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"Wisdom is knowing I am nothing,
Love is knowing I am everything,
and between the two my life moves."
Nisargadatta Maharaj

From the fourth perspective, you look at the world through the mind; from the fifth perspective, you look at the world through the heart. In the fourth perspective you identify with no one; in the fifth perspective, you identify with everyone. The fourth perspective is wisdom; the fifth perspective is compassion. In the fourth perspective you are no one to become everyone; in the fifth perspective, you are the only One.

In the fourth perspective you have no desire; in the fifth perspective, you want the best for everyone. From the fifth perspective, you see what is on its way towards becoming the best it could be. Furthermore, your intention is to help everyone grow and be happy.

Of course, you don't know for sure what could be the best path, but you trust your intuitive loving-kindness to guide you. You believe that if you relax and open your heart with benevolence you will discover opportunities to make things better. Perhaps you won't find the best resolution, but it will surely be a better resolution than the one you would have found without including this fifth perspective.

In the following video, I explain more about the fifth perspective and how to use it to complement the other four.

10.6 What Would A Bodhisattva Do? from Fred Kofman

Should you have any trouble viewing the video please click here to view on Fred's slideshare page

Readers: Consider a challenging situation in which you are involved as if it were a play. If you were a wise and compassionate screenwriter, how would you make it end so that everybody grows?

Fred Kofman is Vice President at Linkedin. This post is part 10.6 of Linkedin's Conscious Business Program. To find the introduction and full structure of this program visit Conscious Business Academy. To stay connected and get updates please and join our Conscious Business Friends group. Follow Fred Kofman on LinkedIn here.

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"The heart has reasons that reason knows nothing about." -- Pascal

You can't be rational if you are too emotional. But you can't be rational if you are not emotional.

When you are too emotional, you don't want to do what you know is best. Think of times you've succumbed to temptation and, against your better judgment, ate the cookie, had the drink, smoked the cigarette.

When you are too emotional, you don't want to use the techniques you know will make things better. Good intentions go out the window -- and so do the concepts and tools of the last 60 posts.

That's what makes this material simple, yet difficult. And what makes so many smart people act dumb. Intellectual understanding is worthless if your emotions block you from using it.

Repression is much easier that integration. It's tempting to suppress your emotions in the hopes that you can act with cool rationality. But there is no rationality without "emotionality".

The Heart of Reason

You may believe emotions stand in opposition to rational thought, but scientific evidence suggests the opposite is true. It is impossible to be rational without being emotional. While emotions can overwhelm rationality, rationality cannot exist without emotions.

The neurobiologist Francisco Damasio points out that rationality depends upon a deeper system of regulation that consists largely of emotions and feelings. Emotion can disrupt reasoning in certain circumstances, but without emotion there is no reasoning at all. "Traditional cognitive models don't understand that reduction in emotion may constitute an equally important source of irrational behavior," Damasio claims.

Damasio had a patient named Elliot who was a successful businessman. Elliot was diagnosed with a small brain tumor. During the operation, the neurosurgeon removed the tumor but accidentally cut the connection between the frontal lobe (center for thought) and the cerebral amygdala (center for emotions). When he recovered, Elliot had changed. When Elliot recalled tragedies of his life, he spoke with a coldness and detachment incompatible with the severity of the events. He spoke as if he was a spectator instead of a participant. Damasio concluded that the operation had separated Elliot from his emotions. He could think, but he couldn't feel.

Elliot retained his intelligence, but he had become completely inept at his work. Without his emotions, he couldn't make any decisions. Damasio asked Elliot to pick a time for the next interview. Elliot responded with a long explanation about the pros and cons of various times, but couldn't choose one. He simply didn't have a preference. The rational center of the mind can generate a series of alternatives and arguments, but decisions require an additional faculty. The mind needs to evaluate the emotional weight of each option and choose by way of feeling.

Unconscious feeling, on the other hand, can overwhelm your decision process. Appropriate decisions require a state of relaxed awareness, a state is difficult to attain without training in mindfulness.

In the following video, you can see how it is difficult to be rational if you're too emotional, but it is impossible to be rational if you are not emotional.

11.1 You Can't Be Rational If You Are Not Emotional from Fred Kofman

Should you have any trouble viewing the video please click here to view on Fred's slideshare page.

Readers: Are there situations where you can recognize your rationality related to your emotions?

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Do you work too hard?

Or rather...

Are you feeling that if you don't work 24/7, you won't get ahead?

Have you ever questioned the effort you put into things... wondering if it was really worth it, or worse, wondering why it seemed there was so much swirling and duplication? And then nothing?

How about this scenario - the fear of putting down your device - no matter where you are or what you are doing - just in case... just in case... and then nothing?

What about feeling that you have to compromise personal values?

Do you ever worry that once-in-a-lifetime events are passing you by?

Bad news? It's a bummer.

Good news? Join the club - you aren't alone and companies in every segment, from banking to manufacturing and every service in between, are beginning to feel the pressure to relieve some of the pressure.

Let's be clear - there is no entitlement, and working hard putting in extra hours, paying more attention than average, being more competitive do help you stand out... and in a wildly driven work world do - not just can - make a difference.

But let's also be clear that you can make yourself stand out, create true differentiation for your talents and abilities and drive success - by being all of the above without being a bloodthirsty cutthroat.

Look at all the publicity that Amazon got on the downside - just a few months ago and then on the upside recently.

Look at Sheryl Sandberg and Carolyn Everson at Facebook if you ever want to really understand life-work balance, and Marissa Mayer from Yahoo who took body blows on the subject.

Read about the best places to work... see if they stack up with your own experience and if you can learn from them... and apply those learnings to your own life and situation.

And then there are the worst places to work - documented and ranked (what isn't) - where your best intentions will not matter much, as the toxicity of the workplace is such that it will grind you down or turn you evil. I'm being melodramatic for effect but learn from them just the same.

Personally, I struggle with all this daily.

I have one advantage in that I am 24/6, not 7 - as I have written about before - and, frankly, unplugging from the grid and grind helps me connect and reconnect with family, with friends and, as importantly, with myself.

But that in and of itself is just not enough.

What about the rest of the week?

Am I paying enough positive attention to everyone around me?

Am I setting an example of how to balance life and work?

Am I able to be aggressive enough in business without crossing the "tool" line?

Am I helping to create a work environment that is open and collaborative and creative?

Am I self-aware of my shortcomings?

Am I accessible?

Am I unafraid of being vulnerable?

Am I honest and direct?

Do I really get it?

I should have stated this upfront - I don't have the answers; this is not a "10 ways to achieve life balance," or "5 guaranteed thoughts to drive personal relationship success," or "get promoted in six months with my patented approach."

I have no answers - just questions and personal struggle, and based on my own experiences, the fix lies in being able to ask the questions - face the music and work hard to find your own truth.

Feel free to use my questions and no doubt you have your own to contribute.

Do I pay more attention to my texting than to my dinner partner?

Are my kids relegated to tertiary time after message answering and binge watching?

And on and on...

Look, make no mistake, you will miss some milestone dates - but the question is where do you draw the line?

You will put everyone and everything on the back burner to win that new piece of business, but the question is what do you do before and after?

You will have trouble decompressing and ruin intimate moments the question is, how often?

Many years ago, my wife Debbie sat me down and shared those very thoughts with me and added "you also travel a lot." The only way through it, she said, was to be in the game 100 percent when I could - if I was home, it had to be all in. And I needed to understand that sometimes, sometimes you just have to say no -- you can't go; you can't do it; you can't be there.

And you know what? It works. You learn that all of the crises you think you are having pass, that an hour or two of focused time is worth a week and that most people respect you for having balance, and if they don't? Move on, because the real leaders, the real people, do. And those are the ones you want to be with and drive success with.

Bottom line?

Be brutal on yourself - ask those questions - the key is to know when you have lost balance and to catch yourself before you fall...

There are consequences all around here - make no mistake... but that's what will separate you from the crowd. Make the consequences work for you - don't be afraid of them... and, yes, you will make mistakes.

But here is the thing, listen:

"It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - J. K. Rowling

Read about her life and that quote will come to life in a very powerful way...

So don't look for easy solution lists...

Just ask yourself the questions you don't want to hear and be brave enough to answer.

Like I said - I struggle every day.

And then it happens. In my case, it was my daughter and son-in-law giving us a little girl; their first and our fourth grandchild. And when I tell you that nothing else mattered when I held her... believe me... nothing else mattered.

