Glenn's Daily Journal

We've Moved!

2006-12-28T16:07:00.000-06:00

My blog is now located at www.GlennShepard.com/blog

Living On a Prayer

2006-12-28T11:41:00.000-06:00

If you’ve read my books and subscribe to my weekly newsletter, you already know what a big fan I am of Jon Bon Jovi. Last night he was on Larry King Live, and demonstrated yet again why I admire him so much. While most rock and rollers start out at the bottom and then scratch and claw their way to the top, Jon did what might be even more difficult. He started out opening for ZZ Top at Madison Square Garden, and then managed to stay on top for over 20 years now. He and his bandmates were one of the top 10 grossing acts for 2006, and just became the first rock band to top the country charts (with Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles in “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”).

Jon has four kids with his high school sweetheart, who he actually married before they began having kids (hey Tom Cruise, there’s a novel idea), is a doting father whose kids go to scholl with Bruce Springsteen’s kids, has the exact same band members today that he started out with (imagine having ZERO percent turnover with your employees for over 20 years), is extremely philanthropic, and though he is quite active politically, he specifically keeps his political sentiments out of his concerts. Why? Because, he says, people pay to her him sing, not to hear his opinions. Jon understands that his fans are his customers, and bringing politics into business can be very expensive, as evidenced by the Dixie Chicks.

Yet despite his professionalism and intelligence, he says he could never run for political office because he doesn’t believe he’s qualified enough to do that.

Now isn’t that ironic? A man with great integrity, who’s also incredibly successful, well spoken, intelligent, modest, and eternally cool, doesn’t think he’s qualified to be a politician. Guess that explains why we have so many scoundrels in Washington. One thing is for sure, though. The world needs more people like Jon Bon Jovi.

Tired?

2006-12-27T12:15:00.000-06:00

Speaking of strange websites, this is officially the strangest I’ve ever seen. I can’t imagine why it exists, but it’s oddly interesting. Go to: www.Tired.com

How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off by Holiday Scammers

2006-12-26T07:48:00.000-06:00

If you’re a generous soul who want to give to legitimate charitable causes, but aren’t sure how to tell what’s legit and what’s not, here are two websites that will allow you to check organizations out before you give:

www.give.org

www.charitynavigator.org

Merry Christmas from the Hills of Tennessee!

2006-12-25T14:59:00.000-06:00

My first hope is that no one is reading my blog on Christmas Day. If you are, chances are that you had to work but have nothing to do at work, are at home and trying to avoid your crazy uncle who likes to dance with your dog after he gets a few glasses of family Christmas cheer in him, or are at your in-laws and bored out of your mind. If so, here’s a suggestion – go back and read the featured article in the November 21 issue of my newsletter. You’ll feel a lot better about yourself when – and appreciate Christmas – after you do.

Is God A Tennessee Titans Fan?

2006-12-24T13:13:00.000-06:00

If you ever doubted that anyone can be tempted to do anything at any time given the right set of circumstances, here’s proof. This morning Lynn and Nancy, who are sisters and are even bigger Tennessee Titans fans than I am, shared a doozy before church. A season ticket holder who couldn’t attend a Titans game earlier this season gave her two tickets to the pastor. The pastor then gave them to Nancy before services. Problem is that even though the church isn’t too far from Titans Stadium (now called LP Field), the game started only an hour after services ended. Wearing church clothes to a football game just doesn’t cut it, and going home to change after church would have likely meant missing the opening kickoff. Yet as Nancy put it, it’s so wrong in so many ways to leave church early in order to attend a game you’re getting to attend only because your very thoughtful pastor gave you tickets (there’s never been a single Titans home game that hasn’t sold out). Imagine the little angel on one shoulder telling you to be a Dr. Laura kind of person and do the right thing, while a little demon with a pitchfork is on the other saying, “Who could blame you for slipping out early?” But they stayed for the entire service, and still had time to make it to their respective homes, and arrived at the stadium just in time for kickoff.

Secret Confessions of Guilty People

2006-12-23T08:17:00.000-06:00

I’m sure how legit this website is, but I heard about it on Kim Komando's radio show and looked it up. It’s for anonymous confessions of just about anything. Here’s the one that got my attention:

“I am an employee of yours but I spend any moment I can afford to trying to promote and work on my 2 other side businesses so I can quit this stupid job. I take advantage of your friendship with me and the freedom you give me as an employee. You inherited this company from your daddy and you can't run it. I am sorry I am stealing time from you but I am outta here as soon as humanly possible. Sorry I stole time from you but you have no idea what it means to be an employee for you. It is absurd.”

Yikes! Here’s the website: www.notproud.com
Take it with a grain of salt and proceed at your own caution. If you do go to the website, click on the word “confessions”.

The Big 3 Are No Longer GM, Ford, and Chrysler

2006-12-22T10:34:00.000-06:00

As I warned in previous blog posts, the day of reckoning has arrived in Detroit. As of today, GM is no longer the world's biggest car manufacturer. Toyota has now become #1. This is a wake up call for all Americans who love their country. If we don't get over this entitlement mentality and stop asking for more and more and more benefits and pay while trying to work less, this will just be the beginning of more to come.

So here's a private message for the UAW and any other labor unions who have become downright hostile with their employers...

"Ask not what your company can do for you, ask what you can do to keep your company from going into bankruptcy!"

The 2006 Victory Massage!

2006-12-21T15:25:00.000-06:00

All speaking engagement, deadlines, articles to write, books to edit, yada, yada, yada are all over for 2006. This is as Foo Foo as I get, but it's a big day. Donna, who worked as a massage therapist at the Opryland Hotel for 11 years and now works at a private day spa, is squeezing all the delayed flights, snow storms, musky hotel rooms, and voice-going-out stress from 2006 out of me like a tube of toothpaste.

V-Day is Here!

2006-12-20T09:28:00.000-06:00

While last Friday was my final live in-person seminar for the year, I gave a webinar on Monday and have my last one today. Even though I’m sitting comfortably at my desk for these programs and only speak for an hour, I’m speaking live to a national audience and there are more than a few technical “issues” that come up. Jennifer, the producer, is in Philadelphia, and Jordan, the moderator, is in Salt Lake City (confused already? I told you there are ‘issues’). While I’m speaking, I’m also controlling a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation which is displayed on everyone’s computers. Seems simple, but it makes me just a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle nervous turning my note pages in a three ring binder with my left hand, while controlling the computer display on screen for everyone with my right hand, and watching the stopwatch which times me on every page (not good for people who are single task oriented, aka “men”). So after today’s presentation, I’m all done for a month, and heading straight to the annual end-of-year Victory Massage (look for photo in tomorrow’s blog post). V-Day has finally arrived.

Free Unlimited Phone Calls for $30 a Year

2006-12-19T06:42:00.000-06:00

Well after bashing technology yesterday, I guess I’m being a bit of a hypocrite by reporting this. But it’s too good not to. If you have broadband Internet access, check out the VOIP service (which means using the Internet to make phone calls) from Skype. Their new service plan offers unlimited calls in the U.S. and Canada for $29.95 a year. They’re even offering a 50% discount to consumers who sign up by Jan 31, making it $14.95 for all of 2007. The one downside is that they don’t offer 911 service, so they say that it shouldn’t be used as a substitute for a regular phone. Go to www.skype.com for details.

The Technology Blues

2006-12-18T10:57:00.000-06:00

I really wonder about this whole technology thing sometimes. I arrived in my office at 6:00 am this morning, before any of my employees. This is the beginning of a month and a half off the road, and it is sooooooo reassuring to come into familiar territory and be around familiar people. But when I booted everything up, the Internet was down, as well as one computer. I felt so helpless until my staff came in and made everything work. Isn’t it funny how we can make anything from cell phones to computers, but can’t make them work? Makes me wonder if this is really “progress”. Think about it:

- Cable modems are faster, but they’re down so often. Old fashioned (as in 2001) dial-up Internet access was slow, but more reliable

- Windows is powerful, but it crashes. MS DOS was simple and it never crashed.

- Digital cell phones today are cheap, but their coverage is awful.

- Email is convenient, but half of it gets caught by spam filters. Faxes always went through.

