| Entrepreneurial Holiday Wish List
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| | ears, strategically positioned inour
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| Tim Fulton
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| | office, will remind us to make better use
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| I just received Christmas wish lists from
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| | of our ears and less of ourlips. Steven
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| both of my sons and my wife. Theyall have
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| | Covey said it best when he suggested that
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| very lofty expectations for this holiday
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| | we should "Seek firstto understand and
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| season. I will doing morethan my part to
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| | than to be understood".
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| stimulate the nationÆs economy by the
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| | 7. Walking shoes. We are spending way too
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| time I am doneshopping and will be deep
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| | much time behind our desks wadingthrough
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| into government-like deficit spending by
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| | endless streams of electronic mail. Tom
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| year-end.
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| | Peters prescribed many yearsago that the
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| I know that many of you have yet to
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| | best leaders should "MBWA" (manage by
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| complete your own holiday wish list and
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| | walking around). Setaside a certain
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| I would like to provide several
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| | period of time each day just to walk
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| suggestions. Here we go:
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| | around your office,sales floor, or
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| 1. A portrait of your best customer. This
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| | factory and see whatÆs going on. This
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| would hang right behind your deskto
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| | can send a verypowerful message to the
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| remind you and your followers why you are
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| | troops that you are sincerely interested
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| in business. Having a hard timemaking a
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| | in theirwork and can open up lines of
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| tough business decision? Just turn around
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| | communication that may never open
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| and consult the picture.
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| | bythemselves.
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| WhatÆs in their best interest? Trying to
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| | 8. A picture frame. Find a picture that
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| make a difficult hiring decision?
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| | best illustrates your passionoutside of
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| Would you want this applicant spending
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| | work, insert it into this frame, and
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| considerable time with this customer?
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| | place this picture in a veryconspicuous
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| 2. A Greyhound Bus miniature. My wife
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| | position in your office. This is a
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| gave me a little red sports carminiature
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| | reminder that there is lifeoutside of
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| several years ago because she said she
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| | this office. It may be a picture of your
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| could not afford to give methe real
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| | family, or the 18th holeat your favorite
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| thing. Why a bus? Just a reminder of
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| | golf course, or your Harley.
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| author Jim CollinÆs (Good To
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| | 9. Personal note cards. When was the last
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| Great) suggestion of your role as the bus
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| | time you send a personal thank younote to
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| driver in your company. As the busdriver
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| | a customer? An employee? A supplier? We
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| you must make very important personnel
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| | have become much toocomfortable with
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| decisions. It is your job todecide who
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| | electronic messaging and have forgotten
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| gets on your bus and where they are to
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| | the power of apersonal touch. I know some
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| sit. You must also decidewho doesnÆt get
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| | CEOs that make a habit of sending at
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| on the bus.
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| | least onepersonal note a week to a key
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| 3. The book "Good To Great" by Jim
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| | business stakeholder.
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| Collins. I believe that this was the
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| | 10. I have saved the best gift idea for
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| bestread of the year. Keep it close to
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| | last. ItÆs a gift certificate toyourself
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| your desk for frequent reference.
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| | in fact. You fill in the amount and the
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| Consider how you measure up as a Level 5
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| | store of choice. Why? Youhave worked very
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| Leader.
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| | hard this year under very difficult
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| 4. A mirror. Every once in a while we
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| | economic conditions.
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| need to remind ourselves who is incharge.
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| | While recognizing all of your employeeÆs
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| We forget and allow the patients to run
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| | efforts this year, you may haveoverlooked
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| the asylum. When things aregoing well
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| | the highest performer of allàyourself.
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| look into that mirror and take credit.
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| | Hence, treat yourself tosomething nice.
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| Likewise, when businesstakes a turn for
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| | YouÆve earned it. FYIànext year will be
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| the worse, pose for a brief time in front
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| | no easier.
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| of that mirrorand take responsibility for
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| | Happy Holidays.
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| strategic action.
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| | Tim Fulton is a nationally recognized
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| 5. A subscription to Inc Magazine. I
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| | small business consultant andmanagement
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| consider this Inc to be consistentlythe
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| | trainer. He is also a very popular public
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| best reading for small business owners.
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| | speaker. Tim can bereached at
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| Dare you plan on joining the Inc
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| | timfulton@....
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| 500 this year?
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| | ________________________________________
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| 6. A set of Dumbo elephant ears. It pains
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| | ________________________
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| me to suggest that as a rule
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| | Tired of slow downloads? Compare online
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| smallbusiness owners in general are not
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| | deals from your local high-speedproviders
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| good listeners. We tend to listen withour
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| | now.
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| mouths open and lips moving. The Dumbo
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