Yes, I shared the news - I did all the social stuff - but somehow life is once again in clear and perfect perspective, at least for a couple of days, but what more can you ask?

What do you think?

One thought on "Can You Get Ahead By Putting Down Your Phone and Picking Up Your Kid? And Other Metaphorical Scenarios..."

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"It is hardly possible to overrate the value," the economist John Stuart Mill wrote in 1848, "of placing human beings in contact with persons dissimilar to themselves, with modes of thoughts and action unlike those with which they are familiar." I was reminded of Mill's view when reading a thought from internet marketing guru Perry Marshall - "Great things will come from the edge of your network, not the center of your network."

Perry gave this example about how he and I met, which resulted in changing how we both think, and also in a very successful "Star Principle" seminar we ran in Chicago a year ago.

Perry and I are from different worlds. He understands online marketing. I understand business strategy. He is American. I am British. He's a generation younger than me. His main job is as a consultant and coach. I haven't had a job for twenty years and my roles are investor and author. I don't go to conferences and try to avoid leaving Europe, except for vacations and my annual three-month stay in Cape Town. I largely live in my own cave. So how could Perry and I have met?

Well, about four years ago, a good business contact of mine, a Kiwi called Geoff Vautier, had the idea of running a conference about the 80/20 principle in the US. I wasn't as keen as Geoff on the idea but agreed to speak at the conference if he could organize it. I hope Geoff will forgive me if I say that neither of us had the remotest clue how to go about it. Geoff used every friend or friend of friend or remotely accessible contact to get in touch with people in the US marketing community. Geoff struck lucky with a heavy-hitter called Rich Schefren, who wasn't interested himself but put Geoff in touch with Perry. That's how eventually Perry and I had a Skype conversation.

At the time Geoff started this dance, it so happened that Greg Lockwood and I brought out a book called SuperConnect, the theme of which is the value of "weak links". The idea goes back to sociologist Mark Granovetter. In 1969 he published research which showed that, when it comes to getting valuable new information or insights, our "weak" acquaintances are typically much more useful than our close friends and colleagues. The reason is simple - our close friends have access to the same information and patterns of thought as we do, and not much more.

Long before the internet, Granovetter probed how people got jobs that gave them their first big break. He was astonished to find that more than a quarter of these jobs came from really weak contacts. "In many cases," he wrote, "the contact was only marginally included in the current network ... an old college friend or former workmate or employer, with whom sporadic contact had been maintained. Usually such ties had not even been very strong when first forged ... Chance meetings or mutual friends reactivated such ties. It is remarkable that people receive crucial information from individuals whose very existence they have forgotten."

Perry goes straight to the point - "great things will come from the edge of your network, not the center."

In the Geoff Vautier example, he was in my circle. Perry was beyond the edge of Geoff's circle. As far as I know, Perry and I had no mutual acquaintances, and such was my ignorance that I didn't even know he existed. Geoff, though, went to the edge of his circle, and that's how we got through to Perry. As the latter says, "Richard's world and mine had this tiny sliver of overlap at the outer edges."

The point is not that we should spend energy networking. That is wasteful. Instead, paradoxically, we should spend a little energy cultivating a large number of people who are in worlds as different as ours. Geoff did this for a focussed purpose, and got lucky. But the best way is to cultivate these very weak links routinely, to build a network of people who just might come up with a great idea or contact for us, which we can activate when the need arises. And the crucial point is that these people should be as unlike us as possible. Most of us prefer to hob-nob, if at all, with PLU, people like us. That is exactly the wrong thing to do if we want to put a spurt on in our careers and lives. What we need are PUU - people unlike us.

This is harder than you might think. Biologist E. O. Wilson supplies a plausible reason - "the human brain," he says, "evolved to commit itself emotionally only to a small piece of geography, a limited band of kinsmen ... We are innately inclined to ignore any distant possibility not yet requiring examination ... It is part of our Palaeolithic heritage. For hundreds of millennia, those who worked for short-term gain within a small circle lived longer and left more offspring."

So we are naturally disposed to do what decreases our life chances today. We ignore one of our greatest potential assets. Nearly all of us today have a huge dormant network of contacts, past and present, and if we want, we can enlarge the list almost every day. So we can deliberately cultivate many more weak links, windows into new worlds, with little effort - if we make ourselves, if we get in the habit of doing so.

Although in theory it's easy and involves little energy, it requires a shift of perspective. Before long it is fun. It makes us more open to daily experiences that usually pass us by, and it makes us more open-minded. But it requires giving up one deeply ingrained habit, and acquiring another habit pretty much from scratch.

Action Implications

1. Explore and spend a little time each week on contacts at the edge of your network. Find out what they know that you don't - and the other way round.

2. Search for acquaintances who move in worlds as different as possible from yours - different professions and jobs, different social and educational backgrounds, different nationalities, different cities and countries, different political views, different philosophies of life, different ages, different everything.

3. Catch up with at least one such friendly acquaintance every week - through a drink or meal together if possible; if not, through a phone call. Do it sporadically and without any particular purpose in mind.

4. Keep a list of their contact details, when you last met, where, and one surprising thing you learned from each meeting. Never lose a contact.

5. If you can think of a contact of yours who your contact might benefit from knowing, or the other way round, put them in touch. Do this "altruistically" - and I promise you will eventually benefit.

6. Save time and energy by cutting back on contacts with people like you - in the same industry, the same town, and so on. With this type of similar person, meet them only for pleasure, to confide and hear confidences, and to strengthen an already strong relationship - not to learn something new.

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Embracing uncertainty can be one of the toughest lessons we boomers must learn. We are all well aware of how our lives and careers have failed to conform to the rosy scenarios we learned as children: that we would work for supportive companies who would provide us with pensions, that the social security system would always be there, and that we would be able to pay off our mortgages, put the kids through school, and retire comfortably and essentially debt-free. As we are all observing, however, the defined-benefit pensions we expected are history, boomers often bear the brunt of downsizing and corporate re-organizations, and our nest-eggs will likely never recover from the Great Recession.

Uncertain times are particularly difficult for people like us who haven't been trained to expect them. We live in an interlocking set of comfort zones:

We're still working in the same job that we've worked in for years and we hope/think that things are going to stay OK. For now...

Our health, and/or that of our parents or our kids is OK -- or under control. For now...

We're saving some money, or paying down debt, and things will be OK if we keep at it. Unless something happens...

Indeed, what if something knocks us out of our comfort zone in any of these areas? Yes, the house of cards falls apart.

Rather than live in fear and denial of the unknown, there are steps we can take to pro-actively take charge of our future. Resilience requires a new set of attitudes and practices. Most importantly, we need to start the resilience process before we're going to need it. If we don't start now, being blindsided by the loss of a job, a family crisis, or a personal health event will be a much more challenging experience than we would like.

Check out these six practices that can get us on the road to greater command of our options in the face of uncertainty. The approach is to build a set of personal resources to help better weather the potential storm:

1. Accept your situation. When we lose a job, get sick or experience an unforeseen crisis, we tend to play the "woulda/coulda/shoulda" game, and spend an unnecessary amount of time in recrimination, regardless of whether we're to blame. We need to stop that. It's not going to get us anywhere. It's not going to solve anything, nor will it make us feel any better. Reacting to the shock of a crisis is normal and to be expected, but at some point, we need to accept that it happened, and that we are going to need to figure out a way to feel OK with ourselves. If we don't -- if we carry our anger, hurt, guilt, or shame out into the world, that negativity is going to haunt us and impede our progress. As difficult as our circumstances may be, we have a choice as to what our attitude is going to be in response.

2. Expand your mind. Read, read, read. Once we have moved into acceptance, a new world of possibilities opens up. Take the opportunity to immerse yourself in knowledge. Deepen your understanding of your situation. Rekindle your love of learning, and find the inspiration in discovering new information and new ideas. Your discovery process in one direction may lead you to unexpected insights and new ideas.

3. Write. Express yourself. Dedicate time every day to keeping a journal that tracks your progress. This is just for you -- no one else should read it. They don't even need to know you're keeping it. The purpose is to workshop ideas, reflect on where you are each day, and to foster a dialog with the inner creative voices that could lead you in positive directions. If you can develop a clearer picture in your mind of where you want to go with your life -- whether it is about career, relationships, money or health - then you will be better able to discern opportunities that become available to you. Without having created these pictures, you wouldn't have any established reference points, and the opportunities would pass you by, unnoticed.