As Tim McGraw sang:

"We got too complicated, It's all way over-rated.
I like the old and out-dated way of life.
Back when a hoe was a hoe,
Coke was a Coke.
And crack's what you were doing when you were cracking jokes.
Back when a screw was a screw,
The wind was all that blew.
And when you said I'm down with that well it meant you had the flu.
I miss back when. "

Yep, I'm right there with you Tim....

The Best Bosses in America

2006-12-17T18:56:00.000-06:00

Check out this article and ask what you could do to have your name on this list in 2007:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/25/magazines/fsb/
betterbosses.fsb/index.htm?postversion=2006092815

Will Los Angeles Outlaw the Bible Because It's Politically Incorrect?

2006-12-16T11:43:00.000-06:00

In another example of political correctness gone mad, Los Angeles County government offices can no longer refer to "slave drives", a technical term used for secondary computer drive that is subordinated to the main master drive. No word on whether they plan of forbidding the Bible or Webster's Dictionary, since they both use the word slave too.

Cowboys Like Us

2006-12-15T07:45:00.000-06:00

Today is the day I waited for all year long – the day I do my last seminar for 2006. I'll take the next month and a half off the road to produce new audio and video programs and get to sleep in my own bed, be around friends and loved ones (instead of strangers) every day, and eat home cooked meals.

This was some year. In between keeping up a grueling tour schedule, I stopped to autograph books at 54 Barnes & Noble stores in 19 states (not counting the ones I visited multiple times, or the Borders stores), launched the monthly teleseminar series and created a dozen new programs, began this daily blog, drove my third book to number one, and made some truly incredible new friends.

Yet as much as I crave this day, it feels like stepping off a fast moving escalator and stumbling a bit once the floor beneath my feet stops moving. It's almost one of those post partum like feelings. I crave the calm and serenity, but miss the adrenaline rush. It's something that's hard to explain to the average person. Guess it's one of those "It takes one to know one" things. Perhaps George Strait described it best:

Cowboys like us, sure do have fun

Racin' the wind, chasin' the sun.

Take the long way around, back to square one...

There'll be no regrets, no worries and such

For cowboys like us.

"No regrets." Yeah, I like that. Outback Steakhouse is the perfect place to celebrate the end of the 2006 tour. You're invited to join us. Just don't touch my Bloomin' Onion if you value your fingers :)

Is Hooters Coming to a Golf Course Near You?

2006-12-14T07:43:00.000-06:00

I suppose that if you believe men go to Hooters for the Buffalo wings, you might believe this. There’s a new caddy service ( www.CaddyChicks.com) that hires only young, attractive, scantily clad women to be golf caddies. Their mission statement claims that its main goals are to:

1. Give women that could not normally afford the high cost of entry or are too intimidated a glimpse of the game by being a caddy.

2. Provide training programs online and around the country at select golf facilities.

3. Bring back the dying profession of the caddy.

4. To provide a scholarship fund for our caddies wanting to become professional golf caddies.

Yeah, right. Give me a break. I can't even concentrate on my putt when someone's shadow is in my putting line. Having Charlie's Angels watching is the last thing I need. Someone please send these girls back to Hooters or to the Dallas Cowgirls, but please, keep them off the golf course.

The Tiny Margin of Difference between Winning and Losing

2006-12-13T07:42:00.000-06:00

Turn on your speakers and check out this video: http://www.walkthetalk.com/the212movie.php?refsource=vmlydia212

President Bush's Tax return

2006-12-12T07:57:00.000-06:00

Want to see the IRS From 1040 for George Bush, Dick Cheney, John Kerry, or Bill Clinton? Go to http://www.taxhistory.org/ and click on "Presidential Tax Returns"

I'm Not So Strange After All

2006-12-11T14:04:00.000-06:00

I’d like to introduce you to my new friend Sarah Ferman, who is the administrative director of a behavioral medical group in Encino, California. As those of you who have been reading my newsletter for the past few years know, the way I was able to write three books in one year while on the speaking circuit every other week was to get up at 4:00 AM and start writing every morning. Turns out that there was something to this 4:00 am business after all. Sarah informed me that there are some biological reasons (don’t ask me to explain them though – way over my head) that the human brain works best at that exact hour of the day. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Now if we could just find some research to support my theory that my brain works best on a half dozen hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

How to Get $1000 an Hour Advice for $3.95

2006-12-10T17:15:00.000-06:00

This is Internet celebrity Armand Morin, who spoke at the seminar Saturday. He’s one of the few people who makes over $10,000,000 a year on the Internet (yes, that’s ten million). In his presentation, he reminded everyone that even though he is a pioneer and legend in Internet marketing, he’s still a human and asked if people would like to know how to get his advice for $3.95 an hour. His answer, “Buy me a beer”. As I was leaving, I captured this causal shot of the only person out of 300 who understood the meaning of carpe diem. True to his word, Armand stayed and answered questions until 1:00 in the morning.

TV Bloopers with Glenn

2006-12-09T16:58:00.000-06:00

While at Matt’s Internet seminar in Atlanta, Helene and Dave from New York City asked to interview me for a documentary they’re shooting on making the world a better place. The lobby outside was too noisy and the lighting was poor, so we went looking for a better location. Miraculously, within seconds, we found an empty, quiet room unlocked (this does not happen). The lighting wasn’t quite right, so I suggested that we see if Matt’s AV people in the big auditorium might have some poster board we could use to kick (reflect) some light from below. As soon as I said that, my dear friend Judtih (www.judithandjim.com), who was also going to be in the documentary with her husband Jim, reached behind the only piece of furniture in the room and pulled out two pieces of poster board (we were waiting for the theme to the Twilight Zone to start playing at this point). The next problem was that I was too tall, so I got on my knees while Jim and Judith, who’ve had extensive television experience, adjusted the poster boards. They still couldn’t get light on my eyes, so Jim said look up. Everything was now perfect, except for the fact that I could only look straight up and not at the producer. All of us were laughing so hard at this point that our noses were running, so I asked Dave capture this Kodak moment for my blog. What Helene didn’t tell any of us (smart producer) was that the video camera was running and captured all of it, so she got some outstanding blooper footage.

"Taking Care of Business" in Atlanta

2006-12-08T21:19:00.000-06:00

As I wrote in my third book, it is critical to surround yourself with the right people in business – and life. I told the story about attending a seminar in Atlanta in July 2005 and introducing two people who struck a $45,000 deal within minutes. This photo is of Matt Bacak and myself, at his Internet marketing seminar in Atlanta tonight. Within 3 minutes after this photo was taken, he was excitedly telling me about the new airplane he’s buying and we were discussing how to break the news to his wife Stephanie (I promised her in Orlando two months ago that I’d talk Matt out of it – Oops) , when I introduced Matt to Rachel, a copy writer I brought as my guest. Suddenly, as if lightning had struck, for the first time since I’ve known Matt, something was more interesting than airplanes. Matt needs a copywriter for a six month contract, and he’s about to become the biggest copywriting client Rachel ever landed. Does anyone see a theme here???

Please Put Away the Jack Daniels During the Interview

2006-12-07T09:59:00.000-06:00

John in New York sends this story:

"I once had a gentlemen come in for an interview and told me he was nervous. I assured him that it was ok, it wasn't going to hurt. He then pulled out a flask of what I assume was liquor of some kind and took a rather large nip, telling me that sometimes he just needs a little help to calm down. Needless to say, it was the shortest interview I've ever done."

Interviewing Horror Stories

2006-12-06T08:23:00.000-06:00

Here’s Another from one of our readers. “I interviewed a candidate for a receptionist position in my Human Resources Office. During the interview she had a large lifesaver mint in her mouth that we could see her moving around. When we asked her to tell us about a time she received poor customer service and what made it poor, she told us she ‘hated when someone was eating while they were speaking to you’ either over the phone or in person. She didn't get the job. “

How to Get the Lowest Price on Everything You Buy

2006-12-05T08:06:00.000-06:00

Got kids or grandkids asking for the newest, trendiest whatchmacallit, but don’t have a clue where to go to buy it or how much it should cost? Well, my rule of thumb is that if Wal-Mart doesn’t carry it, then you don’t need it. (As my redneck girlfriend Gretchen Wilson says, why pay an arm and a leg at Victoria’s Secret when you can buy the same thing at Wal-Mart for half price?) But just in case you’d like to price shop and compare (anything), here are three websites that will allow you to do that:
www.PriceGrabber.com
www.PriceScan.com
www.Froogle.com

Drop me a line through www.GlennShepard.com and let me know how this works for you.

