As an aside, these three agents of change greatly influence our information requirements. Those who understand this will adapt accordingly and be masters of their destiny. Those that do not, will fall behind.

There are three degrees of change:

• Subtle - representing minor changes occurring daily which we accept (either gladly or grudgingly). Subtle changes can be as insignificant as a change in our speech, form of address, a new hair style, etc. We will either like and embrace such changes or we will simply tolerate them.

• Moderate - representing significant modifications to the status quo. This includes such things as upgrades to our systems and procedures, changes to our policies, and material changes affecting our way of life. Moderate changes are either mandated or requires some tact or diplomacy to implement.

• Radical - represents changes ups
  How to Find the Best Merchant Account Provider for Your Business
  You know - the decision you make when selecting a Merchant Account provider may be much more important than you think. Why? Because you will rely on their service many times a day, as you take in credit card payments for your business.The fees your merchant account provider charges, as a percentage of sales, will add up to tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars, over the course of a few years!Bad or mediocre customer service can cost you many hours of nail-biting anxiety as you struggle to straighten out problems that may not even be your fault.Hidden fees can cut into your profits while early termination penalties force you to remain stranded without the freedom to get out and retake control of your future.If, for any reason, your credit card processing falters, your business will feel the pain. That is why it's very important that your merchant account provider pass some qualifications including these:Qualifier #1. Integrity of the Provider.Unfortunately the merchant account industry is full of deceptive claims and ruthless businesses that feast on the lack of knowledge that merchants have about our industry. Therefore, be on the lookout for these potentially “problematic” indicators:(a) When you call during business hours, do you get an answering machine instead of a live representative or a professional answering service?(b) When you ask about your processing costs, do you get straight-forward answers or just confusing blabber?(c) Do they post teaser rates all across their website with “free” terminal giveaways and ridiculously low rates?(d) Does their website have a valid domain name or are they just representing another merchant account provider?(e) Are they a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBBOnline)?(f) Do you see any security seals like A
  "If anything in life is constant, it is change." - Bryce's Law

  INTRODUCTION

  Like so many of you, I am often mystified as to why there is so much trouble in the middle East. We could easily blame it on religious fanaticism, be it Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. Perhaps. But I tend to believe it can primarily be attributed to change (or the fear of it). In this part of the world, there is great suspicion over the cultural differences between religious groups. Each side fears if they make peace and accept the other parties, it will have an adverse affect on their culture which is something they simply will not accept. In their minds, each believes they follow the "true calling" and will not tolerate any discussion to the contrary. Frankly, I do not think anyone is trying to change the moral conviction of the other; nonetheless, the fear remains.

  We see similar examples of the fear of change, on a much smaller scale, in business, the volunteer non-profit organizations we participate in, and in society in general. Change is a fact of life. Change happens every day before our eyes in the most subtle ways. Change is constant. And instead of resisting change, we should learn to understand it and learn to cope with it. Refusal to deal with change is simply denying reality. For example, I see substantial changes in the schools my children attend, not just the difference between my generation and theirs, but the changes in their own schools in the short time since they have been going to school. I have also witnessed substantial changes in the workplace since I entered it in the 1970's.

  In the systems world, IT departments should readily understand the nature of change for they typically devote 80% of their work effort on modifying and improving corporate systems. As an aside, I find it rather amusing that systems people, who are supposed to be the merchants of change, are often the most resistant to it themselves.

  It would be nice to believe change always represents progress. Not necessarily. Change can also be counterproductive if a new convention is introduced that doesn't improve the status quo. This is probably the biggest cause for the fear of change; that it will not improve our livelihood but, instead, cause a decline in our way of life.

  Change is not a technical problem as much as it is a people problem. Implementing changes to our mechanical devices is nothing compared to how the human being must deal with the device.

  WHAT CAUSES CHANGE?

  There are fundamentally three reasons for change:

  • Political/Government influences - representing new or modified laws, rules and regulations to be implemented either dictated to us or by majority rule. This is closely related to...

