the zillions.

Interesting and amazing.

Sign of the Times

Please refer to our ZDT post dated:
Monday, November 29, 2010
Subjective Decisioning Techniques

RE: The short list:
Instincts and Gut Feelings
(Intuition, Abstraction, Baseless, Intangible, Feelings, Hunches)
Herd Thinking
(Crowd Mentality, Blind faith, Parties, Non-objective, Rushing)
Pure Chance
(Cards, Dice, Coins, Eight-Ball, Roulette, Devices)
Astrology and Horoscopes
(Charts, Zodiac Signs, Readings, Interpretations, Visions, Others)
Various Traditions
(Calendars, Ceremonies, Celebrations, Holidays)
Social and Fraternal Influences
(Codes, Signs, Symbols, Handshakes, Rituals, Secrets)
Cultural Ideologies
(Sacrifices, Rituals, Customs)
Technological Influences
(Mobile Connections, Social Networks, Chat Rooms, Blogs)
Gadgets and Apps
(Computers, Smart Phones, Programs, Media Players, Digitals)
Clairvoyance-Psychics-Readings
(Visions, Readings, Signs, Symbols)
Family, Friends and Business Influences
(Bias, Prejudice, Tradition, Influence, Habit, Rituals)
Other Beliefs and Cults
(Evolution, Scientology, Church of the XXX, Zen Buddhism)
Churches, Denominations and Organizations
(Countless)

This writer states:
If you look to your horoscope for a preview of your day, look again: You're probably following somebody else's supposed fate.

"Astrology tells us that the sun is in one position, whereas astronomy tells us it's in another position," said Joe Rao, SPACE.com's skywatching columnist and a lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium.

The shift is caused by precession, the wobble in the Earth's axis caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon to the Earth's equator. Precession popped into the spotlight this week after Minnesota Planetarium Society board member Parke Kunkle told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune about the gap between the astrological and the astronomical view. The story spread around the Internet quickly, but it's actually old news, Rao said.

Very old news.

"The earliest known astronomer to recognize and assess the movement of precession was Aristarchus of Samos, who lived around 280 B.C.," Rao told LiveScience.

The attention triggered by his interview with the newspaper has been "astounding." Kunkle, who teaches astronomy at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, told Livescience, He gave the interview at the request of the paper to discuss precession, and the science he described is centuries old, he said.

"Bombshell dropped?" Kunkle said. "Well, not really."

Here's what astronomers know: The Earth is like a wobbly top. As it rotates, its axis swings in a circle, pointing in different directions. As the Earth's position shifts, so does our perspective of the night sky.

For example, Rao said, we take the North Star, Polaris, for granted. It's the star most closely aligned with Earth's North Pole. But back when the pyramids were constructed, the star that aligned with the North Pole wasn't Polaris at all: It was a star in the constellation Draco called Thuban. In 12,000 years, Earth's North Star will be Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra. The complete rotation takes 26,000 years, Rao said.

"Everything in the sky is in flux," he said.

Even if the astrological signs were stable, there's no evidence the stars have anything to do with people's day-to-day existence. One 2006 study published in the journal Personality and individual differences used data from more than 15,000 people and found no relationship between date of birth and personality.

For full article and credits:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0113/New-zodiac-signs-2011-Why-astrology-is-even-sillier-than-we-thought

ZDT Author’s note:

All that to say: The Astrology and Horoscope category is but one subjective and intangible issue to keep the decisioning process confusing (shown above). Will believers continue to refer (many on a daily basis) to the zodiac charts as a basis for their decisioning? Of course. And, based on research, millions of our U.S. population will do just that.

Point is, as you look through this and many of the other headings, do you see other weak spots that, when unquestioned, could influence your decisioning negatively.

You decide.

Zillion Dollar Thought

Dog food is the most profitable food on the market. People spend four times as much on dog food as they do on baby food…Woof, Woof to the zillionth biscuit.

What Keeps You Up At Night?

From only a partial list, where might you find yourself in these sleepless decisions?

Worry and/or Stress over Uncertainties, Money, Business, Management, Kids, Future, etc…
Discomfort from Physical Condition, Sickness, Temperature, Food or Dietary Issues, Caffeine, Others…
Distractions, Noises, Other Restless Habits…
Dilemmas, Confrontations, Conflicts, Relationships…

All of the above?

All others...Please consider that in only one web engine search it yielded 300,000,000 results. You can find plenty of options to choose from.