Could You Please Stop Clipping Your Nails During the Job Interview?

2006-12-04T08:19:00.000-06:00

Now here’s the interview to beat all. A woman named Theresa who attended my management seminar at Cleveland State University last month told me that a job applicant pulls out a pair of clippers and clipped her nails during a job interview (I forgot to ask if it was fingers or toes). If you’ve got a horror story about an interviewee who also skipped charm school, please email it to my office through www.GlennShepard.com

Hey Chicken Little, The Sky Is Not Falling After All

2006-12-03T13:21:00.000-06:00

The 2006 hurricane season ended quietly day before yesterday, except for leaving egg on the face of several weather forecasters who had predicted that 2005 was the beginning of a 10 year period of major storm events. Turns out that ‘06 was the first year there has been no category 4 or 5 hurricanes since 1997. And the moral of the story is (drum roll please)… Be careful who you listen to, especially those predicting doom and gloom. Junk science sells newspapers and it even put Dow Corning into bankruptcy with apparently inaccurate claims about the danger of silicone breast implants, but doesn’t do much else.

Life Comes at You Fast

2006-12-02T09:30:00.000-06:00

There’s a disturbing but effective series of commercials for an insurance company that shows normal people riding in a car and having meaningless conversations when suddenly out of nowhere, they get blindsided by a careless driver. That commercial has been in my head nonstop after I came very close to t-boning a driver who pulled out in front of me last Monday in Lake Charles, LA. I have no doubt I would have killed him had I not been able to swerve with mere inches to spare. Then after getting off the interstate somewhere in Mississippi Friday night to grab dinner at McDonalds, I noticed a Subway next door and drove to it instead. Just minutes later as I walked out of Subway, the small truck I would have parked beside at McDonalds was going up in flames. That made coming back to my home sweet home after a week on the road just a little sweeter.

New Cameras that Make You Look Skinny?

2006-12-01T09:59:00.000-06:00

Now here's a Christmas present no one should get – or buy. It's a new digital camera that promises to make you look 10 pounds lighter by stretching the photo from top to bottom, and squeezing in the left and right sides. Oh brother! If you're so fat that you're buying a camera to hide it, here's a suggestion that will save you money, make you feel better, and make you look better. Instead of spending $100 on a "fat camera" at Circuit City, buy a $20 pair of walking shoes from Wal-Mart.

Wedding Rings for the Blind

2006-11-30T09:42:00.000-06:00

Here's one of those "Why didn't I think of that" inventions I just found on Paul Harvey's webpage. It's a wedding ring with "I Love You" in braille diamonds. Check it out at: http://www.cornelishollander.com/ch/sweet_hearts.html

Christmas Is Not Your Birthday

2006-11-29T07:59:00.000-06:00

As I wrote in my October 20 blog posting, birthdays are the one day of the year – the only day – that should be all about us. As I get older, I have less and less patience for people who turn Christmas into a shopping competition. So when I heard about this website, I thought it was a perfect way to reign in the Christmas season. Click here: www.christmasisnotyourbirthday.com

Wal-Mart's New Attendance Policy

2006-11-28T08:51:00.000-06:00

Now how many time have I said that in order to be in management, you must be willing to be unpopular?
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2622277&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Vigilante Justice for Road Rage?

2006-11-27T08:02:00.000-06:00

If you've ever wanted to report a bad driver who hadn't exactly broken the law, but was dangerous, here's an unusual website that recently made the news. Not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing, but it's definitely interesting.: www.PlateWire.com

Meet the Smartest Dog in the World

2006-11-26T15:21:00.000-06:00

Meet "Skidboot" at:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5249518974978628334

Thanksgiving with Jay Leno?

2006-11-25T16:35:00.000-06:00

Well, Leno did it again. I just can’t help but admire someone who can laugh at himself. Here’s Leno’s day-after-Thanksgiving jab at Hollywood: “My wife and I had a very Hollywood Thanksgiving. We adopted a gay turkey from Africa with a drug habit, and sent it through rehab.” Now that’s funny. Good one, Mr. Leno!

Hats Off to Jay Leno

2006-11-24T12:21:00.000-06:00

Jay Leno has always had my admiration as a professional performer who made it to the top of his industry because of his professionalism. I once drove three hours and stood in line for another two hours to get a front row seat to watch him perform live at a casino in Mississippi. His shoes were polished immaculately, and there wasn’t a spec of dust anywhere on his $2000 suit. Leno knows that preparation is half of the job.

But on that fateful night, he illustrated perfectly the other half of the job, which is being able to think fast, really fast, on your feet. His microphone went dead, and he handled it so smoothly that he has forever become the embodiment in my mind of “the show must go on”. I was so impressed that I wrote about the incident in my first book, “How to Manage Problem Employees”.

But last night Leno moved up yet another notch on my ladder. The live audience for his Thanksgiving Day show was made up exclusively of members of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Air Force, and Coast Guard, and boy did Leno and crew do it up right. Every line of his monologue was about the military, but in a respectful way. In fact, within 6 seconds of opening (that’s considered critical for professional public speakers and comics), he had the audience – and me – riveted. His opening line was, “Wow! The democrats haven’t even taken control of Congress yet and look – they’ve already brought everyone home from Iraq”.

Then he did a special version of “Jay Walking”, where he interviewed young men and women and asked, “If you were going to date a member of the military, which branch would you find sexiest?” Of course, the masterful Leno made sure to find five people and get each branch named as the answer, to thunderous applause.

Now here’s the really interesting part. Leno is a far left Hollywood liberal who opposes the war and everything about it. But he’s a professional who realizes that there’s a time to express your opinions, and there’s a time to keep your opinions to yourself.

Leno understood that last night was not about him. It was about young men and women who believe in honor and duty to their country. And last night, in his own Hollywood way, Leno honored and served those who honor and serve. So hats off to you, Mr. Leno, from your biggest fan in Nashville, Tennessee.

For Those Who Aren't Having a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T10:47:00.000-06:00

If you’re in the U.S. and reading this blog on Thanksgiving day, chances are that you’re not able to be with your family because you can’t travel to where they are, have to work, or perhaps don’t have family to be with. It’s easy to feel depressed, resent others who have that perfect Norman Rockwell thing going on, or feel sorry for yourself when you’re in those situations.

But I want you to know you’re not alone. There are thousands of other people in a similar situation. I also want you to kno that I know you didn’t read last Tuesday’s newsletter if you’re feeling that way, so I’m going to give you another shot for what ales you right now. Read on…

Instead of focusing on yourself, call or e-mail someone whose son, daughter, husband, wife, mother or father is serving in the U.S. military and won't be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with their family. Let them know how much you appreciate their loved one's service to our country.

I don't care what your beliefs are on politics or the war. This isn't about you. There's no tougher time for military families than the holidays when they stare at an empty seat at the dinner table and wonder if it will be empty again next year, or forever.
You can make the holidays just a little easier for them with one call or e-mail. If you're not good with words, here's a sample message. You have my permission to edit and use it as you wish:

Dear [ ],
I can't imagine how difficult it must be not to have your [ ] with you on this holiday. I wanted to let you know how thankful we are that there are still [men/women] like that, who exemplify the principles of honor and duty. Please pass on to [him/her] our sincerest thank you for serving our country. May God bless you and your family.

Or, write thank you note directly to the troops and go to http://www.amillionthanks.com/

As Zig Ziglar says, ““The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more you will have to express gratitude for.”

And Happy Thanksgiving from me to to you, wherever you may be, from the hills of Tennessee.

Why I Look Forward to Seeing My Dentist

2006-11-22T12:39:00.000-06:00

I once wrote that most people hate giving performance evaluations as badly as going in for a root canal, but that I make the process painless. Then last Monday when I went in for my six month check up with Dr. Nally, my dentist of 20 years, it occurred to me. What metaphor do dentists use to describe something unpleasant?

But I have to tell you that just as I was pondering this meaning-of-life category of question, an employee who I’ve never met, named Kim Phillips, stuck her head in the reception room, called a patient by name, and said, “You’re our next contestant. Come on down!”

I couldn’t help but smiling ear to ear, because she reminded me of the flight attendants on Southwest Airlines, which is why they are my preferred carrier when I fly, and why I wrote about them in my third book, “How to Be the Employee Your Company Can’t Live Without”.