  • Cultural influences - society, fashion, religion, customs and language, even the physical environment affects change. For example, the use of our vernacular or our personal appearance represents subtle changes in attitudes and morality. Mother nature, with its tempest of storms, affects how and where we live. The evolution of technology falls into this category as well. For example, consider how the PC, cell phones, video players, and the Internet have affected our lives over the last few years. We now live in a fast-paced world where we expect everything on demand.

  • Competitive/Economic Influences - in order to succeed in life, it is necessary to evolve and improve in order to win. Do we really want to just "Keep up with the Jones'" or do we want to get ahead of them? Economics also influences our way of life and represents our safety blanket. For example, if we do not feel economically stable, we will alter what we are doing in life to safeguard our family and ourselves.

  As an aside, these three agents of change greatly influence our information requirements. Those who understand this will adapt accordingly and be masters of their destiny. Those that do not, will fall behind.

  There are three degrees of change:

  • Subtle - representing minor changes occurring daily which we accept (either gladly or grudgingly). Subtle changes can be as insignificant as a change in our speech, form of address, a new hair style, etc. We will either like and embrace such changes or we will simply tolerate them.

  • Moderate - representing significant modifications to the status quo. This includes such things as upgrades to our systems and procedures, changes to our policies, and material changes affecting our way of life. Moderate changes are either mandated or requires some tact or diplomacy to implement.

  • Radical - represents changes ups
    Revealed - A Simple Formula For Success! Exceeding Expectations
    Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple formula for delighting your customers that Ken Blanchard informed us of in his book “Raving Fans” For me this is a great formula, but in itself it also raises a number of questions. For example, to deliver a plus one, to exceed something, you must know what that something is in the first place… so do you? Do you know what your customer expectations are at each moment of contact? I am constantly surprised by how many of our clients don’t. They have their own personal opinions of what their customers’ expectations are, they believe they know, but can they show me evidence, no! They perhaps show me a survey they conducted over 10 years ago and say “I’m sure it’s the same now”!If you want a clue as to what your customers expectations are then just listen to the words they use. Customers say, “I didn’t expect to be treated in that way”. People use the word expects a great deal……..when they do they are referring to their inner expectations………which they then use to measure your performance against those expectations.On our seminars and conferences, I frequently ask the audience to close their eyes and think of landing in an airport in a foreign country they have never visited before. I ask them to look around and tell me what it is like and how they feel. People begin to tell me, they normally say they feel anxious, confused, they are concerned and worried as they have landed in a foreign country and are not certain what to do and where to go, they are defensive. What are they describing here?…..They are describing emotions, they are describing their emotional expectations, they are describing how they EXPECT to feel. Therefore we tell our clients that there are two forms of expectation, physical expectations, i.e. how quickly a product will be delivered, how many rings it will take to
    ch smaller scale, in business, the volunteer non-profit organizations we participate in, and in society in general. Change is a fact of life. Change happens every day before our eyes in the most subtle ways. Change is constant. And instead of resisting change, we should learn to understand it and learn to cope with it. Refusal to deal with change is simply denying reality. For example, I see substantial changes in the schools my children attend, not just the difference between my generation and theirs, but the changes in their own schools in the short time since they have been going to school. I have also witnessed substantial changes in the workplace since I entered it in the 1970's.

    In the systems world, IT departments should readily understand the nature of change for they typically devote 80% of their work effort on modifying and improving corporate systems. As an aside, I find it rather amusing that systems people, who are supposed to be the merchants of change, are often the most resistant to it themselves.

    It would be nice to believe change always represents progress. Not necessarily. Change can also be counterproductive if a new convention is introduced that doesn't improve the status quo. This is probably the biggest cause for the fear of change; that it will not improve our livelihood but, instead, cause a decline in our way of life.

    Change is not a technical problem as much as it is a people problem. Implementing changes to our mechanical devices is nothing compared to how the human being must deal with the device.

    WHAT CAUSES CHANGE?

    There are fundamentally three reasons for change:

    • Political/Government influences - representing new or modified laws, rules and regulations to be implemented either dictated to us or by majority rule. This is closely related to...