4. Reach out. There is a tendency when we get into challenging situations like this to cocoon, to withdraw, to wait until we "get a handle" on the situation, or wait "until it blows over" to seek support. This is the diametrically wrong approach. Crisis is the time when we need all hands on deck. Asking for support is not the same thing as being bailed out or taken care of. Asking for support is not abdicating your own responsibility for taking care of yourself. Engage with your family, friends and trusted colleagues. Share the reading and writing ideas and insights that are emanating from points two and three, and engage in a dialog to further refine ideas, strategies and plans.

5. Get coached. When circumstances feel overwhelming, it can be a good idea to get more professional help. Often, though, we dismiss the idea of a career or a life coach (or financial or health care advisor) because we are "circling the wagons" and don't want to spend the money. This is understandable, but may be "penny wise and pound foolish." Think of it this way: even if our troubles are not of our own making, working with someone whose job it is to help people and support people through these challenges can accelerate the process of getting through them, and help clarify and prioritize clear and effective action plans. If your coach can help you get a new job sooner, or find the right health or financial resources you need, aren't they saving you time and money?

6. Keep iterating. This means you should never fall into the trap of feeling like you've found the one perfect solution, or that you're done with your process. Resilience to uncertainty requires constant vigilance. Things will continue to change and evolve as you move through your crisis. It may be tempting to grab the first solution that comes your way, whether it is a new job that "seems" OK (but might not be), or a doctor who has all the answers, or an investment strategy that will solve your money problems. Make the best decision available to you at any given time, but be prepared to course-correct, and to modify or change that situation if new information comes to light.

We all want to get back into our comfort zones, where we can breathe and relax again, and not have to worry about all this uncertainty. It's OK: it's human nature. Unfortunately, I believe we are headed for more uncertain times ahead, and that we will all need to get comfortable with more uncertainty, not try to run away from it. Building resilience is like any other form of exercise: practice makes it practical. In building your resilience muscles, make sure to clarify your intention for the kind of life you want to live, including the major aspects of career, family, relationships and health. Form follows thought, and aligning these intentions inside you will little by little create the kind of outer results you're looking for, and help you make a smoother, more effective transition to the next phase of your life.

Earlier on Huff/Post50:

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Here's another thing we can pretend doesn't matter.

Emerging-market debt has grown $28Tn since 2009, according to the Institute of International Finance, which on Monday introduced a database tracking 18 developing markets. Global debt has soared $50Tn during the period to surpass a total of $240Tn, or 320% of global gross domestic product, in early 2015. That's right, the Planet Earth is now more than 3 TIMES it's annual gross salary on debt!

Non-financial corporate sector debt in emerging markets has risen $13Tn since 2009, increasing more than five-fold over the past decade to surpass $23.7Tn in the first quarter of 2015. The advance has been most concentrated in emerging Asia, where it rose to 125% of GDP. As noted in the chart above, OVER 100% of the GDP growth since 2007 has simply been more debt: more stimulus, more bailouts, more ZIRP policies by our Central Banksters - all masking NEGATIVE real economic growth.

Take China... please. Today we got a NEGATIVE 5.9% reading in their PPI Report with CPI up just 1.3% - clearly in a deflationary state yet The State continues to claim the economy is growing at a 6.9% annual pace. That is totally and completely B*LLSH*T and shame on you for putting up with it!

Yes, shame on you if you are a fellow Financial Analyst, shame on you if you are a Financial Writer and shame on you if you are a consumer of this information and just passively let yourself be lied to - SHAME!!! Where is the outrage? Don't you deserve to know the truth? Shouldn't there be an investigation or are we so frightened of China that we don't even have the balls to demand an audit?

That's right, China is our biggest trading partner - it is in the interest of the United States in general and investors in particular to have a fair and accurate assessment of their real economy. Why does no one demand this? Conveniently, we have a GOP debate tonight - let's ask the candidates what they plan to do about it!

Chinese Imports fell 18.8% in October and Exports were down 6.9% vs. an 8% growth target that was set by the Party at the beginning of the year. We know the real trade numbers because we can check them with trade partners on the other side but, magically, we are supposed to believe that, despite these TERRIBLE numbers, once inside the Chinese borders this total lack of goods multiplies over and over again to somehow cause 6.9% growth in the economy. Come on, what are we - 5???

China's trading partners are certainly feeling the pain. This morning the Philippines reported a 24.7% collapse in exports and NEGATIVE 0.3% CPI "growth". Hey, it's just one more warning Global warning signal we can ignore as we take our markets to record highs, right? After all, the Mainstream Media is telling us everything is fine and when have they ever steered us wrong?

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I know, that was so 8 years ago - things are different now. Well, they are a little different in that oil is not over $100 and the Financial sector doesn't have Trillions of Dollars of bad debt categorized at AAA - that's a good thing. Of course "THEY" are not going to lie to you the same way they did 8 years ago - even "THEY" don't think you are that dumb...

This time the myth is that things are going great in far away lands where strange people speak different languages and have customs we don't understand - so don't ask any questions and just BUYBUYBUY is the brand of BS the media is peddling now in order to part you with your hard-earned savings in exchange for vague promises of future gains.

In truth, as you can see from the above chart - unless you were lucky enough to have bought into China in one of it's big dips over the past 5 years, you have probably lost money on your investment while the US markets have more than doubled. Compare that with how many times in the past 5 years you've been told China is the World's growth engine and, more importantly, compare that with China's claim that their economy has grown 7% or more in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 6.9% in 2015.

Starting the Hang Seng at 22,500 and multiplying it by 1.07% 5 times gives us 31,557, not 22,400. Maybe the Hang Seng is completely mispriced and maybe the actual Chinese investors don't see how great their economy has become in relation to their economic growth or maybe, just maybe, their economic growth numbers are B*LLSH*T!!!

We report - you decide...

alice in wonderland animated GIF Of course the running narrative in the MSM is that all this bad news is good news because it means the Central Banksters can give us MORE FREE MONEY and, to some extent that's true but that brings us back to the MASSIVE GLOBAL DEFICIT at the top of this page. If a guy is going bankrupt and you give him a $250,000 credit card - he can party like it's 1999 for quite a while and then, when that card maxes out, you can give him another and another and another. As long as no one ever has to pay back all those credit cards - everything is AWESOME!

In fact, while this guy is out spending borrowed money, you might be fooled into thinking the local economy is strong as an endless supply of party balloons, kegs, pizza, etc. are delivered to his home. He might even hire some clowns an put in a new pool. Why not, the money's free, isn't it? All these things would not have happened had we forced our friend to actually face up to his financial shortcomings and everyone is much happier - there's no doubt about that.

As long as we can keep giving our friend additional $250,000 credit cards and as long as we're willing to ignore the fact that the first 2, 3, 4, 5.. cards have still not been paid back - all shall be well. When we run our economic reports, we can say how awesome things are - especially in the local pizza and beer business and even the pool guy says orders are picking up - all good signs in the economy. The pizza place may hire another delivery guy and the pool guy orders cement and wise economists point to this as strong signs that our economy is turning around - all based on borrowed money that is being poorly spent by a single person.

Does this sound like any economies you might know? The World's Governments have borrowed $57 TRILLION Dollars in the past 7 years - that's $8Tn per year, or more than 10% of the Global GDP - in order to make it look like the Global GDP was growing at a 2% pace, rather than face the ugly truth that we have been and still are in a Global Recession.

If we never have to pay back this debt and if we never run out of new rounds of money to spread around, then all shall be well for as long as the game continues. We happily ignored a 100% debt to GDP ratio and we ignored 200% and now we are ignoring 300% - by the time our debt to GDP ratio passes 400%, what's another 100% going to mean anyway?

Amazingly, gold is at $1,088 (we're long /YG Futures, GLD ETF) because conventional wisdom dictates you don't own gold when the Fed is hiking rates. Another long position we hold, which I've discussed before, is natural gas (/NG Futures, UNG ETF) and you only have to listen to KMI's conference call to know why and we will talk more about that this afternoon - at our FREE LIVE WEBINAR (1pm, EST) - I hope you can join us.

Be careful out there!

