PUT UP OR SHUT UP or Practice What You Preach. This mantra has many more implications and consequences than you think. You as the owner of your own business are the defacto leader of the company. However, real leadership must be earned. You can’t tell your employees to do one thing while you do the opposite. They will not follow or respect you. On the other hand, if your actions support your words, your people will respect and trust you and attempt to emulate your deeds. Your words will gain new credibility.
In thinking about this, I decided to follow my own advice in my new book, Bootstrapping 101, by bootstrapping its marketing. First, I decided to self-publish the book as I was less than satisfied with the effort of the well known publisher of my first book.
My first chapter is on Barter, “The exchange of goods and services for other goods and services.’ Usually no cash is involved. One morning while reading the local paper, I saw a feature article on a young lady, Briana Bragg and her company Business Bragger, which assists companies in using social media to achieve their business goals. Briana lost her first job before graduation, because her employer downsized. She decided to never let this happen to her again. She became an entrepreneur and started her own company. I contacted her to meet, and we struck up a barter deal. She was going to teach me how to use social media to sell more books, and I would mentor her through the growth of her start-up. We are both benefiting immensely.
I also have a chapter on the Free Help available to small businesses at Universities. Knowing that professors of Entrepreneurship like to assign teams of students to real life situations, I contacted Len Green, the savvy professor at Babson College. I suggested that one of his student teams might take on the assignment of creating a business plan on marketing my book. He was enthusiastic, and I will be going to Babson the end of October to hear the students’ plans and to talk to them about the path of entrepreneurial success.
I am using many of the book’s tips, and it is gratifying and fun to follow your own advice. It is also reinforcing my belief that it works.
Following one’s own advice is applicable to your personal life, particularly in parenting. How many times have you seen parents enforce particular behaviors on their children while acting contrary to their advice? They then wonder why their kids don’t listen to them. Children and adults will ape the behavior of parents or leaders they respect.
Practice What You Preach Is also very applicable to our elected officials. It will help their popularity rating which is currently dismal.
CHALLENGE # 1–Rearrange ALL the letters and using each one only once,in the word