Safety Consulting Corner

What's the Best Way to Eat an Elephant?

What's the best way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

You have probably heard this popular expression which refers to how you should approach taking on a very large task. If you know you need to read through that pile of business books on your desk but just can't find the time, then a website called DailyLit can help. If you visit DailyLit you can sign up to receive books sent to you in smaller sections via email so instead of sitting and staring at a whole book that you want to get through, you can receive the emails (on the days and times that you want) and then only worry about getting through a small section of a book at a time. There are all types of books on this site - not just business - and many are free. I am going to try this out by getting "The Art of Getting Money" by P.T. Barnum sent to me in 26 installments. I'll let you know how it works out.

Hypnotic Writing

I have been busy reading Hypnotic Writing by Joe Vitale and it was great. You might wonder why a safety consultant would want to read this book. If you do any writing at all, then you could benefit from the techniques presented in this book. If you write content for web pages or sales letters, or any document where you want to sell your ideas, services or products, Hypnotic Writing can help you do it better. If you are picturing someone waving a watch in front of your face saying "You are getting sleepy" you have the wrong idea. Hypnotic writing is basically writing so people do what you want (but never for any unethical reasons) by using certain writing styles and words. Some of my favorite ideas in the book include:

*mental images create hypnotic writing
*the higher the cost of what you are selling, the more copy you will need
*website copy should include (in this order) - Promise, Proof, Price
*write as if you are writing it to a friend
*use a "sexy" format (see page 133 of the book)
*Key words for hypnotic headlines (see Chapter 45)

It is available at Amazon - click here. Read it now.

Get It Done!

If you are constantly floating in a sea of post-it notes reminding you of all of the things you have to get done, you might want to consider an online program for keeping those lists organized. Many of these let you email a new task directly to your online list so you don't have to worry about scribbling on that little post-it note again and taking it back to your coputer to enter to the online list. There are a variety of options out there - some free and some not - but most of them do the same basic thing with a few bells and whistles here and there. Check out the following options: (add it to your to-do list:)

Ta-da List
Todoist
Nozbe
voo2do
Vitalist
Remember the Milk
Toodledo
Listigator

If you prefer a non-technical aid to help you get your projects done, I would recommend a book that came out a few years ago called "Eat That Frog" by Brian Tracy. The main message that I got from that book is that you should do the worse part of a project or the thing on your to-do list that you are dreading - first. One of the best books I ever read on productivity was written for creative types (artists, writers, etc.) but it truly is a great "kick-in the-butt" type of book. It is called "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. Even though this book is written for artists, I highly recommend it for all consultants. It is quick read and should definitely be on your to-do list, whatever list you decide to use.

Reading Update - The Dip

Luckily the first book I selected to read this summer was Seth Godin's, "The Dip." I was able to read the whole thing in a few hours and you could too. "The Dip"  talks about the lull that many people and businesses experience after they start something new. Applied to safety consulting, this would be the dip that occurs after the excitement of starting and running a new business wears off. Seth Godin argues that many people jump off at this point, whether it occurs weeks, months or even years into the project. Basically, he says that too many people just don't stick it out long enough to see real success. Seth is also very realistic and talks about why the popular expression, "Winners never quit and quitters never win" is wrong. Sometimes it is perfectly okay, and even smart, to quit and just quitting should always be an option for all of us.

One section of the book called "Facing the Dip," provides great advice for safety consultants just starting out. Consulting can be very exciting in the beginning but eventually, most consultants will hit a dip. Many new consultants will get discouraged and move on to something else but the ones that can perservere through the dip, can eventually come out successful on the other end. On the other hand, when you are in a dip and so miserable that you think consulting could never work for you, you have nothing to lose. Having nothing to lose makes you quite powerful. You can try new tactics with very little risk and these new approaches can be just what is needed to get through the dip. To read more on all of Seth's ideas, spend a few hours and read through (and take notes!) "The Dip."

