THE ACHIEVEMENT DIGEST®
Gene Griessman, Ph.D.  Editor and Publisher
Spring, 2003
www.achievementdigest.com

1. Time Management Tip: How To Develop Your Listening Skills
2. Leadership Tip:  How To Deal With Impatient Bosses
3. Lincoln’s Log:  Abraham Lincoln and George Washington Compared
4. Quotable Quotes
5. Travel Tip:  A Restaurant Discovery In LA
6. Feedback

1.  How to develop your listening skills.
You’ll make fewer mistakes, see opportunities and dangers, make more sales, win friends, and influence people if you learn to listen. 

One.  Listen actively, not passively. Try to listen at the 10-level.

Two.  Listen for action items.  Are there ideas that can be implemented?

Three.  Concentrate.  Don’t let your mind wander.  You can develop your concentration powers through practice at shutting out distractions. 

Four.  Motivate people to tell you more.  Just a small application of reinforcement theory will work wonders.  In my TV interviews with celebrities, I'd say something like, "That's great!"  "That's the kind of thing I want to know more about."

Five.  Listen discriminatingly.  Concentrate on key facts and ideas; try to ignore trivia and fluff.

Want to know more about effective listening?  Read Time Tactics of Very Successful People pp. 50-54 for specific ways that listening can help save time.  Also, there’s  a professional organization–the International Listening Association--that “promotes the study, development, and teaching of listening and the practice of effective listening skills and techniques.” (www.listen.org)

2.  Leadership:  How To Communicate With Impatient Bosses
I’m always on the lookout for effective ways to communicate.  I even keep a file folder with the homely title “How To Say Things.”  In it are apt expressions that I’ve developed myself or heard others say or write.  They are templates to guide me.

Recently I was reading Bob Woodward’s Bush At War when I came upon an effective way to deal with a touchy or impatient individual who’s higher up the ladder than you are.  The interaction described was between President Bush—who’s known to be impatient and abrupt with associates—and John E. McLaughlin, Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.  The Deputy Director, incidentally, does not usually deal directly with the President.  His boss does.  Here’s the way the conversation went: 

President Bush:  “When do you think we should start military action (in Afghanistan)?”
McLaughlin:  “That’s your call.  I can only give you my personal opinion.”
President Bush:  That’s all I’m looking for.”
McLaughlin then recommended waiting a couple of weeks longer, and explained why.
President Bush:  “Thank you.” (pp. 161, 162)

The result: The conversation took place on September 28, 2002. Bush wanted to start the action right away.  The first bombing raids took place not quite two weeks later on October 7, 2002. 

There's an example in the book of a way to deal with a boss who seeks strict control.  Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, had just said something in a committee meeting, and the President asked General Tommy Franks what he thought.  Franks replied:  "Sir, I think exactly what my secretary thinks, what he's ever thought, what he will ever think, or whatever he thought he might think."  (p. 251) 

You can just hear the room explode with laughter.  Laughter can be a great tension reliever.

3. Lincoln’s Log...Abraham Lincoln and George Washington Compared
We don’t usually think of Lincoln and Washington as being similar, even though the two men are usually number one and number two among America’s most admired Presidents.  There is much dissimilarity, for example:

Washington was rich, and Lincoln was poor. 

Washington came from aristocracy; Lincoln’s family was obscure and undistinguished. 

Washington had extensive experience in the military, and advanced to the rank of general.  Lincoln never rose above the rank of captain. His military experience was limited to a few weeks as the captain of a regiment of volunteers in the Black Hawk War.  

Washington was a handsome man who was majestic in his bearing. Few ever called Lincoln handsome or majestic-looking.

Similarities

Both were tall men for their times: Washington 6’3” and Lincoln 6’4.” 

Both fought in Indian wars.

Both were athletic—-excellent wrestlers and horsemen. 

Both lacked formal schooling.  Washington received none at all; he was tutored at home. Lincoln had about one year’s schooling. 

Both were surveyors. 

Both were known for having volcanic tempers, and for their ability to control them. 

