Tuesday, April 12, 2011

What We Can Learn From Colonel Harland Sanders

Yes, I'm talking about the initiator of Kentucky Fried Chicken. He held, according to their website, a variety of jobs, including: farm hand, streetcar conductor, army private in Cuba, blacksmith's helper, rail yard fireman, insurance salesman, tire salesman and service station operation for Standard Oil.

According to Wikipedia:

Pan Fried Chicken

"at the age of 40, Sanders cooked chicken dishes and others for people who stopped at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky. Since he did not have a restaurant, he served customers in his living quarters in the service station. Eventually, his local popularity grew, and Sanders moved to a motel and restaurant that seated 142 people and worked as the chef. Over the next nine years, he perfected his method of cooking chicken. Furthermore, he made use of a pressure fryer that allowed the chicken to be cooked much faster than by pan-frying."

Sanders took to franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, starting at age 65, using 5.00 from his first Social Security check to fund visits to potential franchisees. As the story goes, at age 65 when he received his first social security check he said to himself, I can't live on this. So, at age 65, he drove around selling the fried chicken recipe. At age 65, he started a new career and flourished.

I admire and mention Colonel Sanders often in my speeches. I add to the speech that it is never too late to try something new. It is never too late to change directions. It is never too late to improve your skills and standing in life.

What is going on in your career and life? Are you doing the same thing you've been doing for the last decade? How's it working for you? Are you stuck as a middle manager? Do you drag yourself out of bed to go to a job only because it pays the bills? One thing is for sure, tomorrow is going to be just as crappy. Again and again and again for all the rest of your work days; unless you change something.

Self-pity is an anchor that will pull you down to the deepest ocean level of despair. You must realize that you are an individual and in charge of your own career and life. Dwelling on some mistakes you made without ever forgiving yourself for it is a form of self-pity. It keeps you focused on failure, and you will never see opportunity if it hits you in the face with a two-by-four!

It's time to initiate some new habits. The central one being setting 15 minutes a day to THINK. Not to think about your current situation, but think of ways to CHANGE your current situation.

Not sure what to "THINK" about? Here are a few questions to get you started:

What does my business user need to make his job easier? What stories could I tell my business user? What do I know about my business user? Is my attitude better today than it was yesterday? What did I learn new yesterday? What project would help my business user the most? What sales book would help me in IT? How can I better convey my value to the business community? What can I do today that will help me connect better with the business community? What should I be doing to improve myself and my quality of life?

Next you need time to spark ideas. That is best done by reading (not watching TV for 3+ hours a day). Reading the news does not count towards reading. In fact, I recommend that you never read or listen to the news first-thing or last-thing you do during the day. The news brings your attitude down a couple of notches. As the expression goes...if it bleeds, it leads. It's depressing. Most of the time, you can't do anything about it. Therefore, watching the news will never help you get ahead.

I read business books. I then spend some think time in how what I read can be applied to engaging the business community. I come up with titles of eZine articles or write quick notes by Engaging blog or Geek blog.

I recommend that you buy a few attitude books. I've been recommending good books in each issue of the eZine. Read a couple of pages of it at the beginning and end of each day. These are books that open your mind to new ideas. Which brings me to the next really big "to do" topic that will get you ahead in your career.

Start a journal. Spend 15 minutes a day to write down ideas that you get. Jot down how you think each idea will help you get out of the rut you are in. Identify how it may help you reach your goal.

Oh yeah, have a goal. Taking a bunch of actions without a plan and a goal is like a hamster running around and around on a wheel. Sure, you may get some great exercise, but it isn't going to help you in your career.

Need an example...take a look at me. I already told you that I read a lot. I read slowly, only a few pages a day. That is because I think about what I've read and determine if I can apply the principles to engage the business community or to help the business community talk with geeks. If I do, I write it down somewhere. It's part of a bigger plan for me to be the icon for bridging business and IT.

What has this approach done for me, it's opened opportunities in consulting, teaching, speaking, and writing. All of which has helped me become better yielding greater wealth

What have you done lately? Watch some reality show? Will your life still be crappy tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day?

Next time you pass a KFC remember one thing:

It's never too late to start a new path to greatness.

What We Can Learn From Colonel Harland Sanders

Pat Ferdinandi, Chief Thought Translator & Business Architect
Improving the communication experience between business & technologists.
Strategic Business Decisions, inc.
website: http://www.SBDi-Consulting.com
twitter: thoughttrans

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