As I smiled, Kim looked over at me and said, “Blue’s a good color for you”, referring to my shirt. The funny thing is that I don’t know Kim, but she just made my visit to the dentist’s office the high point of my day, and it took less than 10 seconds to do so.

Then it hit me again. I’ve never dreaded going to see the dentist – at least not in the 20 years I’ve been going to Dr. Nally. I actually look forward to it. In fact, I schedule my checkups on days when Beth, the same dental hygienist I’ve seen over those 20 years, is working.

So what’s the moral of the story? My dentist is also a good manager, which is why he has good employees, which is why he is able to keep employees for 20 years, which in turn attracts loyal customers. THIS is yet another reason why you can’t afford to tolerate toxic employees in your organization.

The Real Truth About Raising Minimum Wage

2006-11-21T06:53:00.000-06:00

The federal minimum wage will soon be increased for the first time in 10 years now that the Democrats have gained control of the Senate and House. I hear pundits barking about how difficult it is for someone to live on minimum wage. Well duh! I agree, but the politicians – from both parties – are misleading you, and your career will suffer BADLY if you fall for it. So here’s the truth as only Dr. Glenn can dispense it, in a tough love, Dr. Phil way, that will make you thousands of dollars:

QUIT LOOKING TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR EVERYTHING!

No matter how much they raise minimum wage, it’s still MINIMUM wage. You’ll never be able to live comfortably as long as you’re at the bottom of the feeding chain. You and you alone are responsible for your career – not your company, and certainly not the government.

Now here’s the good news: If you’re willing to work, ANYONE can make more than minimum wage. If you can just swing a hammer and will show up for work on time, contractors in New Orleans will pay you $15 - $20 an hour right now. Want to make $50,000 a year being self employed? Go out and start cleaning houses. Show up when you’re supposed to, do the best cleaning job anyone has ever done, and you’ll have more referrals than you can handle (and I’ll be one of them).

Not Exactly Four Stars...

2006-11-20T18:22:00.000-06:00

For those who don’t travel a lot and think that those of us who do, get to stay in luxury hotels like the one I blogged about in last Monday’s post, think again. For every luxury hotel I stay in, there are the ones in between that are, well, let’s just say, not exactly four star. Like this one I stayed at in Ohio last week. Yep, that’s mildew growing on the soap. Now you know why I never use the coffeemaker in hotel rooms.

Don’t Read This Unless You Live in Canada

2006-11-19T11:42:00.000-06:00

This is just for my friends in Canada, who don’t believe we’re serious about hockey in Nashville, Tennessee. Although most of the NHL (major league) hockey teams are in the U.S., Canadians make up about 80% of the players, and dominate the sport. Six years ago, Nashville got a major league team, the Nashville Predators, and even made it to the Stanley Cup (the Superbowl of hockey) playoffs last year. Last night my hometown Preds spanked the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. So this photo is to show my friends up north how we do hockey in Music City. Every time the Preds score, Tim McGraw comes on the JumboTron, wearing his Preds jersey, and sings a special version of his hit song, “I like it, I love it, I want some more of it”. But instead of the original line “Don’t know what it is about that little girl’s lovin”, he sings “Don’t know what it is is about that Predators’ scoring, but I like it, I love it, I want some more of it”.

One of "Those" Days

2006-11-18T14:03:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was one of “those” days. Oh no, I don’t mean one of those bad days; I mean of those good days. The kind you wish you could have every day. After giving a seminar near Indianapolis, I had a scheduled called with Judith and Jim in New York (http://www.judithandjim.com/) while driving back to Nashville. We e-mail regularly, but hadn’t talked in a while. The second Jim answered the phone; I realized why I missed talking to them. He has one of those voices that is unmistakable, and makes you want to hear him tell a story. Kind of like James Earl Jones or Ronald Reagan, but more soft spoken. Then when Judith came on the line, her vivacious and bubby personality instantly, and I do mean instantly, projected itself through the phone. When the people in your life can make your day just by the sound of their voice, you know you’re surrounding yourself with the right kind of people.

After we talked about being on Oprah and book promotion, etc, I made a scheduled call to Marion Dunn in Toledo. She’s self publishing and is ready to release her new book on Amazon. I tried to offer her some helpful marketing advice (Amazon takes a 55% cut), but I’m not really the best qualified person on the subject of self publishing since I’m with a major New York publisher that handles all the marketing and distribution for me. Then it hit me —Ah Ha! I just happen to know someone in Arizona who self published a book on weight management two years ago. So I called Michelle May (http://www.amihungry.com/) and asked if I could give Marion her number. Of course, she was more than willing to help. It also turned out that Michelle’s been on a roll lately. She’s in Mark Victor Hansen’s and Jack Canfield’s new book, “Chicken Soup for the Dieter’s Soul”, and was just on Oprah’s new XM radio show.

It felt so good to talk to four of my friends and colleagues who I haven’t talked to in a while, but there was more to it than that. Although our backgrounds are different (Jim &Judith are psychologists, Michelle is a family practitioner, and Marion is a forensic psychiatrist), it was the fact that we all share each other’s passion and have the same fire in our bellies. There are only a limited number of people in the world we can share our trials, tribulations, and successes with, who will really get it (just ask Michelle how loudly I screamed in her ear when she told me she was in the new Chicken Soup book).

So let me repeat my favorite mantra one more time, for those of you who might not have heard it yet…

“The quality of your life will always be in direct proportion to the quality of the people in your life”.

If you don't have enough HQPs (High Quality People) in your life, go get 'ya some.

Identity Theft Update

2006-11-17T08:16:00.000-06:00

Microsoft has released Internet Explorer Version 7. It provides some helpful new features such as allowing you to have multiple websites open at once, but more important, it protects you from rogue websites that "phish" for your information. The downside is that it's not as easy to navigate as Version 6 was.

If you're ready to take the plunge and upgrade from Internet Explorer Version 6 to Version 7, click on "Tools" in the menu bar across the top of your screen, then "Windows Update", then click on the button for "Express Install".

The phishing filter does not activate automatically. After you get Explorer 7 installed, you'll have to click on "Tools", then "Phishing Filter", then "Turn on Automatic Website Checking"

What Did I Just Say?

2006-11-16T07:42:00.000-06:00

After blogging about what a really bad idea Blackberries are yesterday, I read today that physical therapists are now treating an epidemic of “Blackberry Thumb”. Oh for crying out loud! If you’re using an electronic toy - and YES, it is a toy, not a necessity - so much that you’re filing a worker’s comp claims over it, I have three more words of advice for you…”Get a Life!”

And the Word of the Year is “Crackberry”

2006-11-15T08:17:00.000-06:00

Wesbter's Dictionary has named the Word of the Year for 2006, and it's "crackberry". If you’re one of those people who is addicted to your Blackberry (a cell phone/PDA that remains on all the time so you constantly receive e-mail, no matter where you go), you know the term. I personally refuse to own a Blackberry because my time is my own, and I will not be tethered by an electronic ball and chain. If you’re one of those addicts, here’s a piece of advice that will change your life: “Get rid of the stupid thing – you’re not that important!”

Did You Know You Could Be Executed for Tax Evasion?

2006-11-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Of the nearly 2200 executions around the world last year, 81% occurred in China where non violent offenses such as tax evasion carry the death penalty. China has now announced a new policy of “Kill Fewer, Kill Carefully”. It’s definitely not one world. But what’s interesting is that my publisher in New York just sold foreign rights for my latest book, How to Be the Employee Your Company Can’t Live Without, to a Beijing company to translate and publish in Mandarin Chinese. Seems kid of odd to me that people who live and work under those circumstances will be reading the same career advice I give Americans. Maybe I should have added a postscript that reads, “And BTW, be sure to pay all your taxes!”

I Have More “Issues” with Ellen DeGenres

2006-11-13T11:06:00.000-06:00

Ellen DeGenerous reminds me of a female Jerry Lewis and I loved her sitcom. I just got so tired of her “I’m a lesbian, and you must love me for it” theme being thrown in my face every week. I once wrote her a letter that read, “Hey Ellen, you think Ann Heche is hot, and so do I. But that’s not entertaining, so get back to your job of making me laugh.” Even though I disapprove of her lifestyle, I enjoy her comedic talents and hated that she got so caught up in making a social statement on her sitcom every week that it stopped being funny.