Both were cautious with their words.  For example, Washington said virtually nothing in public during the Constitutional Convention.  Lincoln was an accomplished story-teller, but when it came to disclosing his innermost thoughts, a friend called him “the most close-mouthed man” he had ever known."

Both loved the theater.

Both loved reading. 

Both married women from wealthy, prominent families. 

Both attended church services, read the Bible, and prayed; but neither was a communicant of any denomination.

Both suffered many defeats and setbacks.  During the Revolutionary War, Washington lost more battles than he won, but was victorious in the final one. Lincoln’s setbacks were so frequent and well-known that they have become a cherished part of American lore.

4.  Quotable Quotes

”A capacity, and taste, for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.  It is the key, or one of the keys to the already solved problems.  And not only so.  It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the unsolved ones.”
     President Abraham Lincoln (Quoted in Gene Griessman, The Words Lincoln Lived By. NY: Fireside/Simon & Schuster, 1997, p. 66.)

"I have accustomed myself to receive with respect the opinions of others, but always take the responsibility of deciding for myself."
     President Andrew Jackson (Quoted in Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. The Age of Jackson. 1943, p. 40)
 

”The number of transistors on a chip will grow exponentially with each passing year.”
     (Gordon Moore, chairman emeritus of Intel, made this prediction in 1965 when he observed that the number of chips had doubled every year for four years.  He did not expect what the press called "Moore's law" to be true for 30 years, but it has.  Moore expects the "law" will be true for another 20 years.  There were 2300 transistors on the first processor. Intel now markets a chip with one billion transistors.)

“Officers wanted for hazardous journey.  Small Wages.  Bitter cold.  Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger.  Safe return doubtful.  Honour and recognition in case of success.”
     (Excerpt from a recruiting poster used by British explorer Ernest Shackleton for his 1914 Antarctica expedition. In case you’re wondering what happened to those who responded to the poster, Shackelton’s ship was crushed by the ice, and Shackelton and his crew were stranded on the ice for months. Almost miraculously he managed to bring them home safely.) 
 

5.  Travel Tips  A Restaurant Discovery in LA
Hans Rockenwagner’s restaurant on Main Street in Santa Monica is justly regarded as one of LA’s best.  Gourmet Magazine called it one of LA’s top ten in 2000.  Now Rockenwagner has opened a new restaurant in my neighborhood: the Ballona Fish Market (13455 Maxella Ave in  Marina del Rey --310-822-8979--15 minutes from LAX)  Not fussy, moderate in price, with original, tasty dishes.  Here are a few:  Striped Bass Filet on Carrot Gnocchi, Sugar Snap Peas, and Chanterelle Mushrooms ($17.95); Seafood Stew in Lobster Broth with Tomatoes, Leeks, and Roasted Pepper Rouille ($16.95); and my favorite, Ballona Crusted Sole over Artichoke, and Tomato Stew with Preserved Lemons ($16.95).  If you go, you just might find me at one of the tables.

6. Feedback
”On behalf of Lincoln Financial Distributors, thank you for helping to make our 2003 National Sales Conference an enormous success!  Abe Lincoln was overwhelmingly accepted among our audience.  Abe’s powerful words motivated, inspired, energized and entertained our sales force....Furthermore, your keynote address following Abe’s performance perfectly correlated with our themes and goals set forth at this year’s sales conference.  We look forward to working with you (and Abe) again soon.
     Meg D’Angelo, Manager, Conference and Event Planning, Lincoln Financial Distributors

"I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for both of the appearances that you made at the Lincoln Financial Distributors sales conference last week.  I have pasted the principles to live by on my office wall so that I look at them every day.

"Thanks for helping make me a better salesman, husband, and person."
    Adam Whitehead, Regional Retirement Marketing Director, Lincoln Financial Distributors
 

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Quantity discounts are available on the following items: The Words Lincoln Lived By, Time Tactics of Very Successful People, “The Inspirational Words of Abraham Lincoln,” “Lessons Learned From High Achievers,” and “An Evening With Abraham Lincoln.”  Call 800-749-4625 to learn how a quantity purchase can bring your organization a complimentary keynote, seminar, or Lincoln portrayal by Gene Griessman.