    • Cultural influences - society, fashion, religion, customs and language, even the physical environment affects change. For example, the use of our vernacular or our personal appearance represents subtle changes in attitudes and morality. Mother nature, with its tempest of storms, affects how and where we live. The evolution of technology falls into this category as well. For example, consider how the PC, cell phones, video players, and the Internet have affected our lives over the last few years. We now live in a fast-paced world where we expect everything on demand.

    • Competitive/Economic Influences - in order to succeed in life, it is necessary to evolve and improve in order to win. Do we really want to just "Keep up with the Jones'" or do we want to get ahead of them? Economics also influences our way of life and represents our safety blanket. For example, if we do not feel economically stable, we will alter what we are doing in life to safeguard our family and ourselves.

    As an aside, these three agents of change greatly influence our information requirements. Those who understand this will adapt accordingly and be masters of their destiny. Those that do not, will fall behind.

    There are three degrees of change:

    • Subtle - representing minor changes occurring daily which we accept (either gladly or grudgingly). Subtle changes can be as insignificant as a change in our speech, form of address, a new hair style, etc. We will either like and embrace such changes or we will simply tolerate them.

    • Moderate - representing significant modifications to the status quo. This includes such things as upgrades to our systems and procedures, changes to our policies, and material changes affecting our way of life. Moderate changes are either mandated or requires some tact or diplomacy to implement.

    • Radical - represents changes ups
      Now it's Time to Get Your Feet Wet
      Part 4 of Having Your Successful BusinessCongratulations! You have learned “how much pie” you want, how successful people talk, and what the best vehicle is to achieving your goals. In this final section, its time to discover why you haven’t started yet.The biggest thing that holds people back is fear. Fear can be defined like this: False Evidence Appearing Real.It can be comforting to know that each morning we wake that nothing unusual is going to happen.Wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch some TV, go to bed, and repeat.Nothing magical happened just then. That’s life in a nutshell; spending nearly two-thirds of our life at work.But if you have read this series then fear probably isn’t a concern to you right now. In fact, I can bet that the move toward independence is already in your mind.I have discussed a little bit home-based businesses and the Health and Wellness industry. Its time to forge these two concepts into one.One of the reasons so many people look into home-based businesses is because of the “freedom” they have over their surroundings.One reason why most people quit on their dreams is because of rejection. Rejection causes us to lose some of this control and feel down about ourselves.Ever had a job where your boss criticized your work? Did you quit that job afterwards? Of course not. It’s not that big of a deal.The same with a business. You won’t win everyone over all the time. Just move on. You are valuable to your business. Keep moving forward.Now why Health and Wellness?Well, everyone is always looking to be healthier. Why not follow some section two advice and help them get what they want?If you are going to take a piece of a trillion dollars, why not get the biggest slice you can? The more people you help, the better your
      eople, who are supposed to be the merchants of change, are often the most resistant to it themselves.

      It would be nice to believe change always represents progress. Not necessarily. Change can also be counterproductive if a new convention is introduced that doesn't improve the status quo. This is probably the biggest cause for the fear of change; that it will not improve our livelihood but, instead, cause a decline in our way of life.

      Change is not a technical problem as much as it is a people problem. Implementing changes to our mechanical devices is nothing compared to how the human being must deal with the device.

      WHAT CAUSES CHANGE?

      There are fundamentally three reasons for change:

      • Political/Government influences - representing new or modified laws, rules and regulations to be implemented either dictated to us or by majority rule. This is closely related to...

      • Cultural influences - society, fashion, religion, customs and language, even the physical environment affects change. For example, the use of our vernacular or our personal appearance represents subtle changes in attitudes and morality. Mother nature, with its tempest of storms, affects how and where we live. The evolution of technology falls into this category as well. For example, consider how the PC, cell phones, video players, and the Internet have affected our lives over the last few years. We now live in a fast-paced world where we expect everything on demand.

      • Competitive/Economic Influences - in order to succeed in life, it is necessary to evolve and improve in order to win. Do we really want to just "Keep up with the Jones'" or do we want to get ahead of them? Economics also influences our way of life and represents our safety blanket. For example, if we do not feel economically stable, we will alter what we are doing in life to safeguard our family and ourselves.

