Bücher von Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey

Building on a strong foundation Whether you are planning on building a house, a successful career, or a profitable business, starting with a strong foundation ensures whatever you build is better equipped to stand the tests of time and storms that might come your way. We trust that Foundational Success will provide solid guidance in laying a strong foundation for your ongoing growth and long-term success. Each of our expert authors is committed to providing solid 'building blocks' for your personal and professional success. Building Blocks:Drawn from their personal experience and expertise.Drawn from various areas, interests, and sizes to allow you to fit them where most helpful and needed. Drawn from their interaction and engagement with people like you and me around the world.Drawn from generous hearts and engaged minds. "The house we hope to build is not for my generation, but for yours. It is your future that matters. And I hope that when you are my age, you will be able to say as I have been able to say: We lived in freedom. We lived lives that were a statement, not an apology." Ronald Reagan, former USA PresidentDream BIG dreams, think BIG ideas, and seek BIG successes! Never let your memories become larger than your dreams. You can build the personal and professional success you seek. We are pleased to help with these foundational success principles and ideas! On behalf of our amazing team of experts and authors I wish you a successful journey. It has been my privilege to work with these amazing people and to learn along with you.

Running to WIN!Idea-rich strategies for timely leadership and career success Several years back I was driving home to Calgary from Lethbridge, AB early one winter morning. I had been working with Southern Alberta clients all week and wanted to get back to the office early so I could drop off my paperwork, get a bit of catch up done, and start my weekend. I was making good time cruising down the highway with the radio playing some great tunes. Then, I noticed a sign saying Castlegar, BC only 65 miles. Whoa! I pulled over and collected my thoughts. How could that be? I was heading home to Calgary, Alberta! Somehow in my overworked, tired brain I had driven right through Fort Macleod and missed at least two BIG highway signs reminding me to turn 'RIGHT', to head 'NORTH' to Calgary. Sure, I was making great time, but I was going in the 'wrong' direction. We live in an increasingly hectic and demanding world. The demands of running a business or having a successful career overlap and conflict with the demands of having a life, being a spouse or parent, and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Many of us are already running as fast as we can - perhaps Running TOO Fast, and we're not keeping up. · Many of us are running without knowing where the finish line is located. · We are running without a real sense of purpose and we are running alone. · This is a recipe for failure and frustration. You can finish your race and still have a life! This revised mini book (2020-2023) is designed for those who are 'Running to WIN!' It is written by someone who has learned the value of leveraging his time investment for greater success and productivity, the hard way. ¿¿¿¿ You can too! Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey, Author of "Running TOO Fast" and "Think Beyond the FIRST Sale"

I'm sure you'll find it profitable reading. Don't forget to take a break to recharge, refocus, and relax. Since your competition may not be as disciplined and may not be establishing systems or processes to encourage consistent growth and development, and you are - taking a few well deserved weeks off each year will work wonders. It's good for your brain, your body, and your sanity. It's a great way to reward yourself for a job well done each year. It's also good for your business and your creative process. Your ideas will percolate even better while on vacation. At least, that's my story. I also know that once you firmly embed the process of being on the look out for creative or innovative ways to grow your business to the next level, 'even' in tough times, you'll succeed. I want you to work 'less' and be more 'profitable', by working smarter with better systems in place. Most of my writing, live consulting, motivational speaking and training programs are predicated on this belief. Keep a continual focus on capturing or generating ideas. Then implement these new ideas, systems or processes on performance, thinking, sales, and marketing. This will allow you to expand and unleash your 'business' potential. Three 'key' ways to strategically increase your business: Increase the number of clients you attract to visit and retain to deal with you - recruitment and retention. Increase the average size of the sale for each client - up-sell! Increase the frequency or number of times each client returns and buys from you again - turnovers and repeat business! To fully Unleash Your 'Business' Potential, you need to create a process that allows you to explore and engage each of these three areas. Each area will have its own challenges and opportunities for innovation and success. Take time weekly, to review one of my idea nudges, and see if you can apply it in your situation. Perhaps something even more innovative will come to you? Act on it to sensitize your team in helping your clients and your business succeed. Encourage and reward innovation as a business-building tool!

