ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - January 18, 2008

There is good news and bad news about a busy travel schedule. The good news, of course, is that I get to meet a bunch of new people, share ideas and pick up frequent flyer miles. The bad news is that it really throws off my routine! Case in point: the EHC.

I usually write this on Thursday night and set it up to be sent first thing Friday morning. That's no problem if I am home on Thursday. But when the travel doesn't end until late Thursday night, with precious little free time on a road trip and no ability to weigh in on my scale at home (so I can report progress -- or lack of it -- on my weight loss project), yet another issue of EHC arrives a bit later than I like. Life is like that sometimes.

Flash! Joel Cohen and I will offer a marketing workshop in March titled, appropriately, "March Madness." It will be at the Mall of America in Minneapolis and will build on what we developed for our last Birthday Bash. Look for more details over the weekend.

I HAVE A DREAM
Remembering The Lessons of History
Monday is the day set aside to honor the work and the life of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am old enough to remember Dr. King and the civil rights marches of the '60s. Looking back on it now, the conditions that existed forty years ago seem like they happened in another country. In many ways, they did. The fact that American society's thinking changed is due in no small part to the personal courage of this remarkable man.

We have come a long way since the freedom march in Selma, Alabama ... and there is still a long way to go ... but the impact that this one man had on the freedom movement, the country -- and me personally -- is rare.

As a speaker, I am in awe of words that continue to move and inspire us. Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963 is certainly one of those. In fact, it has been judged the most significant American political speech of the 20th Century.

I think every American should be required to re-read the words of that talk at least once a year. It would be even better to listen to a recording of the actual delivery ... and when is there a better time to do that than today?

I discovered a website that preserves great moments in American oratory. Click here to go to the transcript and audio of the "I Have a Dream" speech. I hope you will find time to pause, listen, reflect on his words, clarify your vision of the sort of world you want to live in ... and then take some action to help that happen.

THE JANUARY SURVEY
What Keeps You Awake at Night?

Since we are starting a new year, the January survey asks about your biggest concern for 2008 and what you plan to do about it. I would also like to know what issues you would like to see addressed in future surveys.

As usual, I will send copies of the survey results to everyone who participates. In the meantime, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys -- including the massive WOW Ideas collections.

Add your thoughts to this month's survey.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE MISSING
In This Week's EHC Special Edition ...

* Do The Work - important lessons from my experience with a Cobb Salad (this could trigger a powerful discussion at your next staff meeting)
* The Word of the Week: Rigor - a discussion of how to raise the bar ... and keep it there including the need to develop a low tolerance for incompetence
* What Did You Learn From Your Staff Today? - how the Perpetual Question and good listening skills may have averted an organizational train wreck
* Special Offers on management resources and services

THE EHC SPECIAL EDITION:
My original intent with the EHC was to make it short and sweet -- a two-minute read max. Over the years it has grown well past that simple goal, partially because I also viewed it as a resource for my Gold Group members.

As the required to read the EHC has expanded, so has the time required to put it together. While it is still very much a labor of love for me, it may not be serving your needs these days, particularly as the volume of everyone's e-mail increases.

I'm thinking that for some readers, less may actually be more. If the value of the EHC for you is to provide a quick lift and a fresh idea, then the current format is definitely overload. At the same time, others may find the range of articles and insights to be just the right dose of medicine. (I am the doctor, after all!) So I changed the EHC format.

I will continue to offer the weekly EHC at no charge, but I am making the free version much shorter so you can read it quickly and get back to work. You should be able to get the gist of the message in close to my original two-minute goal.

If you want more, you can subscribe to the EHC Special Edition. It contains three times the information of this Complimentary Edition ... for a nominal annual subscription of $39 -- just 75 cents an issue!

To sweeten the deal even more, I am offering a SPECIAL BONUS to those who sign up for the Special Edition before the end of the month -- an offer so good that I actually end up paying YOU to upgrade! Click here to find out more.

The Special Edition is included as part of the Gold Group membership and participation in the Peak Performers Coaching Group.

The dual format lets you choose the level of information you can absorb. My hope is that the option of receiving as much -- or as little -- as you want will help the EHC remain a welcome resource that you look forward to reading.

LIGHTEN UP!
The Noble Experiment Continues
Here is the weekly report on my personal project to lighten up:

Goal: -50 Last Week: +4 Total: -16

So much for my theory of weight loss on the road! I realize a certain amount of fluctuation is normal but I was certainly being conscious of what I ate on this trip. I will be home for the next couple of weeks. That should help the cause.

A number of folks have joined me in this audacious venture ... even if most of them haven't re-connected after the holidays. I applaud their courage in "going public." Do you have a goal regarding your weight? Do you have the courage to put yourself on record? We all seem to get better results when there is someone or something to hold us accountable.

Mary Jo Beniger -- Goal: -25 To Date: -11.5 (No report this week)
Cindy Casady -- Goal: -30 As of 11/21: -15 (No report this week)
Tom Combs -- Goal: -65 Last Week: -1 Total: -16
Chris Corrigan -- Goal: -25 As of 11/21: -4 (No report this week)
Trice Micheals -- Goal: -50 Last Week: -3 Total: -10
Steve Ulrey -- Goal: -12 As of 11/21: 0 (No report this week)
Bill Breslo -- Goal: +5 As of 11/21: +3.5 (No report this week)

If you are interested in how it's going for us, scroll down to the bottom of the EHC each week and check out the progress. If you could care less, don't!

© 2008 Restaurant Doctor