The point is…what can be done about it? Which kind of pill to take? Sure, there are chemicals that may temporarily help the condition, but (like dieting) the operative word is usually temporary. What else can you try?

Medical and psychological issues may need professional help; but sometimes a recurring habit may simply need structural changes that you can try without having to sit in a doctor’s waiting room.

A model is a structure, system or template that can be laid over a problem, issue or situation that can (over time) reform a habit. If the sleeping problem has become a habit pattern, a model that you may construct could be the perfect pill?

We tend to rely on our standard MODELTM System with four distinct and simple steps. It could flow like this:

1- Problem identification - Isolate and separate what the worrying issue is rather than tossing and turning over all the fleeting ideas that come through your mind

2- Consider your level of commitment; if you realize you have little to none, it’s not worth the worry anyway, so go ahead and snooze off

3- The solution; More often than not, if you will feed in the parameters of the problem or issue, the (ah-ha) solution will hit you in the morning (in the form of a plan-search findings-friend/associate/specialist with answers...e.g.)

4- You can then trust that the actions needed will be dictated by the solution in step three…

Now try some slow breathing while counting backward, and we’ll see you in the morning.

That’s our therapy approach using a model. The goal here is to tackle the one most important or plaguing issue at the time, so that you don’t think about any and everything right before you try to go to sleep.

You will likely want to create your own model. The take away is to have a reliable, simple template that allows you to gently think on, identify and simmer the issue while dosing off. The major point is that you build a structure that helps resolve the worry while allowing your subconscious to help you solve your distracting problem. It’s not a guarantee, but certainly better than a bottle of pills?

Some even throw in a dose of prayer, laced with thankfulness, and a warm glass of milk and ZZZZZ…

If you have a model that works for you, please share it. Our readers would love the input.

Decisioning and Consumables

A consumable is something that is capable of being consumed. It may be destroyed, dissipated, wasted, or spent. Consumables are products that consumers buy recurrently, i.e., items which "get used up" or discarded. This dilemma is increasing in importance in the everyday life of many of us. It could be a decisioning issue that might be easily ignored or overlooked.

Consumable office supplies are products such as paper, pens, file folders, post-it notes, computer disks, and toner or ink cartridges. For arc welding one uses a consumable electrode. This is an electrode that conducts electricity to the arc but also melts into the weld as a filler metal and needs to be replaced.

Another example is consumable or disposable products associated with the preparation or presentation of serving food which includes but is not limited to plastic, foam, paper goods and cleaning supplies.

Consumables in the Market

Because of their consistency of usage, stocks of companies that make consumables are considered to be relative safe harbors for equity investors when the economy shows signs of weakness. The reasoning is simple: people will always need to purchase groceries, clothes and gas no matter what is going on in the broad economy.

Many of the items measured in the basket of goods used to calculate the Consumer Price Index (CPI) are consumables; inflation in these items is closely watched because it can lower the discretionary income people have to spend on items such as cars, vacations and entertainment.

On a personal level (where we live), the simple decision to become more aware and responsible in the consumable area can pay personal dividends. In all, consumables will play an increasingly viable role in our economy.

Voluntary Simplicity

Combating the costs of our disposable society is a major challenge, but there are ways to fight back. The Amish, for example, are the most visible representatives of a modern-day voluntary simplicity movement. They substitute conveniences and luxury items in favor of a simpler style of living. Considering that you may not be Amish, there are steps you can take to minimize your involvement in our consumable centered society and, in the process, strengthen your own personal financial situation.

A few of these easy methods include:

Buy durable goods whenever possible…not always the lowest cost but could greatly reduce your consumable costs over time.

Stop style-driven purchases. If it's a choice between cheap stuff that will need to be replaced or better items that will last, spend the extra dollars in the short term to save money over the long run. From a style perspective, wearing your grandmother's hand-me-downs may not be practical, but trading in your cell phone or MP3 player for no better reason than that it is new is not only unnecessary, it's also expensive.

Recycle whenever possible. To reduce your personal impact on the environment, consider recycling. Everything from newspaper to toner cartridges can be reused. Also, think about donating old eyeglasses, cell phones and computers instead of just throwing them away.

If you have the conditions, grow your own garden. This will cut down on your trips to the grocery store, saving money on both gas and food cost.

Think efficiency. Using low-flow shower heads, compact fluorescent light bulbs and other energy-efficient devices, etc. will help your budget in addition to the environment.