Growing to the next level (using innovation) Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your ongoing career enhancement process. As well, for allowing me to play the role of creative 'nudge' as you explore ways to tap into your creativity and apply innovation in your day-to-day leadership and business roles. Is your organization stagnating? Are you finding it a challenge just to keep up with the regular demands made on your team? Are you being stretched financially? How do you keep growing? How do you remain competitive? Growing your people and enhancing their skills will result in growing your organization. Now there is a novel approach to success in business or any viable operation. Making innovation an integral embedded process may just be the answer. After all, you have a process for almost everything else, don't you? Prepare Yourself to WIN! by investing your time and resources in equipping your team to harness their creativity, to drive innovation, and to grow. Hands on Innovation (Pocket Wisdom for Innovators) seeks to challenge you to access your creativity, burst your 'locked in' business bubble and start applying 'systematic' innovation in your career and operations. When faced with a challenge or opportunity to grow ask yourself, "What can I...": Add? Shrink? Expand? Take away? Adapt? Modify? Substitute? Reverse? Put to another use? Perhaps these types of questions should be asked of every facet of your career path or operation with a focus on continually making improvement. Then take courage, step out, and make any necessary changes. It is when you see your Ideas At Work that you truly begin the innovation process. Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey

My purpose in creating this mini-motivational book is to provide you with a positive daily dose of motivation or food for thought. A thought which will help you focus your mind on the positive as well as on looking for new opportunities to grow, to hone your skills, gain expertise and be better equipped to serve and sell prospective customers. A thought which will remind you to leverage your efforts in building long-term mutually beneficial relationships which generate both profitable repeat business and qualified referrals. "At its essence, success in any selling field is a 'mental' game."Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey Study the top selling professionals who consistently make the most money; build the largest referral network; and generate the most repeat business; and you'll find they have conditioned their minds for success. Selling is a series of conversations working towards gaining acceptance or generating a 'YES!" from your prospective customer. Along the way you'll encounter a lot of 'NO's' and a bit of negativity as well. "The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination." Tommy Lasorda If you are committed to growing and succeeding in this highly competitive and changing arena, it is critical to condition yourself to remain positive and push through to win your customers commitment. You need to re-condition your mind for success.My commitment in creating 'Secret Selling Tips - Pocket Wisdom for Sales Professionals' is to help equip and motivate you to grow, make more money and succeed in the selling game. Bob 'Idea Man' HooeyCreator and guardian of The Secret Sales Tips

Each life a legacy - lead on purpose! Idea-rich strategies for 'serious' leaders "Our life and work are a portrait of who we are - autograph them both with style!" Anonymous The tapestry of our lives is inter-woven with the lives and enriched with the ideas of those we connect with daily. Whether we realize it or not, our life leaves a legacy. The stories of our leadership, and activities become a living legend. "People will talk about you - why not give them something positive to say?" Bob HooeyPeople we know, work, or live with, have a lasting impression based on their personal experience with us. Why is it then that we wait until they are gone or have moved on to acknowledge the important people in our life? Life is a continuous choice... choose wisely! I have lived in the country north-east of Edmonton, Alberta for 23 years now. It is a quiet, rustic, creative type of life; a place for me to write and prepare as I still travel to present around the world. Driving the rural roads, I see dilapidated, boarded-up buildings, vacant stores, gas stations, and shops that once housed thriving businesses, stores, entrepreneurial dreams that profitably served their communities and customers. I wonder, what happened? · Did the business thrive and move to a better location? Did they neglect their clients? Did the market leave them behind?· Did it miss the changes in client needs and slowly die? · Did their competition do a better job? · Did they fall behind in technology? Service? Products?· Did their clients desert them? What makes the difference? I see thriving, prosperous businesses, in attractive, well-lit buildings; well-stocked and open for business to profitably serve both their clients and their communities. What legacy is being told of you and your team every day? When you're done, what leadership legacy would you like to leave behind? What are they saying about you right now? What picture would you like your team, your clients, and the community to see and remember about your contributions and work? What would be the ultimate comment or testimonial on your life and contributions in pioneering and living life as an adventure? Why not leave a lasting legacy; a history of strong dynamic leadership that has contributed in a positive way? A legacy of leadership that has engaged, inspired, challenged, and cared for the many you led. Once we understand that we do leave a legacy of leadership behind, we can make a conscious choice to ensure it is a positive one. We can choose to invest our time, resources, and energies in those activities and organizations that create lasting value; as well as in the lives of those we love and respect. As 'serious' leaders we have that opportunity to invest in the lives and success of those we lead. This investment can leave a lasting legacy in their lives and the lives of those they touch.