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As managers, there is often a lot on our plates and it can be challenging to keep everything in motion. We often find ourselves trying to operate in ambiguity while simultaneously providing clear direction for others. We recognize the importance of accountability and want our team members to be both individually and collectively successful. Through my own management experience and work with managers in training and coaching, I have elevated the importance of these four habits:

CREATE: Educators and creativity gurus (and brothers), Tom and David Kelley, wrote a book on "creative confidence -- the natural ability to come up with new ideas and the courage to try them out." They make a solid business case for managers to work with their teams to reclaim their childhood creativity in an effort to advance greater innovation and differentiation. They outline four fears that often hold people back including the "fear of the messy unknown, fear of being judged, fear of the first step, and fear of losing control." As managers, we need to acknowledge these fears and collaborate with our team members to overcome each one of them. Through simulations, role plays, creativity exercises, and direct one-on-one conversations, we can unleash the imaginations of our team members and push them beyond their self-imposed boundaries.

BALANCE: With to-do lists a mile long and deadlines amplifying our anxiety, it is easy to fall into the practice of treating our team members like widgets instead of people. As managers, we have a responsibility to feed both the mind and the heart. By inspiring our teams with visionary leadership that clearly articulates where we are going (the bigger picture) and why (the bigger purpose), we foster the will of our teams to leverage their skills and strengths. When we acknowledge the multiple dimensions of our human experience, we create a culture that embraces each team member's most authentic self, building loyalty and increasing engagement.

TEACH AND LEARN: I often reference the iceberg theory of human relations as a reminder that we often engage in surface-level relationships, failing to acknowledge and explore the depth of our character and the diverse stories and experiences that we all have to share. If we manage with the mindset that we always have something to learn and something valuable to teach, we will more actively listen to understand each other and more purposefully select opportunities to teach. Further, awareness drives action, so if we are more open to exploring what drives each of us, we will naturally seek opportunities to put our strengths and passions in play in alignment with our goals.

FOCUS: Managers often fall victim to the game of "Whac-a-Mole," reactively responding to each email, IM, phone call, and drive-by-desk discussion as though it were a crisis. At the end of the day, they have a hard time pinpointing what they accomplished despite feeling exhausted. We need to proactively identify our top two to three priorities each day and coach our team members to do the same. When we focus our time, energy and collaborations around those priorities, we build the stamina to resist being distracted and sidetracking our performance. Management should be more like a game of "Operation," where we precisely focus on one task at a time while striving to block out the noise around us and achieve the desired result. Zig Ziglar coaches, "It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through."

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You may use the terms mobile, agile and hostile to describe your favorite football team, but it should be used to describe your marketing. Particularly the agile part. Here's why agile marketing, the ability to market at scale and on the fly, is changing the marketing game.

What is agile marketing?

Many people have taken a crack at defining what agile marketing is. In a nutshell, agile marketing is a measure of the speed at which marketing gets done and a philosophy about 'how' marketing gets done. Agile marketing organizations behave significantly different than traditional marketing organizations. They value smaller campaigns that are quick to create, test, launch and evaluate instead of long-winded campaigns that take time to implement. They also value a lot of people doing a few things to contribute to the campaign versus single bodies doing a lot of things.

Have you ever seen a group of ants assemble an ant farm? That's kind of like what agile marketing departments look like. Every ant works in unison doing multiple little tasks towards a common goal. As things change, or if little Jimmy the toddler stomps on their project, they'll pick up the pieces and rebuild just as quickly. All while keeping the valuable lessons learned from the tragic events of Jimmy the toddler in mind. Below are some of the reasons why agile marketing is extremely important.

1. Effective: In this day and age marketing departments are bombarded with offers and services. In reality, marketing organizations are stuck somewhere between:

the 10 things they are doing

the 30 things they could be doing and

the 200 things that people say they should be doing.

Adapting an agile approach to marketing allows your team the flexibility to change how they market based on what your target is looking for. Plus, with modern marketing tactics being so data-driven, it's very easy to track how successful various marketing tactics and campaigns are and whether or not they should be tried again. Running an agile marketing organization also keeps your eye on the future and focusing on where your next set of potential leads and customers may be coming from.

2. Efficient: It's no surprise that the businesses that succeed the most often market the most. That doesn't mean they're the best at what they do, it's just a byproduct of the world we live in. The brands you know are perceived to have more quality and ability than the brands you don't. Think about it. If you're thirsty in a foreign country and see a Pepsi logo you know what you're going to get. Not all of their marketing tactics work (*cough* Crystal Pepsi *cough*), they just "do marketing" a lot faster and more often than those that can't. That's the true definition of an agile marketing team. One that is capable of getting a campaign mapped out, implemented and evaluated at a rapid speed without too many road blocks. They can also make changes to the campaign on the fly while the campaign is live.

Outsourcing plays a huge role in keeping an agile marketing team efficient. Sure, your marketing team may be able to handle all of your marketing operations needs in house. That's things like graphic design, coding, writing or the million other "skills" a marketing department needs to leverage from time-to-time. However, running an agile marketing department means focusing on what you're department is good at and sourcing skills, particularly technical ones, on an on-demand and cost-effective basis. Not necessarily hiring more expensive people in house that may only do half the job (like a photographer that can't film).

3. Cost: As your marketing team gets agile it also gets cheaper to manage and run. Any sort of labor costs you need for design, writing, development or management should decrease as you build out best practices in your marketing department and get organized. Who knows? The reduction in "marketing operations" cost may even free up your budget for paid promotional tactics. An agile marketing team is one that's found ways to streamline throughput and iterate their marketing tactics quickly. Be it coming up with creative, developing landing pages, building websites or devising marketing automation tactics. Then, easily attributing ROI to each process.

4. It's The Future: Theoretically, setting up a marketing campaign end to end should not take very long. Definitely days or weeks as opposed to months. The days of a static three-year marketing plan done by a marketing agency on behalf of a business are pretty much over. Marketing battles are being fought on platforms and in areas that no one in the marketing world intimately understands. The rules of the game change quicker than the tactics do. Once marketers seem to understand how to win business on social media a new platform emerges. Native advertising becomes big when Ad-blocking software becomes popular. Then native gets slammed by John Oliver and who knows? Soon businesses may start looking back at outdoor or offline advertising as more reliable alternatives. The point is, even the best marketers may only know 5 or 10 percent more than what "non-marketers" know. Then, they learn by doing. That's why having an agile marketing philosophy that calls for change, pivots and tweaks quickly and affordably needs to become the norm for your marketing department. It's what smart marketers are already doing.

So what kind of people do you need on an agile marketing team? What sort of skills or behaviors do they have? This ebook breaks down what an agile marketing team looks like and what you need to do to build one.

About the Author:

Sajeel Qureshi is the Vice President of Operations atComputan. Computan helps short-handed marketing departments and marketing agencies get more agile by providing them affordable and reliable back-end support. He has a degree in business administration from St. Bonaventure University, and an MBA from Eastern Illinois University.

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According to a Wall Street Journal story last week, "Smaller Firms Lead the Way in Hiring", the small businesses of this nation "are hiring at a faster rate than their larger brethren after lagging behind much of the economic recover."

No one should be surprised by the first part of this statement. Exact statistics on hiring are not consistent. However what is consistent is that small businesses in general, and micro-businesses under five years old specifically, create the vast majority of net new jobs in this country.

But don't be fooled by the second part of the Wall Street Journal statement that implies that only now are small businesses holding their own or out performing big business in new job creation.

The Wall Street Journal analysis only refers to the years 2010-2012 at the very beginning of the post-Great Recession (when we all still felt like the recession was still with us). But starting in January of 2012 small businesses with fewer than 50 employees were more than pulling their weight in creating new jobs.

I blogged about this that whole year touting statistics showing that from January through September 2012 these small businesses were creating on average 50% of the new jobs.

Apparently now we're doing even better.

"UnConflicted" is the small business advocacy blog of Frank Knapp, Jr., President & CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. Visit our website to join, subscribe to our newsletter, or follow the issues affecting small businesses in SC.

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When was the last time you laughed out loud at work? I'm not talking about using "LOL" on social media posts. I mean a deep laugh in the office or at a meeting?

I'll bet you can't remember. We take ourselves far too seriously and seem to confuse solemnity as acting appropriately at work. Having fun seems to be inappropriate behavior in many established corporate environments.

"He who laughs most, learns best." - John Cleese

Laughter opens the mind and frees the creative juices. It makes us more receptive to new ideas. Who can say "no" after they have just shared a giggle with someone? You are more likely to learn and try new things when you are relaxed.

