I failed miserably, but I will keep pursuing the goal

8 years ago, I received a promotion as a Sales Manager.  At that time, I was really growing and learning a lot.  I was also still under thirty.  So in my brilliance and sophistication I started keeping a journal (that’s what I would call it today) but then it was a WORD document.  All it really was at that time was phrases regarding leadership that I liked, or things that I learned by making mistakes, or things I didn’t want to forget, etc.  It could have been the way I handled a situation that worked out well or it could be a process that I learned that I wanted to document.  It became about a 10 page document comprised of bullet points. 

I started telling myself that I would turn those bullet points into a book titled “The Top 30 Things I learned as a Sales Manager before 30.” It would be targeted for a young sales manager.  Well, that never happened.  However around 30 years old, I did make some more progress.  I created another word document that took the information from the 10 page document paired down to 30 bullet points that was more title format of those things that I learned and liked.  I didn’t get the book done by 30 either.  So then I started thinking I would change the book title to 35 things. I had to do something, I was getting older and I liked the title so much. (LOL)  I thought at that time, that is way too many chapters and I didn’t know if I could write that much (I was defeated before I started in a sense). Oh by the way, I attempted to do that book of 35, but I could only come up with 31 as the list below shows.  But I started writing some chapters about 4 years ago and stopped, and then I started again about 2 years ago and stopped. Now I am 35, and the book still isn’t finished, but it is on the goal list for 2014. 

So over the next few months I will be posting some of the chapters that I have written and will be trying to write more chapters.  I am desirous of being a top trainer, speaker, and executive.  I know I will never get there, but I will pursue those goals daily.  By writing, I become better at all three of those things.  Along the way I would appreciate any feedback or additional insights you may have.

I am sure some of these chapters sound familiar and have been written about before, but this book will be my story and my examples and they are unique.  It is really cool as I read each chapter title below and reflect on my reasons for having that title.  They truly are just examples of lessons that I had to learn on my own and learn from. As I look at them again, I see a lot of duplication as well. Oh well, its my list. 

1. Cant, wont, don’t know how
2. Not everyone is motivated the same way
3. You have been put there for a reason
4. Confidence is king
5. Leading people that have more experience than you
6. Set the pace (Run faster than everyone else)
7. Personal and Professional growth is key
8. Don’t forget to have a little tact
9. Keep a finger on the pulse of your industry
10. You will inherit people.  Find out who is bought in and cut the rest
11. Charisma is good but competence is better
12. Hire Slowly and Fire quickly
13. Hire people who are smarter than you
14. Remember Management and Leadership is not a popularity contest
15. Inspect what you expect
16. Don’t Manage people, lead people, manage a process
17. Seek to understand before trying to be understood
18. Create an accountability system to manage results
19. Results only work environment
20. Provide Training
21. Over-Communicate
22. Celebrate often
23. Motivation is short lived, inspiring people is long-term
24. Coach up or coach out
25. Spend time with people
26. Be yourself
27. Praise in public, and criticize in private
28. Lead up
29. Set High Expectations
30. Don’t forget where you came from. 
31. Take the Temperature