"Effective writing communicates the message in a way that makes it easier for the reader to relate and react positively to what they (reader) understand. Effective writing is helped or enhanced by 'charting-a-course' to convey your message with impact." Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey (Think before you Ink!) Publishing a book can help you expand and enhance your business. It can help differentiate you from your competition! This can work in any industry! Perhaps you've been told you need to write a book; to create physical or online products. This, 'they' tell you, will help you succeed, make lots of money, and even make you famous. Perhaps? Perhaps NOT! We can help you explore whether this is a worthwhile investment of your time, expertise, and money. Ever dreamed of being a best-selling author? Well, first you must write the book! We can help with that, and maybe the best-selling part too. Depending on where you are in your writing journey you can have your new book published in as little as 30-90 days. Whether you are working on an article, a book, or creating one of a multitude of other Business Enhancement Success Tools (see Bob's BEST¿) starting with the right questions provides a solid foundation for your success. We want you to be inspired and educated so you can move forward with your publishing project and see it successfully brought into the world. We drew from those events in creating this little guidebook, just for you!Some areas to consider as you begin the writing process (consulting/coaching is available) 1. Selecting the best topic or theme to write about for a book. What do you 'actually' know and love? Why not ask Canada's Ideaman for help in creating this for your work? 2. Creating an 'effective' title and tag line or sub-title. Taglines are sometimes even more important than a title. (See How to craft effective book titles and subtitles) 3. Getting the help, you 'need' to bring your book into reality: editors, proofreaders, graphic artists, etc. Ask Irene! 4. What to say about yourself - creating effective author bio's: Strategic sizzle sells. 5. Getting forewords, endorsements, reviews, and testimonials and why you need them. Endorsements are valuable! 6. Marketing your book online, choosing keywords that help you get noticed. Getting your friends to help create excitement and buzz. Returning the favour! We can even assist you in creating a customized webpage to showcase and sell your book. Again, Ask Irene! 7. Starting with the creative add-on business/product spin offs in mind - think in advance about other products that can be built around or from your book. 8. Why you should consider doing an e-pub, Smashwords, and kindle version as well as a print version at the same time. 9. Launching successfully - tips and techniques, and detours (leverage our experience and expertise). 10. How to run a best seller campaign - with a little help from your friends.

A word as we begin our journey together "Sales can be a tough and sometimes complex, challenging, and confusing profession. It can also be fun!" As a top performing professional salesperson, you need to identify individuals and organizations which you think may be interested in your product or service. You approach people who may or may not want to talk to you. When the opportunity to meet with a prospective client arises, you need to convince them that your product or service is better and/or more cost effective than your competitors! You work diligently to build relationships. You may even close the sale! That is just the beginning of the sales journey! Then, you work hard to keep your clients satisfied. You strive to earn their trust and secure their consideration of you for future or repeat sales. The rewards, both financial and professional, are tremendous. As tough as the sales profession is, there are ways to improve your chances of long-term success. The overall sales process can be broken down into manageable and measurable steps. Understanding each of these steps and following them can help you realize the maximum benefits from your sales efforts. We are confident that, by the end of this mini-sales success workbook, you will have had the opportunity to access a substantial amount of information to help make you a better, more confident sales professional who knows how to 'Create Repeat Buyers'. Notice we call it a workbook because we challenge you to do the homework.

I hear and I forget,I see and I remember,I do and I understand! Confucius These wise words were written thousands of years ago and yet they ring just as true in our 21st century lives and evolving business endeavors. We best equip those we lead with use-it-now information, practical tools, and applicable actions. We equip them best when we facilitate them in getting their hands dirty or in actually getting up and using what we provide. For example: In our presentation skills training or executive speech coaching programs, the quicker we get our students or clients up speaking, the better they learn and accelerate their learning curve. Consider the hundreds of thousands of Toastmasters around the world who nervously start speaking and find that their confidence and competence increases in direct relation to how often they are in front of an audience and in how well they apply the feedback received. Becoming an effective presenter is not learned exclusively from a book or by observing others in action. It is essentially a learn-as-you-do project. Kind of like life! ¿¿¿¿ My challenge for you is to revisit what you are doing for your own learning curve, as well as those you work with. See where you can adapt it to add more hands-on experience. How can you make it more experiential to anchor the learning and enhance the skill?