Your Boss Should Make You Laugh
One of the best bosses I ever worked with encouraged pranks. Our team "pranked" everyone in the group including the boss. The best pranks were "got you" and were unexpected. We vied with each other to out do the other team members so we became really creative.

We couldn't wait to see the results of our pranks and we laughed and laughed knowing full well that that person was already planning their revenge.

Humor Builds Trust
As a result our team worked and played hard. We were encouraged to be creative and to try new things because of our ability to laugh as a team. We learned, we built a strong and creative team ,and we created a successful and respected department.

Laughter Builds Relationships
I remember those good times as a model of how a team can push the boundaries, find new ways of doing things and have fun. These people are still my friends today and are the people I would go to for advice. Laughter builds relationships.

Pay It Forward
It takes self confidence as a manager to be able to share and encourage laughter with your team. Take the time and you will reap the rewards. Teach your team the value of laughter at work and it will be one of the most valuable lessons you can give them.

I would love to hear your stories about the power of laughter. Share them in the comments section below this blog post!

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

The holidays can be such an exciting and joyous time of year. However, for many of us it can also be a very stressful time. If you are like me, your calendar and your 'to do' list is beginning to fill up at a rapid pace. It is easy to feel like there's too much to do and not enough time to do it.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Just about everyone on the planet right now feels overwhelmed in one way or the other.

But, it's important to know the truth about overwhelm: It has almost nothing to do with getting things done -- it has everything to do with your energy and mindset. If your life is cluttered, so is your mind. When your life is cluttered, it's challenging to stay focused on the present when looking into the uncertain future of tomorrow, or the weeks ahead.

So, let me suggest seven overwhelm elimination strategies for breaking free. Seeing things in a new perspective is key to staying focused under stress, and don't forget the old adage about taking one bite of the elephant at a time. If you multi-task, that's great, but what's really great is finishing what you start. It's the ultimate reward and goal. Marking things off the list is a powerful antidote to stress.

So, let's take a look at some strategies that I've found to be very helpful:

Strategy No. 1: Focus on the Big Picture
We most often get overwhelmed because we are focused on everything that's happening around us. We lose sight of the big picture. Haven't we ALWAYS been OK in the bigger picture, the grand scheme of things? Yes. We have. So zoom out for a moment and take a deep breath. In the end, this is going to be OK. As it most always is.

Strategy No. 2: Change Your Environment
You're probably not aware of how many things in your current environment trigger you to feel overwhelmed. The stack of papers or bills piled up on your desk or that camera reminding you of the videos that need downloading. Clean off your desk and put in its place. Preferably another place out of sight. If your kids have left gadgets laying around, ask them to put them where they belong. If the weather is nice, take your laptop outside and enjoy the day while you work. That change of scenery will inspire creativity.

Strategy No. 3: Acknowledge It and Let It Go
Most people are so busy trying to get away from overwhelm they don't realize it's become a regular part their routine and even a part of who they are. And, I can tell you that trying to run away from yourself never works. Instead, stop for a minute, close your eyes, and just acknowledge that you feel overwhelmed. All energies inside of us (good and bad) are calling for our attention. Recognize it and then just simply let it go, knowing that it is not serving you at this time. Shift your thoughts to something positive, such as how much fun it will be to spend some quality time with your family.

Strategy No. 4: Learn Something New
If you're always overwhelmed, it probably means you're operating from a less than ideal state of knowledge or consciousness. Be sure to carve out some time to learn from others who are steps ahead. It could be a book, audio program, or online video training. This new information will give you a better perspective about how to best respond to your life and business.

Strategy No. 5: Exercise
Exercise might helps to reduce stress and give you more energy. Take some time each day to get out in the fresh air and go for a walk or run. You can also partake in a Mind/Body workout such as pilates or yoga to really stretch and strengthen your muscles, release tension and boost your energy. It may sound like one more thing to do, but the benefits are astounding. Physical movement such as a brisk walk, will clear the mind, and along with deep breathing, you'll feel refreshed and re-energized.

Strategy No. 6: Quiet Your Mind and Do Some Inner work
What's required from you to really shift this energy is to spend some time doing your deeper inner work; Letting go of your old wounds, forgiving those who have hurt you, healing from your past traumas. Get connected to something greater than yourself. Find your way of being in the world that is authentic to you.

A powerful exercise that works is to close your eyes and focus on all the things that you are grateful for such as; your life, your family, your friends, your health, your career etc. This is a powerful way to put you in a peaceful state, quieting your mind. Then, visualize your day and set your intentions on how you'd like your day to go.

Overwhelm Elimination Strategy No. 7: Call Your Coach or Mentor
There is a proverb that says "as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." And, it's true. A coach or mentor will help get you laser focused. If you don't have someone or a group of people who are holding you to your highest potential, providing support and guidance and keeping you focused, I guarantee this is one of the reasons you're struggling. Get aligned with a coach or mentor immediately. There's a reason why EVERY successful athlete or business owner in the world has one.

I encourage you to use these seven strategies this holiday season to ensure that overwhelm doesn't take hold of you and rob you of experiencing all of the joy and wonderful blessings this time of year has to offer.

And, if you have a minute, please tell me how you deal with overwhelm. What are your strategies? Feel free to leave a comment below with the things you do to deal with your own overwhelm.

I'd love to hear what works for you!

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Lately, I've been researching careers that allow you to work from home. After wading through tons of spammy "opportunities," I finally found a legitimate path that interested me. I think you'll like it, too.

What does the term virtual assistant (VA) mean to you? If you're a little confused (like I was), look no further. I've prepared a quick guide for those who are interested in learning about hiring, becoming, or evaluating virtual assistants.

What is a virtual assistant and when do you need one?

Virtual assistants usually handle administrative and office duties for businesses (though I've found it's not uncommon for VAs to specialize in other areas, like email marketing and blog management).

They are employed remotely, meaning they are able to work from home instead of in-office. They may or may not have a college degree. Some companies hire full-time or part-time VAs, while others prefer to contract them on a month-to-month basis.

According to Tanya Lamont, CEO of Conversational, whether or not to hire a VA depends on your company's needs: "Ask yourself -- are you missing calls and sales opportunities because you don't have enough time to handle these tasks? Are you skimping on time with family because work has you stretched thin? These are the traits we see in companies and entrepreneurs who need a virtual assistant yesterday."

How does someone become a virtual assistant?

There are several avenues to becoming a VA. Some people enjoy working through agencies, which makes finding clients a breeze, but cuts down on your ability to deviate from a set plan. Others go at it alone, using their past work experience and skills to begin offering their services directly to small businesses. Some answer online job advertisements and join an office as a full-time VA.

Virtual assistants don't have to have a college degree, but it's definitely easier to land clients if you have one. If you don't have a degree, make sure to highlight your relevant skills and experience in your resume and cover letter.

How would I hire a virtual assistant?

First, consider your budget and the scope of the work you'll need done. Why do you want to hire an assistant? Do you have enough capital to pay a quality virtual assistant? Keep in mind that US-based VAs can start around $15/hour, while VAs overseas can run closer to $5/hour.

Now that you're sure of your budget and know what kind of assistant you want, it's time to explore your options. If you're looking for a simple, guided process, try a virtual receptionist company like Conversational. If you'd like to be more involved in the process and choose an independent freelancer, start by searching freelancers and posting your available job on a site like Elance-oDesk, CloudPeeps, or LocalSolo.

Expert tips

Know what you need done, and know how to delegate it to your VA.

Manage expectations by communicating clearly with your VA.

Look into apps that allow you to stay in touch with remote employees, like Slack.

Make sure you know how you'll evaluate your VA's performance, whether it's through metrics and analytics, number of tasks completed, or hours worked.

Working from home is one way this generation is working differently, and that's why virtual assistants are on the rise. I love the flexibility of this career option! Do you employ a virtual assistant, or do you work as one? What's the experience like? We want to hear your stories in the comments!

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

No doubt, leaders spread their message by taking the microphone at a major conference. But just as with games, movies, apps, and ideas, leaders grow in popularity and reach a tipping point in their influence when employees share their observations of that leader by word of mouth.

That is, Jeremy interacts with leader Kevin and comments on that experience to a friend -- either positively or negatively. Most often, it's not the leader's speeches, policies, or plans that create the positive impression -- but rather "the little things."