Now I have a new issue with Ellen. I still love her comedic talent, but I just stayed at a Westin hotel where I watched HDTV (high definition) for the first time, and the first person I saw was Ellen. Whoa Nelly! I have to tell you, HDTV is not for me. It shows waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more detail of people than I want to see, and I’m just glad that I didn’t see Mick Jagger or Terri Hatcher on there. I think I’ll stay with low def as long as I can. Even though I’ve criticized Hollywood many times for its unrealistic portrayal of life, I’d rather not have too much video reality of some of these people.

P.S. If you were thinking about buying an HD TV for Christmas, don’t do it. It will be as disappointing as learning that there’s no Santa all over again. Unless, of course, you’re one of those insecure people who thinks everyone on TV really is as beautiful as they appear, and need to find out that they’re more like you than you thought. The TV might be cheaper than therapy.

Glenn and Mike Stewart in Atlanta

2006-11-12T19:18:00.000-06:00

This is Mike, who is my audio and video guy (http://www.fromthedeskofmikestewart.com/).He’s also the sound engineer whose story I’ve used in my seminars to illustrate how important it is to embrace change. He worked with two bands I loved - Atlanta Rhythm Section and .38 Special - in their heyday in the seventies and eighties. He also owned his own recording studio with hundreds of thousands of dollars of recording equipment. Because of technology, just about everything in that big expensive studio can now be done on a $700 laptop computer. Mike kept up with the changing times, and today is the world’s #1 provider of internet audio and video, and partners with Internet celebrity Jim Edwards for numerous projects. Mike and his wife Susan also just fulfilled his dream of buying a house on Lake Lanier, illustrating how beneficial keeping up with change is for career success.

Pimp Daddy Dave

2006-11-11T14:40:00.000-06:00

This is Dave after I anointed him with a new title. Alexis, an attorney from Los Angeles who is one of Dave’s clients, ribbed him about buying a new Cadillac Deville and called it a grandpa car. I pointed out that while Cadillac’s average buyer was a white 54 year old male a decade ago, newer hipper vehicles such as the Escalade SUV have become extremely popular with “urban youth”, as the marketing people call them (i.e. black men in their twenties). So since the Hip Hop Awards were being held in downtown Atlanta while we were at the marketing seminar in the Dunwoody section of town, I explained that Dave isn’t old fashioned driving a Caddy. He’s ultra hip – he’s now Pimp Daddy Dave.

Dave Dee in Atlanta

2006-11-11T07:38:00.000-06:00

How bad do you want to succeed? This photo was taken at Dave Dee's seminar in Atlanta at 10:30 PM Friday night. Despite having just completed self study programs on marketing and copywriting by Dan Kennedy and Yanik Silver, for which I paid $700 and $1500 respectively, I’m attending Dave’s program to learn more. Why? Because those who succeed in a big way never stop learning. If you want to succeed, find the people who know the things you need to learn, and learn as much as you can from them. And never stop learning.

Did Krispy Kreme Bribe People to Vote?

2006-11-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

In an effort to get people to the polls last Tuesday, Krispy Kreme gave away one free doughnut to everyone who came in with an “I Voted” sticker. Problem was that it was cold, raining, and the lines were outlandish.

Q: Who in their right mind would actually stand in the cold rain for over an hour just to get a doughnut?

A: Well, I know at least one voter who did :)) Doubled glazed, anyone?

Please Stop Asking Me About Faith Hill

2006-11-09T08:43:00.000-06:00

People all over the world have been e-mailing and asking about the ruckus between Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood. I live in Nashville and have friends in the music business, but I don’t know what really went down with Faith at the CMA Awards Tuesday. I've heard both versions from inside people, but this is not a gossip column.

The biggest local news around town this week is that another diva has made Nashville her home – Sheryl Crow, whom I love. That woman is one of the few who would be just as comfortable on stage with KISS as with Vince Gill. There are special words for people like that, such as "talent" and "professionalism" - and you know how much I respect both. If I run into Sheryl, we'll get her a Work Is Not for Sissies t-shirt and see if we can get a photo for the newsletter. She's definitely one of the hardest working women in show business.

This makes the fourth who has made Nashville her permanent or part time home this year, following Whitney Houston, Pamela Anderson, and Nicole Kidman. Who needs L.A.? :)

Manager Resigns Over Comment About Employees’ ‘Jelly Bellies’

2006-11-08T08:19:00.000-06:00

Oh yes, it is EXACTLY what you’re thinking. Apparently it’s now okay for police officers to be overweight, but not okay for the chief to notice it (Give me a break!). If you haven’t heard about this one yet, click on this link.http://www.cbs47.com/news/state/story.aspx?content_id=51A2F82E-E4B8-4C98-807D-5B910B2D0FD8

The Biggest Party of the Year - in My Town

2006-11-07T08:23:00.000-06:00

As Montgomery Gentry sang, “This is my town!” Last night we celebrated here in my home town of Nashville, Tennessee, as the CMA Awards show returned to Music City where it belongs (it was held in New York City last year). And I’d like to take this blog moment to congratulate my pal George Flanigen (go to http://www.deatonflanigen.com/ to see his list) , who won a CMA Award for producing the video of the year, “Believe” by Brooks & Dunn. At the Christmas party last year, George was pumped because he had just bought his first new car. Just goes to show how the most successful people can be the most down to earth. I’ve got to get down to his office during the Christmas break and do a full story on him for an upcoming newsletter. You’ll enjoy his story, especially if you’re a country music fan.

Behind the Scenes in My Office

2006-11-06T11:49:00.000-06:00

For those who think that being a professional speaker just means standing in front of an audience and rattling off the same presentation again and again, look at the red binders. Each one represents a new seminar or tele-seminar I created in 2006, and they’re all full of notes and time codes. For every hour I speak in front of a live audience, I spend an average of 10 hours rehearsing the material before it’s presented for the first time. It’s a whooooooooooooooooooole lot more work than people outside the business realize. But then again, work is not for sissies!

How to Tell How Good of a Manager You Really Are

2006-11-05T11:29:00.000-06:00

I’m in my office on a Sunday, which I normally try to avoid. I haven’t been here in two weeks, so I whipped by to check my schedule for next week. As I sat down at my desk and went through the stack, I realized the emotions I felt -- and didn’t feel -- on my way here were a testament to what an outstanding staff I have. Did I dread coming in and seeing what fires I had to put out? No. Did I drudge though paperwork and routine administrative tasks that always seem to pile up? No. It was more like Christmas in November. The stack was all good stuff. I’m scheduled to do an interview with a reporter in San Francisco for Yahoo Hot Jobs tomorrow, a copywriting seminar with Dave Dee in Atlanta Friday from lunch till midnight (I’m attending, not speaking), a royalty check from my publisher (not as large as I’d like, but more than I paid for my first two cars), the October issue of a magazine called “Personal Excellence” with the CEO of State Farm on the cover and my article about how Jon Bon Jovi overcame his perfectionism, and on and on.

The point is that all the problems that came up while I was gone, were solved while I was gone. No dumping it on the boss’s desk and letting him solve it when he gets back. If you dread taking a vacation or traveling for business because of the pile of problems that will be on your desk when you return, ask yourself what you need to be doing differently as a manager to empower your employees. When you get to the point that your employees hardly notice you’re there, you’ll know that you have become the best manager you can be.

MasterCard Making Money Hand Over Fist

2006-11-04T16:09:00.000-06:00

The world’s two largest credit card companies were privately held businesses until MasterCard went public in May. MasterCard has now announced that it’s third quarter profit increased by 82%. Wish I held a piece of that pie.

The Boss'es 10 Biggest Sins

2006-11-03T11:47:00.000-06:00

Check out this article from CNNMoney.com:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/16/pf/boss_sins/index.htm

Can Having a Wal-Mart in Town Help You Sell Your House?

2006-11-02T14:54:00.000-06:00

While Wal-Mart is taking heat from critiques for hurting communities, residents of one North Dakota city might see it a little differently. For years, residents of Bismark had to drive to Fargo for good shopping. But after Wal-Mart came to town, home sales and property values appear to be on the increase. Don't let the media deceive you into believing that big corporations are all "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil" just because they're big corporations. If lots of people didn't benefit from their existence, none those big corporations wouldn't remain big for long.