      As an aside, these three agents of change greatly influence our information requirements. Those who understand this will adapt accordingly and be masters of their destiny. Those that do not, will fall behind.

      There are three degrees of change:

      • Subtle - representing minor changes occurring daily which we accept (either gladly or grudgingly). Subtle changes can be as insignificant as a change in our speech, form of address, a new hair style, etc. We will either like and embrace such changes or we will simply tolerate them.

      • Moderate - representing significant modifications to the status quo. This includes such things as upgrades to our systems and procedures, changes to our policies, and material changes affecting our way of life. Moderate changes are either mandated or requires some tact or diplomacy to implement.

      • Radical - represents changes ups
        Have You Lost Control Of Your Career?
        Have you lost it? Your career, I mean... Well it's time to find it and take control to create the excitement, fulfillment and success that is meant for you!Where do you start to regain control? Start here...What are you doing today to manage your career? What does it mean to manage your career and not have it managed for you? How can you take the reins and direct your career?These are great questions that successful people ask themselves every day. Because you see, managing your career is part of your day to day activities. Each meeting you attend, each conference call you lead or participate in, each one-on-one interaction are all steps to managing your career.Where you spend your time and who you spend your time with will either position you to stay put or move forward. This gets to some of the more tactical ways in which you manage your career.From a strategic perspective, are you on the path that brings you the greatest amount of energy and satisfaction? Are you moving toward your vision of success in your chosen field or profession? Or someone else’s?To begin to regain control, it starts with your vision for success in your life. Every professional has a strategy for what their next 1, 3 and 5 year plan will be for their career. But is this vision leading towards your definition of success for your life or towards what is expected? If they are one in the same, congratulations! If they are not, that’s ok too! The mere awareness of it enables you to look at it with different eyes and to take inspired action to bring it more in line with who you are and what you want.Talking with someone you know and trust or journaling can help to capture your thoughts. You could also consider meditation or visualization techniques. Clarity in this area can have a profound affect on your actions and sense of accomplishment. So
        influences - society, fashion, religion, customs and language, even the physical environment affects change. For example, the use of our vernacular or our personal appearance represents subtle changes in attitudes and morality. Mother nature, with its tempest of storms, affects how and where we live. The evolution of technology falls into this category as well. For example, consider how the PC, cell phones, video players, and the Internet have affected our lives over the last few years. We now live in a fast-paced world where we expect everything on demand.

      • Competitive/Economic Influences - in order to succeed in life, it is necessary to evolve and improve in order to win. Do we really want to just "Keep up with the Jones'" or do we want to get ahead of them? Economics also influences our way of life and represents our safety blanket. For example, if we do not feel economically stable, we will alter what we are doing in life to safeguard our family and ourselves.

      As an aside, these three agents of change greatly influence our information requirements. Those who understand this will adapt accordingly and be masters of their destiny. Those that do not, will fall behind.

      There are three degrees of change:

      • Subtle - representing minor changes occurring daily which we accept (either gladly or grudgingly). Subtle changes can be as insignificant as a change in our speech, form of address, a new hair style, etc. We will either like and embrace such changes or we will simply tolerate them.

      • Moderate - representing significant modifications to the status quo. This includes such things as upgrades to our systems and procedures, changes to our policies, and material changes affecting our way of life. Moderate changes are either mandated or requires some tact or diplomacy to implement.

      • Radical - represents changes ups
        Strategic Planning for Fund Raising
        When it is the height of elections, there is unmistakably countless strategic planning for fund raising. Even if aspiring politicians detest pleading for money, they simply have to in order to support their candidacy. Yes, they may have their own resources but there are also some where their acquired wealth is not enough. Just imagine the amount that they need to come up so they can travel to different places to visit future constituents as well as print publicity materials.Cards laid on the table says that there is the absence of strategic planning for fund raising, either one of two things will happen, it will directly be from your pocket or continue with the process without any pecuniary assistance. Well, it is absolutely alright if you have a fat bank account so you can write big checks. This was pretty much the same case with Jon Corzine when he dispensed $60 million to gain a Senate position in New Jersey. Michael Bloomberg is no other when he spent $74 million in order win the mayoralty race in New York.Putting that you are an incumbent officer and the person running against you is virtually a nobody, with that thought, you are safe and hardly, not much requirement for a strategic planning for fund raising. However, this should not be reason to be laid back because that may be the reason for your loss. Taking chances should never be considered especially when the game is seriously played. Just take for example the story of the hare and tortoise. The hare was depending too much on the fact that he is way faster than the tortoise. Due to such, he took a short nap but little did he know, it was long and the tortoise arrived in the finish line first.In strategic planning for fund raising, contributors play a great role as they are the ones who provide fiscal facility. Most of them are business tycoons who want to be recognized as they also h
        e to safeguard our family and ourselves.