Notice how often these "little things" become the fodder for comments about presidential candidates and why voters connect with them -- or dislike them.

"The little things" include:

Getting in Their Space: Some leaders isolate themselves. They undervalue the importance of simply being with others -- in the same hallways, cafeteria, conference rooms, entrance ways, elevators, parking lots. People like people who are like them -- people who have the same experiences. Even shared physical spaces and experiences provide common ground that leads people to believe that they may have common values and beliefs with you as their leader.

Asking for a Favor: Asking for a favor takes humility. (But make it easy.) Ask for directions, an explanation or opinion about something in their area of expertise, help to recall statistics someone shared in a meeting the prior week. Let them help you in any such simple way, and watch how pleased they become to assist. Everyone likes to feel smart and helpful.

Remembering Names: "I don't remember names, but never forget a face." "I'm not good with names." These claims are serious setbacks for a leader who intends to have credibility with people. Knowing someone's name opens the door to opening their mind. Trying to talk with someone and have an impact when you can't even call their name is like sending mail addressed to "Dear Occupant."

Showing Concern for Their Family: Remembering to ask about the health of an ill spouse, child, or aging parent says you are concerned with them as a person -- not just someone to do your bidding on the job, project, or team. Or celebrate the successes of those family members who're involved in sports, projects, or major career projects.

Asking About Personal Interests: Is the person training for a marathon? Does the person collect antiques and visit trade fairs over the weekends? Does the person play in a jazz band on Friday evenings at a local restaurant? Asking questions or commenting on such interests before or after a meeting or at lunch builds a bridge of connection so that they're ready to listen when you have more important topics to discuss with them.

Lending a Hand With Menial Tasks: The typical employee has seen far too many governmental leaders act as if the citizenry should serve them. When someone who holds a position of authority actually serves another person -- that is, lends a helping hand with a task in progress -- people notice. The media even consider it a photo op when the president spends an hour serving turkey to the homeless at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. Willingness to "pitch in" and help when there's work to be done communicates humility, always an attractive character trait.

What's the point? Leaders in the workplace win followers one by one by doing "the little things" that build solid relationships. Then when they need trust to change hearts and minds or handle a crisis, they have the influence and credibility to do so.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

By Matthew I. Growney, Founder and CEO of Isabella Products

"Dad, can I get McDonalds"? For the past three weeks I have tried to remain vigilant against bringing Harry, my eight year-old son, to the Golden Arches. It isn't my disdain for fast food, but I am holding my ground because of the Happy Meal gimmick that always turns him into a begging savage. I have seen the same level of incessant curiosity occur with Harry's exposure to adult movie releases and a slew of other adult products (think purple pills).

Each time my son ignites, with a barrage of questions, pleas to learn more or requests to visit whatever appears in his line of sight. It isn't difficult to determine the source of his curiosity--digital media--served up from a tablet, laptop or mobile phone. Harry sees claims on the Web and wants proof of their existence. Who can blame him? Advertising can be very effective.

In my opinion, Harry has been exposed prematurely to things that simply don't need to be addressed in second grade. While I consider myself a watchful Dad, I also want to freely encourage my son to explore and discover all on his own. I don't want to be a 'helicopter parent' who hovers over my child's every keystroke. While I know there are areas of the Web and children's apps that are 'safe', I am often reminded that there are lots of places kids can easily find inappropriate content.

I think parenting is about balance and still, I know that I can't control the mouths of my fellow Patriots fans when I take Harry to Gillette Stadium. (He learned several new choice words on Sunday. Thank you, large-double-fisted-vodka-bearded man.) But, I do expect a break when allowing Harry some rewarding screen time on learning-based applications and games created for kids. Instead, it seems that many of the children's products have indiscriminately decided to secure advertising from adult or mass-market brands in order to make money. Problem? Absolutely.

Children have a right to be parented by their parents. This means that only we should have the ability to control the pace and type of exposure to mature content on a daily basis. I want to use my own judgment on what they see, eat, hear, and learn. Eliminating mass-market advertising from within children's content (books, apps, etc.) and from areas on the Web where children interact is definitely one way to solve the issue. Sounds simple enough.

COPPA guidelines to protect children against violations of their privacy is an essential start, but allowing Google or other online advertising aggregators to sell banner ads to only the highest bidders (like R-rated games or even political campaigns) should be prohibited.

While I understand the economic rationale for advertisers to leverage children's media--reach adults who maintain the purse strings and the kids who wear adults down with requests--I think we need to push pause. The children's digital experience should be reserved for well, children. Advertising should be learning-inspired and even include certain public service announcements (PSA's). It's time we really consider the distraction, relevancy, and age-appropriateness of digital advertising to children.

And, I'm not alone. We are on the precipice of technological, social, and economic change as it relates to the ethical responsibility of digital advertising. Voices are rising and the topic is percolating. Take ad blocking, for instance. Consumers are thrilled about this technology because they don't want the disruption of their online experiences. Yes, I know the business of advertising helps pay for the interesting, educational content we consume as adults. However, we must consider the audience and the particular digital channel and then look for ways that we can control, create, and use them for good. In this case, learning, discovering, exploring and entertaining a young (and highly impressionable, I might add) audience. This is the concept that inspired our company to develop Fable, a WIFI-enabled, browser-free tablet. So, advertisers, focus on us. But leave the kids alone.

Sure, the digital juggernaut may make more money selling ads for shooting-based video games, but wouldn't it be even cooler for children to watch digital content that could teach them how to build robots, create their own software games, build an animal shelter or help out the local food pantry? Wouldn't it make sense to show kids how food is made or harvested or grown in an ad as opposed to where they can get another Kardashian-promoted energy product or genetically-engineered puppy?

As a parent, I would welcome ad spots in children's media like STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) themes or from community organizations that help promote the positive aspects about being a child, nurturing self-confidence or helping your neighborhood or school.

There has been much discussion and debate over the accelerated maturity rates for children over the past years. Some of which has been biological and some intellectual. I'd love to find a way to keep my son as digitally age-appropriate as I can while making sure he becomes a kind and caring young man.

I think some of this can be accomplished by exposing him to digital media that shows what matters in the community and not what's available on the shelves of convenience stores or playing in the movie theatre for mature audiences.

The digital devices of the future will be more than a "second screen." They will be a second "classroom" for children. I think it is critical to keep pace with evolving technology and find the best ways to leverage it for learning--at home, in our classrooms, and in our community. Removing inappropriate content and providing enriched experiences that will engage kids and get them excited about learning and the world around will surely pay dividends for everyone.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Image credit: financial post.com

A well structured sound-bite always wins you headlines.

TransCanada president and chief executive, Russ Girling, knows this. Here's what he had to say about last week's decision not to go ahead with the Keystone XL Pipeline:

Today, misplaced symbolism was chosen over merit and science -- rhetoric won out over reason,

Take a quick scan of the resulting coverage and you'll notice that most articles not only reference this line, but lead on it.

And that's because the line is a carefully constructed piece of rhetoric specifically designed to generate a sound-bite.

Hang-on a moment though, because the quote itself is attacking rhetoric as being the evil that doomed the pipeline!

So - Russ Girling.... J'accuse! And the crime is that of skullduggerously attempting to shift the blame by blaming rhetoric, while using - rhetoric!

Here's my evidence before the jury:

Item: Use of Opposites
Misplaced versus merit. Symbolism over science. Communicators call this antithesis, and it's a guaranteed tool of the sound-bite.

Item: Use of Sound
It's no coincidence that we've got those double 'M's, repeated 'S's and finally that lovely triple-play on 'rhetoric...won...reason'.

Technical term - 'Consonance'. Yet another sound-bite technique.

Item: Use of Analogy
Here's where it all gets just a little bit clever, because when we look at the whole phrase, there's a hidden logic-structure at play. A is to B, as C is to D:

Misplaced symbolism is to science, as rhetoric is to reason

Having lost the argument Russ Girling now blames defeat on his opponents unfair use of this evil thing called rhetoric -- while freely using rhetoric himself.

Rhetoric is an essential human tool. It's the tool that allows us to create everything from structured logic through to the poetry of the highest art. It is also, admittedly, the first refuge of the scoundrel when seeking to shift the focus.

So - today's top-tip - whenever you hear a public figure laying the blame on 'rhetoric', be suspicious.

Be very suspicious.

