By Erica Christoffer, Multimedia Web Producer, REALTOR® Magazine
Chances are good in today’s economic environment that you’re working harder for less. Companies have cut back on jobs and unemployment remains high.
According to author and Africa-native Stefan Swanepoel, surviving these tough times requires us to rely on our innate skills. He urges workers in all fields, including real estate, to develop our individual natural talents while also surrounding ourselves with people whose skills complement our own.
In his new book, SURVIVING YOUR SERENGETI: 7 Skills to Master Business and Life (Wiley; March 1, 2011), Swanepoel brings together his firsthand knowledge of life in the Serengeti plains of East Africa and the world of business, drawing parallels that bring insight for those trying to survive in today’s difficult economy.
The book is a business fable in which Swanepoel offers a tale of life in the Serengeti and what lessons it holds for today’s beleaguered workforce.
Surviving Your Serengeti follows the story of corporate executive Sean Spencer as he embarks on a three-day visit to Africa. Without cell phone coverage or any other form of technology to keep him wired in, Sean is forced to disconnect from the worries of his troubled business thousands of miles away, and instead, he becomes engrossed in the animals that rule this untamed land and the wisdom the Serengeti has to offer.
For 1.5 million wildebeest of Africa, their Serengeti is a 1,000-mile-long migration, filled with hunger, thirst, predators, and exhaustion. The journey is impressive, dangerous and so incomparably massive that it is often considered the number one natural wonder of the world. The migration offers us a unique window to the very essence of life itself, wherein we observe the seven primal skills necessary to survive the grueling migration – the same skills we instinctively turn to in order cope with and survive challenges in business and in life.
Watch and listen as Swanepoel talks about the inspiration for his book, and how these seven animals’ skill sets can help you hone your own entrepreneurial powers.
“While the challenges faced by those that live and die on the Serengeti plains are certainly in a different realm than ours,” writes Swanepoel. “The seven skills that the animals use to overcome their harsh conditions can help us rise above our own adversities and live a better life.” Continue reading »
Here are the current best-selling marketing and sales books from Amazon.com:
1. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh
3. (E-book) The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
4. Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions by Guy Kawasaki
5. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Collins Business Essentials) by Robert B. Cialdini
6. Strengths Based Selling: Based on Decades of Gallup’s Research into High-Performing Salespeople by Tony Rutigliano, Brian Brim
7. The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue by Shama Kabani, Chris Brogan
8. Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely
9. Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (New Rules Social Media Series) by Ann Handley, C.C. Chapman, (forward by David Meerman Scott)
10. The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, 2nd Edition by David Meerman Scott
Don’t fear the online critics. Embrace them with positivity, truth, and know-how. Look at Internet and social network interactions as an opportunity for your real estate business to shine – even if it’s faced with adversity. Let Wild West 2.0: How to Protect and Restore Your Reputation on the Untamed Social Frontier (Amacom, June 2010) be your guide. Authored by Michael Fertik, and online reputation management expert, and David Thompson, a lawyer who specializes in Internet technology, the book lays out methods for being proactive online, identifying the original source of negative content, and building a plan to produce positive and neutral content about you and your company.
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
Imagine a place where anonymous vandals can spray repugnant graffiti about you or your business without any consequence. They may call you a criminal, accuse your business of fraud, or reveal your most personal secrets. And this graffiti is viewed not only by a handful of passersby—instead, it is spread worldwide and instantly broadcast to anyone who looks for information about you. You can’t remove the smear, and copies of it are permanently saved around the world.
Sound frightening? You don’t have to imagine this scenario. It happens every day on the Internet. The victims are innocent people—parents, teachers, students, managers, workers, craftsmen, business owners, and more. Real personal reputations are being trashed with just a few mouse clicks, real businesses are losing thousands of customers due to false reports online, and real relationships are being destroyed by anonymous gossip.
Welcome to the New Digital Frontier Continue reading »
By Erica Christoffer, Multimedia Web Producer, REALTOR® Magazine
It’s everything you’d ever want in a business: a high quality work environment that attracts and retains talented employees while delivering top-of-the-line customer service and a great product. But how is it accomplished?
Author Ann Rhoades, president of People Ink, has worked with corporations such as Southwest Airlines and Doubletree Hotels to develop their values-based mantra and culture. She reveals what it takes to create such an enterprise in her book, Built on Values: Creating an Enviable Culture that Outperforms the Competition (Jossey-Bass, January 2011).
Her strategy begins with the creation of a “values blueprint” – a summary document that clearly outlines the essential values and behaviors of a business or organization. “Just as you would not build a house working off only an image in your head, you cannot build a lasting culture without a written blueprint,” she says.
Rhoades explains how to create a “values blueprint” in her book, and how to get employees on board. For a real estate broker, it might mean finding sales agents for your team who display the same company values. “Just because someone is skilled and experienced does not mean they are right for your organization,” she writes. Rhoades suggests assembling an interview team, which can also help reduce turnover.
Broker-owners should keep in mind their role in company culture. It’s essential to reward employees and provide effective and valuable leadership communication. Rhoades emphasizes the importance of mirroring the values of your company and finding new ways to connect with people to build trust. Also remember, trust develops through communication of both the positives and the negatives – with your team and your clients.
SNEAK PEEK:
[Excerpt from chapter one] Drivers of Performance Continue reading »
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