      As an aside, these three agents of change greatly influence our information requirements. Those who understand this will adapt accordingly and be masters of their destiny. Those that do not, will fall behind.

      There are three degrees of change:

      • Subtle - representing minor changes occurring daily which we accept (either gladly or grudgingly). Subtle changes can be as insignificant as a change in our speech, form of address, a new hair style, etc. We will either like and embrace such changes or we will simply tolerate them.

      • Moderate - representing significant modifications to the status quo. This includes such things as upgrades to our systems and procedures, changes to our policies, and material changes affecting our way of life. Moderate changes are either mandated or requires some tact or diplomacy to implement.

      • Radical - represents changes upsetting the status quo. This includes complete overhauls of systems, the introduction of totally new ways of conducting business, and such things as mergers, diversifications, closings, and divorce.

      Understand this, resistance to change grows as we move from subtle to radical. Subtle changes are those we understand and readily adapt to, but unending changes turning our world upside-down will not always be greeted with enthusiasm.

      "Living without change would be inconceivable and unbearable. At the same time few of us would care to go on living in the midst of ceaseless, chaotic, completely unpredictable change." - Hadley Cantril

      WHY DO WE RESIST CHANGE?

      Let us now consider the fundamental reasons why we resist change:

      • We are creatures of habit. We long for stability in our lives which represents a comfort zone we want to live in. Any proposed change to this comfort zone is greeted with suspicion. This is perhaps the biggest reason for resistance to change.

      • Fear of the unknown. Going into a dark room is difficult even for the bravest of souls. As human-beings, we have a natural tendency to want to be in control of our actions and behavior. As such, the unknown is terrifying and causes us to invent rationales for why we shouldn't do something; even worse, ignorance leads to fabrications of the truth and gossip.

      • Human emotion. Humans are capricious, and tend to do only what pleases them. We may elect to cooperate or stubbornly resist for no apparent reason. As such, we must recognize man as a political animal who will only do those things they feel are in their best interest. We do not like our authority or territory challenged whereby we might lose control. Consequently, we will sabotage any change coming our way.

      • Ignorance. We are either unaware a problem exists or that a better solution can be found. Many people are comfortable operating in a state of ignorance, they do not want to know about problems or anything affecting their environment.

      • Combinations of the above.

      A person's age also affects resistance to change. As we get older we become more set in our ways and less likely to accept change. In contrast, younger people are much more adaptive to change. A lot of this has to do with the fertility of the mind. Our most creative and energetic years are in our youth where we believe the sky is the limit. This is why the military wants young soldiers for they believe themselves to be fearless and want to prove themselves to their superiors and family. In other words, they have not yet learned they are not indestructible. But after they have been burned a couple of times, they start to become jaded and start to challenge the rationale for why they are asked to perform certain tasks. Further, the military realizes younger minds can be shaped more readily than older ones.

      IMPLEMENTING CHANGE

      As we all know, implementing change is not a simple matter. A lot depends on the perceptions of people. If we believe a change to be worthwhile, we will readily accept it; if not, we will bitterly resist it. As humans, we act on our perceptions which is not necessarily synonymous with reality; it is how we believe something to be regardless if it is true or not. Hitler and Joseph Goerbels were acutely aware of this phenomenon and distorted people's perceptions in order to bring about sweeping changes in Germany. Both the press and politicians in general are also astute in this regard and attempt to influence public perceptions, thereby bringing about the changes they champion. Advertising agencies are also aware of this, as should business and non-profit groups interested in