Peter Paskale is a communications coach and analyst who writes The Presenters' Blog at speak2all.wordpress.com

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

By Tim McCormack and Molly Knobler

On October 29th, pharma giant Warner Chilcott pled guilty to a felony healthcare fraud charge, agreeing to pay $125 million to settle allegations that it had paid illegal kickbacks to doctors and engaged in other illegal marketing behavior to sell its drugs Actonel®, Asacol®, Atelvia®, Doryx®, Enablex®, Estrace,® and Loestrin®. Perhaps more significant than the size of the settlement is the fact that multiple individuals, including the company's former President, have either plead guilty or been indicted in connection with the fraud.

In fact, the criminal charges extended beyond the ranks of company employees. Shortly before Warner Chilcott pled guilty, prominent Massachusetts gynecologist, Dr. Rita Luthra, was arrested at her home and charged with obstructing a criminal healthcare investigation and violating the anti-kickback statute and HIPAA regulations. She faces up to five years in prison, substantial criminal fines, and potential civil liability under the False Claims Act.

That the Government would pursue a physician for taking kickbacks should not come as a surprise; the Department of Justice has recently stepped up its enforcement of the federal Stark Law and Anti-Kickback statutes against individual physicians.

The Government alleged that Dr. Luthra took $23,000 in kickbacks from Warner Chilcott between October 2010 and November 2011. Among the alleged kickbacks, Warner Chilcott:

paid Dr. Luthra250 for speaker training, despite the fact that she never spoke to any other physicians;

paid Dr. Luthra750 to talk to a sales representative for 25-30 minutes while she ate;

paid to cater a barbeque that Luthra hosted at her home for her friends; and

brought Dr. Luthra and her office lunch on 31 occasions.

And what did Warner Chilcott get for its money? Dr. Luthra allegedly prescribed more of the company's osteoporosis drugs while they were paying her. When the payola stopped, Dr. Luthra's prescriptions for the Warner Chilcott drugs "precipitously declined." In addition, while she was allegedly on the take, she "allowed a Warner Chilcott sales representative to access protected health information in her patients' medical files." When challenged by federal agents, she allegedly lied to them and directed an employee to do the same.

One has to wonder why a doctor who has been practicing for more than 30 years and is reportedly a liaison to the United Nations and the World Health Organization would betray her patients' trust by--it would seem--deciding which drug to prescribe based on how much she was paid by the drug's manufacturer, or by letting a drug company go through her patients' confidential medical records.

This case demonstrates the insidious corrupting influence of money offered by unscrupulous pharmaceutical (and, unfortunately, medical device and other healthcare) companies. What is somewhat shocking, though, is how little it cost Warner Chilcott to allegedly induce Dr. Luthra to engage in significant betrayals of her patients' trust.

A question Dr. Luthra must be asking herself right about now is why she did not do what Dr. Michael Drakeford did when faced with a similar choice: blow the whistle instead of accepting illegal kickbacks. Dr. Drakeford refused illegal kickbacks offered by Tuomey Healthcare System, filed a False Claims Act case instead, and got $18.1 million for doing the right thing.

In this case, the whistleblowers who reported Warner Chilcott's fraud to the Government did not file their False Claims Act case until early 2011. If Dr. Luthra had blown the whistle in October 2010, when she allegedly started taking Warner Chilcott's kickbacks, she would likely be in line to get some or all of the $22.9 million that the whistleblowers will get from the United States for their courage. Instead, she is facing time in prison.

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Honoring our veterans' service and sacrifice is meaningful -- not too many of us are called upon to put our lives on the line every day -- but investing in them and their families is the way we can truly show our appreciation and make a difference. It's not just the right or honorable thing to do, it's one of the smartest things we can do for our firms and our communities. These days when we're striving to build and sustain purpose-driven cultures, veterans can contribute a unique combination of exceptional skill and an unprecedented commitment to purpose.

My own understanding of purpose has been greatly influenced by a U.S. military colonel whom I have had the privilege of hearing speak several times, including inspiring remarks at our PwC P3: People, Powers, Possibilities event this year. He has helped crystallize for me the definition of purpose. It's what guides us to find meaning in our day-to-day work as we journey together toward unifying goals, what fulfills us and what ultimately drives distinctive organizational behavior. Purpose is the bright North Star that transforms actions from being transactional to transcendent.

This Veteran's Day, as we face the largest draw-down of troops in recent memory -- 40,000 troops by 2018 -- it seems especially important to recognize, as the colonel has shown me, that providing new opportunities for veterans and their families is not a matter of politics or of personal opinion. It's a matter of purpose and of responsibility to the men and women and their families who have served our country and who are in need of being welcomed and positioned effectively in their next purpose-driven role.

Veterans have vast and specialized expertise our firms will need in light of fast changing global trends: proficiency in cybersecurity, experience managing massive volumes of material and equipment, the capacity to solve problems quickly and effectively in times of crisis and the ability to motivate diverse employees to collaborate and focus as a team to act on shared core values. They are life-long learners adept at developing new skills and at critical thinking. We must harness their focus, effort, expertise and commitment. They are equipped to help drive growth and sustain a competitive advantage for our firm. We must support these men and women and their families -- they need us and we need them.

At PwC US, we've named a Veterans Advocacy and Recruiting Leader to focus on recruiting and retaining veterans. Equally, through the PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc., we have a veterans' liaison to spearhead our related investments as we look to further support veterans and their families. Last year, the Foundation committed $5 million for a series of grants to support U.S. veterans and their children by 2019. The grants provide scholarships for education as well as support with the transition to the workforce.

Since the announcement, the Foundation has committed $2.25 million of the pledge, which includes $1.25 million to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, the nation's oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to military children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen, and $1 million to the Four Block Foundation, a nonprofit organization helping veterans find meaningful careers through transition support, rehabilitation services, and career development.

These investments to support veterans in the next phase of their lives aligns not only with the Foundation's goals, but is also core to the firm's purpose of addressing significant societal problems and authentically building confidence on our commitment to lend support to our heroes as they face incredible challenges when returning to the civilian workforce and their communities.

Military personnel exemplify adaptability, grit and tenacity, qualities we value enormously. I think we can agree that we must make veterans' voices heard and that they deserve our appreciation, respect and investment in their families' future. Above all, they can help us understand how purpose makes our work worthwhile and effective.

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Comcast wants you to believe that it's just playing fair in its latest push to control the Internet. Last week the cable-Internet colossus expanded its plan to impose unnecessary broadband-usage caps on Comcast users in cities across the South.

Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas told the Associated Press that caps "introduce some more fairness" into the way Internet users pay for data. Comcast customers who exceed a monthly 300 Gigabyte usage cap will have additional fees tacked onto their monthly bill.

Photo: Free Press

That's a bitter pill to swallow for the millions of Comcast customers who've already seen bills for the company's cable bundle rise at many times the rate of inflation. Those hoping to save costs by cutting cable television altogether now face a Comcast-imposed scheme to choke out the popular trend of watching TV over the Internet.

No Congestion Here

In documents leaked onto reddit last week, Comcast instructs its customer service representatives how to spin the expansion of data caps. The reasons for the caps, the documents say, are "fairness and [the need to provide] a more flexible policy to our customers." But what could be more fair and flexible than giving customers the unlimited data plan that many originally paid for?

The argument favored by Comcast and other Internet service providers is that streaming a lot of data somehow hurts others on the network. Being a good neighbor means not blocking up the pipes for others. For years access providers have insisted that caps mitigate any congestion that might crop up if you're, say, binging on Orange Is the New Black. Yet there's absolutely no real-world evidence of congestion on wired networks.

Comcast admits as much. In the same leaked documents, Comcast tells customer reps NOT to say that "the program is about congestion management. (It is not)."

While this admission has gotten quite a bit of coverage over the last week, the cable industry surrendered this phony rationale years ago, when former FCC chairman turned cable lobbyist Michael Powell confessed that he and his colleagues were "wrong" to portray data caps as needed to alleviate congestion.

Recent data also prove that congestion on the "last-mile" of cable broadband networks is a myth. 2013 surveys from Cisco and Sandvine show that consumer demand for data was growing at a measurable rate that didn't exceed the capacity of existing networks.

So if congestion isn't the problem, how is imposing data caps fair?

Monopoly Rules

Caps aren't necessary to cover the expense of transmitting more data. After it goes to the expense of installing a high-capacity broadband line at a customer's home, Comcast incurs almost no additional cost in terms of how much data you use. Once that "pipe" is built, it's cheap to operate.