Dedicated to our 'Clients', who may choose, at times, to be our 'Customers' As you dip into 'SERVE!' you might notice we have used the word 'client' sprinkled throughout this publication on Idea-rich strategies for enhanced customer service; in some cases, using both 'client/customer'. This is a deliberate choice in our vocabulary and a foundational change in mindset we feel necessary to help you enhance your chances of attracting and retaining customers who will become your biggest fans and champions (ie, clients). Business success is built on establishing mutually profitable relationships; relationships where you make the customer (client) feel special. Their secret is in how they 'visualize' and more effectively approach everyone, which results in higher levels of success with their prospective clients. · They 'see' clients vs. customers walk into their locations and act accordingly. · They 'see' clients when they pick up the phone or walk into an office or boardroom.· They 'see' clients when there is a concern or something that needs to be fixed or replaced. They act with a long-term view.· They 'see' clients who gladly become raving fans and champions for them. Take a moment and reflect on the underlying 'differences' in the meanings of these two words. The way a person who does business with you can be approached and treated will directly impact your results. In the past, you may have referred to them as customers. Please think of them as long-term clients! When you 'Make ME Feel Special!' you enhance your chances of converting 'me' from a one-time customer to a long-term raving client and champion. Client vs. Customer: Aren't they really the same thing? Webster's defines these seemingly interchangeable words · Customer: one that purchases a 'commodity' or service · Client: one that is 'under-the-protection' of another; a person who engages the professional advice or services of another Ever wondered why the top performing business owners and sales superstars sell so much better and make so much more money than their counterparts? Plus, they seem to do it much easier, too.

TIME!Idea-rich tips for enhanced performance and productivity We live in an increasingly hectic and demanding world. The demands of running a business or having a career, overlap and conflict with the demands of having a life, being a spouse or parent, and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Many of us are already running as fast as we can - and we're not keeping up. If you are like me, you may occasionally find yourself with too much on your already 'full' plate. You've said 'YES' a few too many times without fully counting the cost or realistically estimating the time needed to do what you've just promised. Whew! Over the past 25 plus years, I have had the privilege of investing my time and leveraging my 'Ideas At Work!' with a wide range of people across the globe. I've worked with front line staff, service people, professional service providers and salespeople, professional association members, leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers. I hear leaders and their teams telling me, "...life is good; but, out of control, over-committed, and with a blurring lack of focus on the important things and people in their lives." TIME! was designed for those who are "Running TOO FAST!" It is written by someone who has learned the value of leveraging his investment of 'TIME!' for greater success and productivity. You can too!

"Leadership," says Peter Drucker, "is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, raising a person's performance to a higher standard, and building a personality beyond its normal limitations." The foundations of successful, effective leadership start with each person taking personal responsibility for their own actions as part of a group, while feeling confident enough to suggest and accept revisions in team goals and performance. The foundations of long-term, profitable growth and success are built on CREATIVE personal and corporate leadership. Someone once said, "The best way to predict YOUR future is to create it!" Why not lead it! You might be asking, "What does leadership have to do with vision or creativity?" Quite frankly, everything! Our customized leadership program, Prepare Yourself to WIN! -- is all about honing your skills as a creative leader and teaching those skills to your team so they succeed or win. Visit www.BobHooey.training or more details and program information on how you can engage the creative mind of Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey to help your team win and create the future they want. To survive and thrive in this global competition, we need to successfully learn new styles of applied problem-solving, and innovation.We must be willing to take personal leadership in using them in our own activities, and in the creative interaction with our fellow workers, our teams, our suppliers, and our clients. Consistent use and improvement sharpen your creative leadership skills. "Management is doing things right; Leadership is doing the right things." Peter Drucker Our goal, as leading edge creative leaders, is effectively handling opportunities for growth, as well as problems, challenges, and mistakes. It is being able to cut through to the root causes, mining deep, and developing real solutions to put into action in conjunction with our various teams. It is also providing solid, visionary leadership at the senior level, which inspires those who follow you. My objective in this book (as in all my leadership, business and career development publications) is to assist you in acquiring some new creative leadership skills, problem solving models, and to introduce creativity tools that will help you in your personal life, career, and interaction with your clients, staff, and co-workers. To help you creatively grow your skills and to succeed! We also include problem-solving processes to creatively outline solutions -- workable solutions -- solutions than can be implemented tomorrow morning. I trust you will discover new approaches to the problems you may encounter.