Is It Time for You to Take a Vacation?

2006-11-01T11:44:00.000-06:00

I believe in working hard and playing hard, in that order. The problem with too many people today is that they play hard, but only play around at the work. There are, however, those hardworking individuals who give 100% at work. A recent article in USA Today reported that in 2006, Americans will give up 574 vacation days. Don't do that. In case you need a reminder, here it is…

Dr. Glenn is prescribing you a vacation. Go play, have fun, relax, and give it your best. Then when it's time to work, give that your best too.

Want to Make a Six Figure Income? Then Quit Dressing Like You Make Minimum Wage!

2006-10-31T08:33:00.000-06:00

When I was a senior in college in 1985, I had job offers lined up months before graduation. Part of that came directly from knowing how to dress for interviews, which I learned from John T. Malloy's book, "Dress for Success". In a Yahoo Hot Jobs survey reported in USA Today last week, 44% reported that they don't think how they dress affects their salary or promotions. These are, no doubt, the people who show up for job interviews wearing flip flops. Just in case you happen to be one of those people, let me suggest that:

1.) You pick up a copy of my latest book, "How to Be the Employee Your Company Can't Live Without"
2.) You spend less on cigarettes, Big Macs, and songs for your iPOD, and invest in a decent wardrobe.

You'll be amazed at how people DO judge a book by its cover.

I'd Like the Chic-fil-A Collector's Edition Taurus, Please

2006-10-30T11:40:00.000-06:00

As I wrote on August 15, Japanese carmakers are now selling more cars in the U.S. than American carmakers. It comes as no surprise that Ford has now discontinued making what was once the most popular car in America, the Ford Taurus (it's now the Toyota Camry). Over 7,000,000 Tauruses were made, and the final one rolled off the line in Atlanta last week. Ford appropriately donated it to Truett Cathy, founder of Chic-fil-A. The 85 year old Mr. Cathy attributed some of his company's success to being located across the street from the Taurus plant. I happen to know a little bit about Truett, and know that there's a lot more to his success. He is a man amongst men, with strong convictions. He remained faithful to his Christian beliefs by refusing to have Chic-fil-A restaurants open on Sunday.

So kudos to Ford for giving the last one of an American icon, to a true American icon.

The Difference Between Being a Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda-Might-Have-Been and a Champion Among Champions

2006-10-29T18:36:00.000-06:00

If you’re not a football fan, you might not get this, but should because one of life’s biggest lessons just played out in the NFL today. The Indianapolis Colts beat the Denver Broncos and became the first team in history to post a 7-0 record two seasons in a row. The real story, however, is with quarterback Peyton Manning. For the umpteenth time, Manning engineered a comeback nothing short of miraculous. His three touchdown passes and two point conversion in the second half were topped off by a last minute field goal that put the Colts in the history books. Manning has become legendary for being cool, calm, and collected under enormous pressure, calmly marching his team all the way into the endzone time and time again.

Meanwhile, Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers suffered an agonizing loss to the Oakland Raiders. In four trips inside the red zone (scoring distance), Roethlisberger’s Steelers couldn’t make the last few yards to score a touchdown (7 points) , and settled for two field goals (3 points).

The lesson here? Those who win in life – and win BIG – are always the ones who go the extra yard.

Shame on Allied Waste

2006-10-28T15:15:00.000-05:00

As I was paying bills, I noticed that Allied Waste tacked on a “Total Fuel/Environmental Recovery Fee”. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I’m guessing that it’s code for “gas prices are killing us, so you have to pay more”. I wouldn’t have a problem with that, except for the fact that gas prices have plummeted by 30% or so, and this bill is for the next 90 days. I wonder how it would play in Peoria if I tacked on a “total voice recovery fee” to my speaking contracts. :)

I’m Not Dead – I Promise!

2006-10-27T21:32:00.000-05:00

Kudos to the staff of the Perdido Beach Resort (about half way between Mobile and Pensacola). When I checked in late yesterday afternoon, I asked for a 6:30 wakeup call this morning. Then about 10:00 o’clock last night, the CEO of the company whose conference I was speaking at and I scheduled a breakfast meeting this morning. I adjusted my alarm clocks (you know I have to travel with two) a half hour earlier, but didn’t change the wake up call. When the call came, I was already in the shower. This is not an uncommon occurrence since I am regularly awakened before the alarm clock by NTEs (Nocturnal Thought Eruptions). For over 20 years I have traveled for business, and I’ve rarely found hotels that follow up when an initial wake up call goes unanswered. But as I stepped out of the shower this morning, I experienced the first “in person” follow up ever that began with a an adamant knock in my door. Wearing only a towel, I sheepishly stuck my dripping wet head around the door to find a security guard who had been dispensed to make sure the guest in room 306 was okay. So if you’re ever staying in the Gulf Shores area, check out the Perdido Beach Resort. They have officially earned Glenn Shepard’s highest endorsement.

How to Deal with Bad Bosses, Problem Supervisors, and Difficult Managers

2006-10-26T19:58:00.000-05:00

I hope this doesn’t apply to any of my readers. But as the author of ‘How to Manage Problem Employees’, I thought it only fair to sahre the following website I just stumbled across: www.BadBossology.com

It’s Not the Economy, Stupid!

2006-10-25T22:08:00.000-05:00

Politicians know that voters vote their pocketbooks first and foremost, hence the saying, “It’s the economy, stupid”. What’s ironic is that when the economy is bad, it’s front page news. When the economy is booming, it rarely makes the news at all. So just in case you didn’t notice, here’s what you need to know about what’s going on around you right now:

1.) Yesterday, the stock market set a record high for the fifth time in the last two weeks. That’s AWESOME!

2.) At $2 a gallon, gas is actually CHEAPER today than it was in 1979, when adjusted for inflation.

3.) Mortgage rates are at 1960s levels, and are about 70% LOWER than they were in the 1980s.

4.) Unemployment is at 4.7%, which is VERY LOW. (It was 25% in 1931, and 4% is actually considered to be ‘ground zero’ by economists.)

5.) Inflation is even in check.

So if you’re not making it right now, don’t blame the economy. You’ve got it better in 2006 than your parents or grandparents ever dreamed of.

Ever Wanted to ‘Test Drive’ a New Career?

2006-10-23T19:17:00.000-05:00

This has got to be one of the most innovative career tools I’ve ever seen. I heard about it on television, and just looked it up. It’s a company that let’s you spend your vacation as an apprentice firefighter, movie producer, massage therapist, or just about any other career you think you might want to try - before you make a leap and find out the grass was greener where you were before. Here’s the site: http://vocationvacations.com

Walking in Memphis, Walking With My Feet 10 Feet Off Of Beale

2006-10-22T17:45:00.000-05:00

Just got back to Nashville from a quick weekend in Memphis, and what a great weekend it was! Indulged in the world’s greatest BBQ ribs at The Rendezvous not once, but twice. Percy, the waiter who served me my first Memphis style dry ribs 20 years ago, was still there and working as hard as ever. Shot video at Elvis Presley’s Graceland, the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, and of the ducks marching at the Peabody Hotel. Took in some authentic B.B. King style blues on Beale Street (“B.B” stands for “Beale Street Blues Boy”), and took a tour of the Gibson guitar factory. No video of that, but got some great still shots which will be posted later. Here’s one.

The Big #43 is Finally Here

2006-10-20T07:41:00.000-05:00

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeverybody gets in on the act when it’s the Glennster’s birthday. Why? Ask the McDonald’s employee whom I spontaneously sang Happy Birthday for last summer and got everyone else to join in.. Or the receptionist where I get my hair cut, when I sang solo to her for her birthday last month. Or one of my employee’s daughter’s new mother-in-law, who I terrified when I found out it was her birthday at the bride and groom’s couples shower and got everyone to sing for her. Or any one of the many seminar attendees I’ve had 100 people or more sing Happy Birthday to in the middle of a seminar.

Why? Because, as Rick Warren said in The Purpose Driven Life, “It’s not about you!” The purpose of our lives should be to serve others, not ourselves. Unless, of course, you’re a narcissist, sociopath, or 4 years old. And it’s not about us - for 364 days a year. We should be selflessly serving others.