In essence, Comcast is imposing these arbitrary limits and penalties on customers simply because it can.

Customers in Comcast markets have few to no other options for affordable high-speed wired-line access. According to the FCC, three out of every four U.S. households have no choice of providers for an Internet service that meets most people's requirement for home broadband today (20 percent don't have access; 55 percent have access to only one provider). Most Internet users slammed with extra data charges from one company can't take their business to a competing provider.

With its monopoly in place the company has gone to great lengths to frustrate the efficient delivery of the richer media streams its customers request, including competing video and cloud based services.

In 2007, Comcast was caught red-handed blocking customers' ability to use file-sharing services like BitTorrent, which allows people to share audio and video files. It has also refused to provide the technical support needed to enable customers to stream video content that they had paid for on devices of their choosing. And it has a history of interfering with customer efforts to stream Netflix.

Whom Do These Caps Really Harm?

Imposing data caps are just the latest chapter in Comcast's decade-long drive to protect its pay-TV offerings against innovations by online streaming services. It's a move that's harmed Comcast customers the most.

So far this year, the Federal Communications Commission has received thousands of complaints from Comcast users. Many of the complaints concern billing errors and confusion about added fees related to data usage.

"I believe that [data capping] is unjust as we are using our Internet connection for streaming TV shows and movies because we do not subscribe to cable. Comcast is in essence punishing us for not having a pay TV subscription with them," writes one customer from Acworth, Georgia. "We are sadly the first pawns in the chess set to be taken down by Comcast's arbitrary data limits."

Data caps are having a very real impact on Internet users' wallets and online behavior. That's by design. Comcast's aim is to load up broadband bills that are already rank among the highest in developed economies. This practice has created unreasonable barriers to access for the many cash-strapped Americans still seeking to get online.

The FCC has yet to investigate this problem thoroughly despite repeated calls to do so from consumer rights groups (including Free Press) and customers.

As more and more companies roll out data caps, the agency should take a deeper look at the ways access providers justify their use. We need to understand the negative impacts that caps have on the affordability and openness of high-speed networks. Internet users demand it. The FCC should too.

That only seems fair.

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Audiences get the performances they deserve. Those paying less attention get less attentive performers. Those listening quietly allow performers to do what they set out to do. Those that engage in the highest quality listening and appreciation inspire the highest quality performances and develop the highest quality relationships.

At an early moment in the most recent HATCH event, singer/songwriter Paul Durham gave an impassioned plea to the assembled group:

"As a musician, I'd like to ask for quiet during musicians' performances. We should treat musicians with at least the same respect with which we treat speakers - maybe even more, since the musicians are pouring their hearts and souls into their music."

And sure enough, later that evening we saw exactly what he was talking about when a handful of musicians came together to deliver an epic music set that reached into the audience's hearts and souls and made people break out into goose bumps, chills, tears and ongoing standing ovations.

The worst scenario is not listening at all. Then there are three levels of listening.

Level One Listening - Multi-tasking

Level one is listening while doing something else at the same time. Think about musicians in a bar or café. As Durham told me, "When people are talking to each other while I'm playing, I'm really just providing background music." The energy and passion performers put into providing background music is all that is required to produce the minimum viable product. They will comply with what they must do, but no more.

Level Two Listening - Attentive

Level two listening is what Durham asked for. The audience is quiet and open to receive the performer's message. Durham told me, "When the audience is quiet, I can bring them up and down and back." Essentially, attentive listening gives performers the space they need to do their thing. They will do their best to contribute to the experience.

Level Three Listening - Interactive

Level three listening is interactive. Audience members beyond receiving the performer's message to actively engaging with the performer and not only being open to being moved, but letting the performer know how they are feeling along the way. Think of the difference between a stand up comic working with a silent audience and an audience feeding off the comic's performance and feeding it right back.

On the last evening of this event, we watched a transformation in Daniel Blue in the middle of one song. He started out great. The audience reacted. Then he took the performance to a whole new level. As he put it, "Sometimes Duendé just takes over". Duendé, as master storyteller Nick Bantock describes is "the creative force flowing from the source and through the artist or storyteller". An interactive audience actively assists that flow.

That's why audiences get the performances they deserve. Multi-task and you'll get the minimum viable performance. Listen attentively and you'll get the best a performer has to offer. Listen actively and you'll unleash the power of Duendé and help performers go to new levels.

Implications for other interactions

You've already figured out that this goes beyond performers. It's true of any conversation with any storyteller in any situation - personal or professional.

Multi-task while your child, spouse, friend, colleague, boss or subordinate is talking and you'll get the background music you deserve - until they get fed up and find a better audience.

Listen attentively and those communicating with you will give the conversation the best they've got.

Active listening is about being open to being moved and showing how you feel along the way. It's not about inserting your point of view. Be open, show your emotions and you'll unleash the power of Duendé to take the conversation and the relationship to a whole new level.

If the relationships don't matter, go ahead and multi-task or cut people out of conversations in the name of efficiency, time management or other priorities. But for the relationships that do matter, investing in active listening is the best use of your time.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

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On Veterans Day we should all be aware that there are far too many veterans, both older and recent, suffering from a lack of appreciation from the government. Many struggle with getting appropriate healthcare or housing or jobs. But there are some benefits that many vets don't seem to be aware of. And most revolve around housing.

VA Mortgages

The veteran's administration (VA) does not make mortgage loans - but it does guarantee payment to the lender on mortgage loans, up to 100 percent of the appraised value of the home. And there is no additional payment for that mortgage insurance.

In essence, the government is rewarding our vets by helping them to purchase a home with a ZERO down payment, and current interest rates as low as 3.5 percent, fixed for 30 years.

The maximum amount of the loan is $417,000 in most of the country, but limits are higher in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands. There is even a way to use a VA loan on a mortgage of up to $1 million - but the borrower must make a 25 percent down payment on the amount borrowed above the standard loan limit.

This is not a one-time deal. As long as the loan is repaid, a veteran can get another loan. And the VA program can be used to refinance an existing conventional loan at a lower rate, or to take cash out.

VA loans are available to those who served on active duty 90 days in wartime, or 180 days during a time of peace for older vets, and at least 2 years' service for those who began their service after September 7, 1980. The vet must have been honorably discharged. Most lenders require the borrower to have a credit score of at least 620, as well as being able to show ongoing income, including spousal, disability, or retirement income.

Of special note is the fact that these VA loans can be used to purchase a two-to-four unit property - as long as the vet occupies one of those units. Given the low rates, it's entirely possible that the rents from the other units will cover the entire monthly mortgage payment! Property owners who rent, also may get write-offs on their taxes for maintenance and other expenses. Loan limits for a multi-family property are significantly higher, depending on the size of the property.

To qualify for the VA mortgage program, applicants need a Certificate of Eligibility, which you can get at the VA website, www.ebenefits.va.gov or by calling 800-983-0987. Most mortgage lenders will help you through the process, as well. ( In Illinois, my VA expert is Daniel Chookaszian, a mortgage expert, former military chaplain, and a long-time proponent of VA benefits. You can reach him at Perl Mortgage, 312-376-2215.

Property Tax Benefits for Vets

Every state offers some form property tax relief for veterans, or surviving spouses -- if they have service-related disabilities. (There are approximately 22.3 million veterans in the United States, and about 3.6 million qualify as having a service related disability.) Each state sets its own level of benefits, and the level of disability required to qualify for them.

For example, Illinois recently increased the benefits to disabled vets by reducing the qualifying percentage of service-related disability from 50 percent to 30 percent. If a vet qualifies, he or she can receive an annual property tax exemption of up to $5,000 on property taxes, on a sliding scale. Those who are deemed to have more than 70 percent disability are completely exempt from paying property taxes on their primary residences. This exemption extends to surviving spouses of disabled vets.
In addition, surviving spouses of veterans who were killed in the line of duty after January 1, 2015, will be completely exempt from paying property taxes on their primary residence. That seems only fair - and a small recompense for their service, and their families' loss.

To find out the requirements for property tax relief in your state for disabled vets, do a Google search using the words: 'property tax exemption for disabled veterans in [your state].'

We owe our veterans a huge debt of gratitude for interrupting their lives and putting themselves in danger to protect us on a daily basis. If you know a vet, please share this information so they can at least take advantage of this small show of gratitude available in VA mortgages. They deserve it. And that's The Savage Truth.

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