Welcome fellow leaders! Welcome to the never-ending journey of an evolving career and management focus on personal leadership development and coaching. A striking change in global perspective has placed a new focus and pressure on finding and applying more productive uses of your assets and updating your team members' skills to compete successfully. Taking personal leadership in your own career growth and success is worth the investment. This is where you apply leverage to dynamically succeed! Too many leaders are blind to the opportunities and responsibilities of creating and nurturing those who would follow them. Too many miss the opportunity (are blind) to play an active part in the selection, growth, and success of those who would succeed them; those who would help them succeed as leaders. "Avoid being the blind leading the blind ... leave behind a 'Legacy of Leadership'." Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey Leadership can be a lonely and frustrating road to walk. There will be times when you wonder if it is worth the effort. I know I have! 'LEAD! - 12 idea-rich leadership success strategies' is my small contribution to helping you work through the frustrations, challenges, and lessons; to see your efforts bear positive fruit. Being a persuasive and effective leader is a lifetime commitment and we need you. LEAD! was written to share a few ideas, tips, and techniques we felt would be helpful in your quest for leadership significance.In recent history, workplace coaching has taken on a new, more effective focus. Leading edge employees, managers, and successful executives have experienced positive results from enlisting the help of a leadership coach to help them improve in specific areas or to achieve specific goals. Striving for significance as a leader follows this path. People have been going outside the typical corporate arena and enlisting or recruiting personal or leadership coaches. They want to change, to improve their performance, and to enhance their ability to win! Strive for significance - lead on purpose! Many world leaders, executives, and innovative managers have also seen the wisdom and a positive return on their investment of time and resources in training and coaching their employees and future leaders for optimal results. Things are changing in the boardrooms, factories, and on the sales floors of businesses across North America and the globe. Are you? Leaders are changing as well, with more women taking on important leadership roles and proving themselves worthy as they inspire other women to follow their lead. Bravo!People generally experience problems and challenges in their performance for four major reasons: Poor or inadequate training Inadequate equipment or support servicesTime constraints and poor time management Motivation Unfortunately, many of these reasons can be traced back to poor or uninspired leadership.

The early years... 1998-2009A Tip of the Hat collection - 2 volume series - excerpts from 22-years of writing, thoughts and musings from Canada's Idea Man, Bob Hooey For 22 plus years I have wracked my brain to find something informative, provocative, or at least entertaining to share with my readers, clients, and subscribers. We even did an Ideas At Work! newsletter every month for 10 solid years. In creating this book (two volumes) I decided to go though all those posts and articles and share a few that I felt might be of value to you. Enjoy! The Global Speakers Summit foundation event was held in 2013 in Vancouver, BC. It was called, The Music, The Magic, and The Message. Our purpose was to continue supporting our CAPS Foundation as well as help start foundations in some of our other Global Speakers Federation member organizations. We were successful on both objectives. This was my final event as a member of our CAPS Foundation Board where I had served for the previous 5-years. I worked with my fellow board members to take us from an idea to a functioning foundation able to assist our speakers, should they need help. When this project started, I didn't realize how much I had written over the years and ended up splitting the volume into two volumes. 1) The early years (1998-2009) and 2) The saga continues (2010-2019) and, who knows, perhaps there will be further volumes and maybe one final one called The last years. ¿¿¿¿ I trust you will be able to find something in this smorgasbord of ponderings. I've collected them by year and picked some of the better ones. Some ideas, some good news, some travel adventures... all in one place. A Tip of the Hat - enjoy! Bob 'Idea Man' HooeyAuthor, speaker, serial adventurer

