ALS Consulting

Despite what your parents may have told you once upon a time to make you feel better, it is not the thought (alone) that counts- or your feelings, or “intentions” or anything else, but action itself. The only thing that really counts, the thing that really makes an impact in the world, is action. Your results are a direct function of your actions, and the state of what you have and don’t have is a result of what you’ve done and not done. It is simple and inescapable logic. Action matters.

In fact, it is the only thing that matters. The refrain of “it doesn’t matter anyway”, whether pertaining to a specific action or to life in general, is just not true- and yet seems to be a chronic and costly mistake in judgment. If you hear yourself say it, whether aloud or to yourself, know that you’re fooling yourself. And that pretense has far-reaching consequences.

Read More »Busting a Performance-Killing Myth: “It doesn’t matter anyway”

Chapter 1

Overview:

• Identify the Outcome

• Build the right team

• Schedule Everything

• Honor your word

• Celebrate your success

Read More »Get It Done: How To Manage Any Project To Completion (in under 200 words)

“Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’.” -Yoda

In the world of performance, the world of action, the world of results, something either gets done or it doesn’t. When it all boils down, whether you “did your best” or not, no matter how hard you “tried”, even if you did everything you knew to do, you either did it or not.

The key here is the mindset- the approach you take in the first place, and the way you relate to your end results.

Read More »Busting a Performance-Killing Myth: “I’ll Do My Best”

“I’ll do that later.” No, you won’t. Really. After all, how many times have you said “I’ll do ___ later”, only to not do it at all? Whether you kept putting it off, forgot or otherwise- what matters is that… Read More »Busting a Performance-Killing Myth: “I’ll Do It Later”

In previous articles, I’ve mentioned the importance of helping others as a significant part of your networking efforts.  Many people have trouble with this and feel that the only way to help somebody is to provide them with a new client or prospect.  And, they are uncomfortable providing a referral to people they may not know that well.  

Here are some ideas to keep in mind for helping people you meet when you want to begin a new collaborative relationship.

Read More »Helping Others

I recently returned from a business trip to India and I am deeply moved by what I have seen of the people and what I see as the future of that nation.  I am also inspired to look at the America I know, and to offer my thoughts about what it is we have to learn from what is happening over there.  I am clear that at least once in American history, we were a nation much like they are now: proud to be who we are, anxious for the opportunity to learn more and to work harder and willing to do what it takes.  We were a nation where innovation was the rule and created new opportunities constantly.  

From the people I met in India I regained a connection to what it takes to become a great nation, a global leader. None of this is intended to exalt India or its people as if they have no problems, nor is it intended to put down the US, but to offer a critical look at the patterns of thought and behavior that have move people, organizations, nations forward and some that don’t.

Read More »ALS On The Road: The People of India

In previous articles, I’ve discussed the steps required to cultivate a good relationship with a center of influence (COI).  Probably one of hardest aspects of this relationship building is keeping in touch and staying on the forefront of your colleagues’ minds. It can be a daunting task to keep in touch with many centers of influence.

The key to accomplishing this is being very organized and finding opportunities for many “little touches” throughout the month that benefit your COI’s.  

Read More »Don’t You Forget About Me

For this month, I am simply going to start a thread.  I am currently in India working with an amazing company called Seed Infotech.  I have only been here about 24 hours but would like to share some of what I have noticed, and invite you to take a look at something for yourself.

Read More »ALS On The Road: India

One of the biggest challenges people face in “networking” is finding the right people to network with on a long term basis.   You have to figure out if the people you are meeting are going to be good networking connections or bad ones.  This is the Filtering process.  It should be embraced, rather than feared and avoided.  The following are two very typical  problems people have, and the solutions to avoiding and navigating them.

Read More »Networking 201: Filtering