Use the most practical transportation possible. If you drive, consider a fuel-efficient car. Carpooling is another good way to reduce both the financial and environmental impacts of traveling. In some cities, public transportation makes perfect cents.

Downsize where you can. You may like the 4x4 gas-guzzling monster truck you've been driving to the mall, and you may like the convenience of buying precooked dinners in bulk, but the excess money and material costs going into these purchases will have a huge impact on your bottom line. In this respect, the financial experts say the biggest one-time choice you can make is to consider downsizing your living quarters.

Get Started Today

The sum decision, avoid runaway spending. Forget about owning the latest styles, biggest houses or flashiest cars. Make financial decisioning (under the heading of consumables) one of your top priorities. In these economic times, your check book will greatly appreciate it.

For full article and credits:

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/07/disposablesociety.asp

The Acid Test

Marketing experts say that the following primary categories are the motivating reasons of why people buy or buy-in to most anything. As we apply these to the MODELTM System, they are…

To save money
This is one of the most important reasons to much of the entire population. Better product/service decisions by use of the MODELTM System equals more $$$ dollar savings.

To speed up their work
Because people know that time is precious (and time is money…quantifiable).
Poor decisions = Lost time
Good decisions = Efficiency, Time Savings and Value Added

To become more efficient
Because efficiency saves time (again...measurable...same as above).

To escape or avoid pain
With bad decisions, the fallout and the results are generally always painful.

To access "opportunities"
Step One of the MODELTM System is branded as the "opportunity" step.

To feel safe
People will feel safer and more confident as they begin making wise decisions…even safer if others around them do so as well.

To protect their reputation
Too many bad decisions can certainly result in a faulty reputation, and a habit of good decisions should create a quality reputation.

To communicate better
An effective decision making tool such as the MODELTM System was designed to enhance communication.

To escape stress
How stressful is a bad decision? No explanation needed.

To be informed
Step One is all about being well informed through due diligence.

To leave a legacy
Because, that’s a way to live forever. The gifting to friends and family of a MODEL for making wise decisions could outweigh almost any other legacy.

Again, the “acid test” (generalized term for "verified" or "approved/tested") applied to anything is a fair assessment of it being the genuine item. That said, it may serve you well to apply this test to other issues you may be considering.

You decide.

SAVE ZILLION$?

According to market research, the average “face to face” sales call across all industries is $420 per call and the average number of calls to yield a sale is 4.2. That said, it is more vital than ever that every detail of a sales call is zipped up to perfection. Because…

Mistakes or omissions are very costly:

Since there is increasing malpractice and sales market conduct lawsuits with higher monitory awards…Are legal and compliance issues being given major consideration?

The internet is confounding prospects with “information overload” creating multiple consumer suspicions and hesitations…Is your approach uncomplicated?

Prospects have a harder time understanding and remembering many of the new complicated proposals as a product of compliance…Is yours simple?

There is a constant barrage from sales managers and carriers to learn and implement the latest selling techniques...Are you staying consistent over vogue?

There is a growing need for a reliable and understandable model to help prospects make sound buying decisions…Do you have one?

Since referrals are harder to secure...Is your system designed to be able to generate enough of them in today’s market?

Are you creating…“buy-in before you ask for buy-of?”

Are you gaining “permission-commitment-agreement-enlightenment”…In the very first interview?

Are you willing and ready to have your sales pitch videoed (with any device)…Since more consumers are requiring it?

Can you demonstrate your selling process on a napkin in three-minutes… with no other props?

Do you have a “fail-safe” tool for identifying a selling problem…That you or an associate may have?

Is your approach creating…Repeat clients or One-shot customers?

Is your selling model…Provably unique yet believable?

Can your selling system be “dollarized”…Placing a dollar value on each one of its merits?

Is your approach…highly interactive with the prospect seeing you as more of a consultant?

Is your prospect “better off” having seen your approach…Even if they don’t buy?

If they didn’t buy…did your approach automatically leave the door open for a later opportunity?

Does your approach…automatically satisfy the charge of “due-diligence?”

Can you easily overcome…the “I want to think about it” objection?

If you are a sales professional with the very expensive price tag of a selling call, does any of this burn your stomach? Does your current sales process answer these questions?

Take away exercise: Choose the top ten questions that fit your practice (or any others you would substitute) and give them a grade from:

1[Least] to 10[Most]

Add them up to create a total grade from 1-100. A grade below 70 could mean that you have some adjustments to make.

2011: New Years resolution?