But the one day of the year when adults can say “It’s all about ME, ME, ME” is their birthday, because that day should be all about you.

So here is the gang at Waffle House getting in on the celebration of the Glennster’s 43rd birthday. Just 364 days until we do it again.

If I happen to be near you and find out it’s your birthday in the mean time, watch out! I’ll sing for you too, and THAT is NOT a pretty sound. I promise, however, to make it a birthday you won’t forget, for a simple reason. If you know it’s a special time for someone, and you can bring a little kindness and happiness into their life without it costing you anything, why wouldn’t you?

Celebrating the Day Before My Birthday - "The Krispy Kreme Way"

2006-10-19T09:01:00.000-05:00

Now this is how you celebrate the day before the boss’es birthday. For all of you who emailed about the article in Tuesday’s newsletter and want to come to work for Glenn Shepard Seminars, here’s the caveat. The time elapsed between photo A and photo B was about 30 seconds, so you have to move FAST around here. I stepped into my office six feet from the reception area to grab my camera and four doughnuts were gone by the time I got back. We work FAST, we make decisions FAST, and we scarf hot doughnuts even FASTER. No room for slackers, slow pokes, or timid people in this company!

The Best Thing About Being a Middle Aged Guy…

2006-10-18T11:10:00.000-05:00

I laugh when people fret about getting older. There are great benefits to every age in life, and I believe that one key to a happy, fulfilling life is recognize them and enjoy them. Here’s one of the benefits of turning 43. I’m old enough to have my picture taken with beautiful young women without posing any threat, but young enough that they don’t perceive me as being a dirty old man. In this age of political correctness where a man can’t even pay a woman a compliment without being called a sexist, harasser, womanizer, or worse, this is one of those little perks I am thankful for.

This is Carla, Amy, Breon, Kelly, and Jade. And just in case there's any confusion, I'm the one in the middle with the big guy-grin on his face :)

The 50 Most Powerful Women in Business

2006-10-17T07:17:00.000-05:00

If you ever wondered if there’s really a glass ceiling that holds women back in corporate America, you might want to pick up a copy of the October 16 issue of Fortune Magazine. The CEOs of PepsiCo (Pepsi’s parent company), Xerox, eBay, Archer Daniels Midland, Sara Lee, Avon, Time, Rite Aid, and Western Union are all women. They broke through that glass ceiling, proving that Ted Turner was right when he said, “This is America . We can do anthing here!” And you, too, can go as far as you want to go, regardless of your gender, age, or race. Simply be the best at what you do, don’t make excuses, and corporate America will embrace you like never before.

Man's Best Friend

2006-10-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

This famous face was on Yahoo! today, courtesy of someone named Larry in New Jersey, who posted it under ‘Things I Love”. Indeed, who couldn’t love a face like that?

And You Thought You Had Bad Luck?

2006-10-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

In a story made for TV, University of Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s game against Iowa State University (If you’re not in to football, that means the guy is awesome). That’s not unusual for Adrian, but this game was special because it was the first time his father had seen him play in high school or college, because he was in prison for the last eight years. It all sounded like a Hallmark movie of the week until Adrian dove into the end zone after a 53-yard touchdown run, and broke his collarbone. He’s now out for the rest of the season. Ouch!

Friend or Foe?

2006-10-14T17:13:00.000-05:00

Funny how someone - or something – can be your most coveted prize and your biggest nemesis at the same time. Just last Wednesday night I was talking to my friend Marion Dunn in Toledo, Ohio, and she asked me what TV shows I had been on recently. She’s a psychiatrist by trade, but also a fellow author who I know through Matt Bacak (see my Sep 13 post). I mentioned a conversation I had with Dr. Jim Sniechowski in Orlando (see my Sep 12 post) and how he got on the Oprah Winfrey Show. It was if the media was our golden ring.

Then country music star Sara Evans filed for divorce, and the media in my hometown of Nashville, immediately began smearing the gory details all over the front page. While what her husband allegedly did was really bad, she and her three kids are going to suffer from it. Although I need the media, they really disgust me at times like this.

Are You (Unknowingly) Paying $10 Per Minute for Long Distance?

2006-10-13T08:40:00.000-05:00

If you travel infrequently, watch those hotel “gotchas”. USA Today reports that the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City charges $9.99 for the first minute of long distance, while a Sheraton in Hawaii charges $9.44, and $1.50 per minute afterward. Bottom line: Don’t use hotel long distance.

The Political Correctness Police Are At It Again

2006-10-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

I don't know who makes this stuff up, but Diane Sawyer reports that someone has now decided that "soccer moms" are to be called "security moms". So be careful of what you call that woman in the mini van, or the PC Police might get you.

“Fire Your Employees or Be Fired Yourself”

2006-10-11T19:18:00.000-05:00

L.A. Times publisher Jeffrey Johnson was fired yesterday because he refused to lay people off. Sound noble to you? Think again. The word is stupid. The stock price of the parent company has fallen by 25% in the last two years, and jobs had to be cut. Hundreds of employees signed a petition supporting Johnson’s refusal to cut jobs. Well duh huh. Of course they support his decision, since it’s their jobs he refused to cut. Twenty “leaders” in the Los Angeles area, who have nothing to do with the paper, wrote a letter to the CEO, backing Johnson’s position. Oh brother! Funny how none of them addressed the issue which is that the company is losing money. These bureaucrats keep forgetting the basic principle of business. When for-profit businesses don’t make a profit, they cease to exist. This is not a political issue, it’s fundamental economics.

Here’s proof: If your company couldn’t make payroll, how long would you stay? Would your decision change in any way if twenty leaders of your community sent you a letter urging you to stay? Would it change based on whether you voted for Bush or Kerry? Of course not. You work for a paycheck. When that paycheck is no longer there, you won’t work for that company any longer. Likewise, for-profit businesses exist to make a profit. When profits drop by 24%, payroll and other expenses must drop. When profits completely cease to exist, the company will cease to exist.

Think Paying Your Employees Millions Would Motivate Them More? Think Again!

2006-10-10T06:06:00.000-05:00

I’ve taught over 100,000 managers that money is not the primary motivator of people, but some managers who work for non-profits and government still think their jobs would be so much easier if they could pay their employees more money. NOT TRUE! Even “big bucks” aren’t enough. This was proven yet again on Sunday when Vince Young, the former all star quarterback at the University of Texas, stomped out of the locker room of my hometown team, the NFL’s Tennessee Titans in Nashville. Vince is an incredible athlete and a huge, tough man. He’s also the highest paid football payer at $58,000,000. He knew that when he left college and entered the pros, he’s face tougher, stronger, bigger, and better players whose sole purpose is to crush Vince into the ground. He was prepared for that, and knew he'd better be with the price tag attached to him. But there was one little thing all that money and all the preparation couldn’t prepare Vince for – LOSING! We have lost all five games, and heads will probably roll as a result, including the head coach. Vince is playing as well as can be expected this early in his career, and everyone has praised him. Yet all that praise isn’t enough to offset the loss of dignity, pride, and self-esteem that comes with being the leader of a team that’s winless. BOTTOM LINE FOR MANAGERS: No matter how much your employees are paid, people MUST be proud of what they do if you expect them to be motivated. If you’d like to learn more about what motivates employees, you might want to consider attending my October 19 tele-class.

Does spanking increase success?

2006-10-09T16:29:00.000-05:00

If you’re opposed to spanking children, don’t read the Money section of today’s USA Today. A study of 30 CEOs found that they all had only one common trait – their parents spanked them as kids. None were abused, but all were clearly taught to respective limits and understand boundaries.

Working on Sunday

2006-10-08T16:08:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm working on Sunday. Weather's awful here in Clearwater Beach, Florida (80 perfect degrees and sunny), nothing to do (except parasail, swim in beautiful waters, and lounge by the Tikki hut), there's nothing good to eat (unless you like fresh seafood, the best steaks, and unlimited portions), and the beach is just too far from the luxury hotel (at least 4 feet). Oh, and did I mention that I'm getting paid to be here? It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it ;)

Identity Theft Prevention - Tip#2

2006-10-07T20:04:00.000-05:00

This is something I would have assumed everyone already knew, but you know what happens when we assume. I heard this on the radio today and it reminded me that I should remind my readers to NEVER send credit card information by e-mail. It’s perfectly safe to send credit card information over a secure website, but e-mail is NOT secure.