2010: Something new "Today, I will experience something new. I will learn from the world around me: from the words I read, the sounds I hear, the touches I feel, and the faces I see. Even through the course of my daily tasks, I will try to search for a new perspective, lean towards understanding, and make the commonplace a wondrous place to be." Susan Polis Schutz Think about the past year... · Looking back over the past year, what have you learned, what have you done? · What is different in your life based on your 'on-the-go' education and experience path? · Are you better equipped to lead, love, learn, or serve than you were a year ago?· What successes have you experienced and who shared in helping you achieve them?· Is there something that you wanted to do and for some reason didn't get it started or completed? Our life is made up of interactive experiences. Each April (my personal New Year), I take a short planning break and ask probing questions like these. My life's goal and intent are to live my life to make a leveraged difference in the world. I take time to revisit my dreams and see how I have done building solid foundations for success under those sky condominiums (castles). I also know that what gets measured gets rewarded and can be adjusted for finer focus. It works well for me and has helped me keep focused along the way to deal with challenges as I sought to successfully learn and enhance my life. If you, like me, have found a missing piece or two in the last year, be of good cheer and resolve to move ahead on it today. Life is too short to live in regret. Live forward! "It is never too late to be what you might have been." George EliotHere are a few suggestions to help maintain an attitude of constant learning:· Take a class at the local college, continuing education, or community center. · Join Toastmasters and work on becoming a better leader and communicator. · Explore that hobby you've found intriguing. · Start a journal, begin a blog, sign up for Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. · Take up a sport. It's a great way to meet interesting people. · Explore your own city or town as though you were visiting for the first time. · Resolve to read selectively and strategically to advance your career. Commit to finding and reading one book a month that will serve this quest. I know when you come home after a long and sometimes challenging day this might not sound like fun to you. However, your energies can be replenished and enhanced when your mind is actively engaged in something that challenges and inspires you. I challenge you to invest time thinking, reflecting, dreaming, scheming, planning, or just plain working on your future. It will bring dividends beyond your wildest dreams. Let me leave you with one more thought from Vincent Arcoleo: "Life can be so hectic, leaving you with little choice but to be swept up in the hustle and bustle that each day brings. Make today special. Slow down for awhile, maybe even stop time... forget your responsibilities and concentrate on your dreams."

Pivot (noun) A fixed point supporting something which turns or balances or a thing on which something else depends... (American Dictionary) Pivot (verb): to change your opinions, statements, decisions, etc., so that they are different to what they were before: (Cambridge Dictionary) This word, pivot, was around long before COVID-19 hit; but it certainly found more wide-spread acceptance and its use expanded once we were locked down. We are not certain of when it became a world pandemic, and frankly that doesn't matter. It is and it has impacted us tremendously. As I write and edit contributions for this latest book, we are still in a world-wide COVID-19 pandemic. Cities, states, and countries are in lockdown around the globe. Businesses are closed and workers are sitting at home, worried and waiting for it to work its way out (we hope!). Second waves are now hitting. Governments are playing catch up, most having been caught totally unprepared, flat-footed, to lead and to cope with this global emergency. By the time it has worked its way out, millions will die. Not a fun scene, by any means. Also important in this crisis are the long-range economic impacts of that shut down. No travel, little manufacturing, only essential businesses remain open (like groceries, pharmacies, hardware stores, etc.) This is a serious challenge for those of us in business if we want to survive and stay in business over the long-haul. And, we now have the time to work on it! Disruption has changed our lives, both personal and corporate, as we know them! Overnight, businesses have shuttered their doors, laid off their staff, and turned off their lights. Overnight, businesses have had to pivot to survive.Overnight, many workers and leaders have been thrust into the digital, virtually interconnected world. Working from home, in physical isolation, became our new norm. How will we adapt and deal with this new global challenge? The results are yet to be written and evaluated. But it is an exciting time too. Quite simply, we don't know yet. We are making it up as we go along, feeling our way, one day at a time in totally unchartered territories. Some of us had already started down this virtual path of digital connection, collaboration, and creation. For others, just thrust into this digitally changing world, the results remain to be seen. More than ever, we need to work together to find our way in this confusing new world. Suddenly being able to communicate, connect, and even conduct business in a virtual environment has become exceedingly important, even critical. We have had to mentally pivot to explore new ways to do all these important actions. I admit, I was a bit depressed when international engagements keep being postponed, canceled, or moved on-line. I had to get my mindset in adjustment that 'even though I was not able to travel, my ideas could', and they have. Like many of my speaking and training colleagues, I am exploring different ways to continue to deliver solid value to my clients - digital ways to connect, educate, and engage. My commitment to help my clients is as strong as ever, stronger, just the delivery methods have changed. This is a very real challenge for our business owners, sales professionals, and many who were sent home, or are now working from home face every day. Many are looking at making a pivot to a new job or career as their previous one evaporated and will most likely not return, even when COVID-19 is under control.

