Assuming

His request approved, the CNN News photographer

quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport

to charter a flight.
He was told a twin-engine plane

would be waiting for him at the airport.
Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane

warming up outside a hanger.
  He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut,

and shouted, 'Let's go'.
The pilot taxied out, swung the plane

into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed

the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make

low passes so I can take pictures

of the fires on the hillsides.'
'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for CNN',

he responded, 'and I need to get

some close up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment,

finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me,

is . . . You're NOT my flight instructor?'

Are you really asking the hard questions of your customers or not because you are afraid of the answers or afraid of "offending them".  Get over it as you are as guilty as the guy in the story above and the consequences while maybe not life threatening could be dire.  There is nothing threatening about asking the following: " I just have a gut feeling that there are some issues that we need to discuss that we have neither taken the time to do so."  You can do this and you need to do this.  You have a sixth sense or you would not be doing what you are doing.  Please take advantage of that talent rather than waiting around to react to something after it happens.

Zooming not assuming,
Captain Dan

Do Something!

Years ago before he became famous, Tom Peters, was just getting started and was beginning to do seminars.  I attended on of these early seminars at the Sunburst Hotel in Scottsdale Arizona.  My sales partner and I both attended and we very impressed with Tom and what he told us.  He offered many valuable tips when it came to selling .
My partner was a veteran and I was a fairly new member of the team.  I took those tips and incorporated them into my personality and sales repertoire.  My sales performance shot off the charts.  Ed however decided to reinvent himself into Tom Peters and failed miserably.  He was a good salesman as Ed but not so good as Tom Peters.
I took some small steps and, as I did, momentum began to come my way.  I did not worry about a long term goal at that time.  I just needed to do something to kick start me past the starting point and get me on the road.  Little goals add up.  Often the final goal seems so unobtainable, we don't even give it a decent shot.
So my advice today is to START.  Do something!  No matter how insignificant it seems or no matter where you are in your circumstances.  Take the first step.
Grow where you are planted because it is highly unlikely that you are going to be transplanted and thrive elsewhere.

Fearlessly yours,
Dan