For those of you who are not techies, e-mail and the Internet are two different beasts. You can tell if a website is secure by the address. If it starts with “https” instead of plain old vanilla “http”, it’s safe. The “s” stands for “secure”. You can also look for a locked padlock in the lower right hand corner of your screen. But under NO circumstances should you ever send your personal information to anyone by e-mail.

Holy Toledo Batman - the Market Is On Fire!

2006-10-06T14:37:00.000-05:00

If you don’t understand the stock market, here’s what you need to know about what’s going on right now. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) hit a record high volume (11,722) on January 14, 2000. Shortly after that, the Internet boom (start-up companies ran all those twenty-something millionaires you kept reading about in Silicone Valley, California) busted, and the stock market collapsed. The phrase was that the “Dot Com” explosion turned in to “Dot Bomb”. While the world did not end on Y2K, the stock market sure changed a lot of people’s lives.

It took six years to make it back, but last Tuesday, 10/3/06, the DJIA closed at a new high (11, 727), and set new highs again on Wednesday and Thursday. This has been a GREAT week for our economy!

My Bubble Has Finally Burst :(

2006-10-05T17:07:00.000-05:00

Well ladies and gentlemen, it was a good ride while it lasted, and it was far longer than I expected. After holding the #1 spot in career development online at Barnes & Noble for an astounding 29 consecutive weeks, my latest book, “How to Be the Employee Your Company Can’t Live Without”, finally fell down the rankings yesterday. I know, I know. I should just be grateful for the nearly 7 months it dominated and slaughtered the competition. And I certainly am. But don’t think for a minute that a week didn’t go by without me checking the ranking. I knew this day would come; I just didn’t know how emotional it would be. I think I’ll go drown my sorrows at the nearest Krispy Kreme. Hot doughnuts, anyone??? :)

Put Your Shirt Back On or Say Goodbye to Martina McBride

2006-10-04T08:34:00.000-05:00

Here’s another reason to love my hometown gal Martina. When posing for a photo with country music stud Billy Currington for a magazine cover recently, the photographer asked Billy to take his shirt off. Martina laid down the law and explained that they had two choices:

A.) Billy had to put the shirt back on, or
B.) Martina would not be in the shot.

Was it such a terrible thing that Billy had his shirt off? Of course not. But as those of you who attended my “Assertiveness Skills for Women” teleseminar two weeks ago will remember, what matters is that she spoke up about something that made her uncomfortable, instead of going along with it.

Do You Know Where That Mouse Has Been?

2006-10-03T07:40:00.000-05:00

University of Arizona researchers recently reported that the average desktop has 4000 times more germs than the average toilet seat. I find this highly disturbing since I regularly eat at my desk and have never eaten on anyone’s toilet seat. But the more I thought about it, I believe this is an apples to oranges comparison. That public toilet seat may be cleaner than my keyboard (Which I reeeeeeeealy have a hard time believing. I wonder who sponsored that study. Lysol, maybe?), but at least the germs on my keyboard are my germs!

Ever Regretted Sending an Angry Email?

2006-10-02T08:21:00.000-05:00

You’re not alone if you have. I found a company that allows you to delete e-mail after you’ve sent it. It's hillarious and scary at the same time. Go to www.bigstring.com

Is She Really the Sexiest Woman Alive?

2006-10-01T13:07:00.000-05:00

Continuing on with the recent theme of women in the news, it has been announced that Scarlet Johansen is the sexiest woman alive. I find this really perplexing because:

1.) I’ve never heard of her.

2.) I looked her up and can’t see anything sexy about her, which may be because

3.) I have socks older than her, and

4.) The biggest movie she’s been in was the SpongeBob Squarepants movie.

They clearly didn’t ask for my vote on this one. But then again, I would have written in Marcia Brady and Lori Partridge if they did...

Women and Success

2006-09-30T13:15:00.000-05:00

Continuing on with yesterday's theme, click on this link to see what more successful women are doing these days. click here.

Guess What Woman Makes $50 Million a Year?

2006-09-29T22:14:00.000-05:00

No, it's not Oprah. It's Madonna! I must be out of touch with pop culture because I didn't even know Madonna was still relevant. What's interesting is how many women who are Fifty-ish are power brokers in our youth-obsessed culture. Madonna, Oprah, Cheryl Crow, and the woman I want to have lunch with the most - Condi Rice.

Sunset on Lake Michigan

2006-09-28T15:46:00.000-05:00

Having been born in Florida and growing up near the Gulf of Mexico, I could have never imagined as a child that a lake in Michigan could be as beautiful as the ocean in Florida. But the sunset here is stunning. They call them the Great Lakes because they really are. They’re so big that you can’t see land over the horizon, so the sun sets in the water, just like it does in the ocean in Florida. With the one big difference, of course. It’s a whoooooooooooooooooooole lot colder here than it ever was in Florida.

Golden Memories in Battle Creek

2006-09-27T20:36:00.000-05:00

Identity Theft Alert…Again!

2006-09-26T08:15:00.000-05:00

As I've been warning people for years, there's no possibility your personal information will end up in the wrong person's hands. It's not a possibility – it's a guarantee! We live in a society where your information is transmitted from one computer to another at least six times every day. Last week the U.S. Department of Commerce reported that over 1100 laptop computers containing sensitive information such as people's social secretly numbers are missing. Many were never returned by employees who were fired or left. So what can the government do to protect criminals from stealing your personal information? NOTHING, since they're losing it themselves. It's not the government's job to protect you from identity theft; it's your own. Start by pulling a free copy of your credit report every year. Then make sure you read my weekly newsletter for tips, and attend my free teleseminar on how top prevent identity theft.

Managing Toxic People in Christian Organizations

2006-09-25T18:48:00.000-05:00

Did a great interview with Jennifer from www.childrensministry.com in Colorado today (from a rest area on I-96 in Lansing, Michigan). Yes, every organization has to deal with people who aren’t team players. Look for the article in next month’s issue.

Why Is the Dreading an Event Worse than the Event Itself?

2006-09-24T15:22:00.000-05:00

Just finished gathering the tax info to send off to my CPA for my 2005 form 1040, due October 15. I don’t owe anything, but it still amazes me at how much I dreaded doing it, and how relieved I now feel, even though I knew I would owe nothing. Isn’t it funny how our minds can automatically label certain events as unpleasant?

Would You Bet Billions on One Man’s Team Building Skills?

2006-09-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

Recently I was asked if a manager must have actually performed an employee’s job in order to supervise the employee. The answer is no. Two weeks ago Bill Ford Jr., great grandson of Henry Ford, stepped down as CEO of Ford Motor Company. He appointed Alan Mulally from Boeing to take his place, even though Alan has no experience in the automotive industry. Why would he do such a thing? Because Bill says he believes in Alan’s team building skills. In other words, leadership matters, no matter what your business may be.

A Keychain Phone?

2006-09-22T16:20:00.000-05:00

No, it’s not a James Bond movie – it’s real. Vonage has announced the world’s first keychain phone. All you have to do is plug it into the USB port on your computer and viola! You can waste even more of your life chit chatting about nothing to people you don’t even like that much. Do we really need even more phones in the world? Okay, just because I’m a techie, I’ll share the URL with you because this device is at least a clever use of VOIP. But for a guy who keeps his cell phone turned of 95% of the time, I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally don’t think the world needs more phones. Show me a device that allows me to jam the signal of the jerk using his cell phone in the movie theater and then you’ll have a raving fan of a customer in Glenn Shepard!http://www.vonage.com/vonagevphone/

Oh No - I've Got the Hiccups!

2006-09-21T15:14:00.000-05:00

I’ve never had this problem, but today I did! I whooffed down a quick spicy lunch about 20 minutes before today’s teleconference, and got (gulp) the hiccups! They went away about 5 minutes before I went on the line live in front of about 200 people, but man would that have been embarrassing! If anyone out there know what causes hiccups, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeze let me know so I will know what not to do next month.

Assertiveness Skills for Women

2006-09-20T16:31:00.000-05:00

Well gang, looks like we scored a home run on this month’s teleconference, “Assertiveness Skills for Women”. The phones have been ringing off the hook and the emails keep coming in. We just scheduled my first “encore performance” for October. If you haven’t registered yet, you’ve still got a few hours to go. Click here.