"All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which is high, one which sometimes seemed impossible..." Orison Swett Marden Tired of sitting through ineffective, ill prepared, poorly led, and BORING meetings? Perhaps you find yourself taking the lead in a meeting or conference. Maximize your meetings and personal effectiveness by pre-planning and streamlining agendas. In this book, we will take the time to discuss what makes a good meeting, training session or conference, and what characteristics you need to be an effective meeting planner or chairman. We will touch on some of the basics of good planning and parliamentary procedure. Further we will explore how to set up and conduct productive meetings by pre-planning and asking the right questions. "Nothing gives a person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances." Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson might have been writing about how to be an effective chairman. With his hand in the drafting and signing of the document that has defined our neighbor to the south he certainly understood what it took to wade through the differences of opinion, style, and personal agendas to get the job done. And so will you after you have completed this book. I have drawn from personal and professional experience in attending, participating; and leading business, association board meetings and AGMs, as well as conducting, planning, and leading conferences and convention planning teams across North America. I have used my platform experience of working with meeting planners on 6 continents as a speaker, facilitator, emcee, panel host and panelist, and as corporate and association trainer and breakout seminar leader. I share with you some of the fruits and lessons of those labors, in hopes, that I may give you a foundation upon which to see SUCCESSFUL, MAXIMIZED MEETINGS, because of yours. There are many factors that influence and impact the success of any venture. Hosting a successful meeting, training session, or conference takes planning, people, and performance. If you invest the time in reading and applying what I have shared here, your event will be more successful. You may not meet 100% Satisfaction (few meetings do so), but you will go a long way in creating and delivering an event that meets or exceeds the needs of those who attend. This publication is derived from nearly 30 years in the meetings industry as a speaker, presenter, board member, conference chair, organizing or committee chair roles. I've kept it simple, so it is relatively easy to understand and apply.

A wise man once told me, "My ability to earn would be directly dependent on my ability to 'creatively' solve client problems and to help people make better decisions." I've taken his words to heart and worked diligently to make in my writing and client engagements! As committed business owners and professionals, we are paid for our ability to creatively solve our client's problems by providing services or products. As innovative leaders, managers, owners, sales professionals, or even association executives, 'creativity' and/or innovation is our stock-in-trade as we serve and solve our numerous client and membership needs. The tools, tips, and techniques shared in 'CREATE!' and my 'Why Didn't I THINK of That?' can be applied in at least three directions: · Problem-solving and decision making· Strategic planning for business and career enhancement· Tapping your inner genius or Creative S.O.U.L. It has been my experience that the 'tools', tips, tid-bits, and techniques in this little guidebook will help you in the process of defining the direction and outlining the creative process you need to 'successfully' reach the goals you set for yourself and your respective teams. These creativity tools are 'essential' in helping you birth your dreams or in solving perplexing problems for your clients/customers and/or members you encounter. They can better help you form, train, and lead your teams. We created this min-edition with a focus to help fellow leaders blend creativity into their leadership styles; and to assist business owners and managers blend creativity into better attracting and serving their prospective clients and leading their teams. Enjoy!

Why is it some people seem to be more creative than others? Why is it some companies seem to be leading on the creative edge? Creativity Counts in long-term career and business success! You make your mark and your living by creating solutions and even new industries to better serve the needs of your prospective clients. This little book can act as your creativity primer in giving you solid idea-rich strategies and practical tips. You can be more successful and competitive in today's challenging market.

Having the courage to lead is the starting point to upward mobility and success. Acting on it is next! Welcome to the journey of an evolving career and management focus on personal leadership and engaged coaching. Change in global perspective has placed a new focus and pressure on finding and applying more productive uses of our assets and updating our employees' skills to compete successfully. Taking personal leadership in your own career growth and success is worth the investment. This is where you apply 'leverage' to dynamically succeed!

Effective leadership is a commitment to interaction and connection with people, some of whom are difficult to deal with on occasion.One thing I have learned over many years, in a variety of leadership and team roles, is conflict naturally happens when people come together. Conflict results when people with varying viewpoints, cultures, experiences and agendas attempt to connect or co-operate in a relationship, a venture or even a common cause of great importance. CONFLICT is simply a bi-product of the interaction and connection between people. Handling it effectively is a part of the leadership process! Resolve to be an 'effective' leader and welcome 'creative conflict' as an opportunity to help your team grow and succeed. Canada's Ideaman, Bob Hooey, partners with committed leaders and organizations to equip and motivate for profitable grown and enhanced success. He teaches secrets of idea-rich business and leadership development built on solid foundations and taking strategic action.He is the prolific author of 33 business and leadership success books and travels the world sharing his innovative Ideas At Work! Creative Conflict Idea-rich leadership strategies for team success.