Back to School

Here in NJ, it is "Back to School" day. I am hoping that this also gets me more in a "back to work" mood as well. If you regularly read this blog, you will have noticed that I have not posted in several weeks. Although I had great intentions to post during a two week vacation late in August, limited internet connections (and great weather!) made it difficult for me to follow through. Since returning, I have found it very hard to get "back to work." Fortunately, one of the books I read during my vacation can help. Although it is an unlikely book to find on a safety consultant's shelf, "The War of Art," by Steven Pressfield is a great little book with unexpected gems of wisdom. Basically - it's a "kick in the butt" kind of book. When you don't feel like working, this book provides the motivation you need. Okay - gotta get to work!

Honey, I'm cuttting back a bit...

Earlier this summer I posted my ambitious (at least for me) reading list for the summer. One of those books was "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferris. To be honest, I have only read about 1/2 way through this one but I think I have the gist of it. A great review of it in the Wall Street Journal book section helped to fill in the blanks (read it here). If I understand Mr. Ferris's message correctly, then I should put the book away now and ask others to fill me in on the important details which is what the WSJ summary does. Mr. Ferris says that you shouldn't read newspapers or watch TV to get the news but just ask other people what's hot. So can this work with a book by just reading someone else's review? Maybe. Mr. Ferris talks about the 4-hour work week using the acronym "DEAL." Would "DEAL" work for safety consultants? The "D" in deal stands for definition. Mr. Ferris is big on deciding what you really want to do. Do you really want to be a safety consultant working 60 hours a week or traveling 10 days of the month? Determine what you really want. The "E" stands for eliminate which most of us could probably do with at least a few of our daily activities. How much of your work day is spent doing stuff you shouldn't be wasting your time on? Sure - safety consultants can delegate a lot of activities but probably not all, unless you want to outsource everything to subcontractors. To get started, visit www.guru.com, www.elance.com or get a virtual assistant (VA) at someplace like www.getfriday.com or www.vaassist.com.  The "A" stands for automation. Again, Mr. Ferris relies on technology and the ability to outsource a lot of his tasks using virtual assistants like those named above. What else could you automate and how? I use an auto-responder through www.easywebautiomation.com for sales and responses that do not require a personal touch. The "L"stands for liberation, i.e., quit your day job and travel. This would be pretty hard for most safety consultants again, due to the nature of our business, unless you want to outsource absolutely everything. All in all, there are some good recommendations in the book even if you aren't ready to follow Mr. Ferris's dream life. Checking email less frequently and finding a good VA are two steps I plan on taking although I admit, I have been considering both even before reading this book. Note: If anyone wants to borrow my copy of this book, just drop me an email and I'll send it off.

Summer Reading

Well today is the first day of Summer so it's time to start devouring some of the dozens of books sitting around my house. I'm kind of a buffet reader - a taste of this and a taste of that. I am usually reading about 5 books at once. So, here is what I am committed to reading (and telling you about) this Summer:

Clear Blogging by Bob Walsh, Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch, Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi, Life Hacker by Gina Trapani, The Dip by Seth Godin, Send : The Essential Guide to Email for Home and Office by David Shipley and Will Schwalbe, You, Inc. by Harry and Christine Beckwith, Time Power - A Proven System for Getting More Done in Less Time Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracey and finally, Be The Elephant - Build a Bigger, Better Business by Steve Kaplan

Stay Tuned....

With Risk Goes Reward

In Seth Godin's blog, he talks about two different types of people in the workplace - thrill seekers and fear avoiders. Seth goes onto say that thrill seekers are the ones that love change and are excited to try new things. If you have read any of my articles in "The Advisor," you know that I strongly encourage consultants to go out on a limb and try new things. As safety professionals, we are trained to avoid or lessen risk and if an employee is a thrill seeker at work, they are likely to have a lot of accidents - exactly what we do not want.  The key is to understand that there are right risks and that not all risk is bad. Yes, trying a radically different approach to workplace safety is risky but isn't it riskier not to try something new that could have a positive effect on the lives of thousands of workers? One of my favorite books is "Right Risk: 10 Powerful Principles for Taking Giant Leaps with Your Life" by Bill Treasurer. (Click here for an excerpt that was posted on the Business Know How website). Mr. Treasurer really puts risk in perspective. Even after several readings, this little book (it's only 200 pages) is still one of my favorites.  Take Seth Godin's and Bill Treasurer's advice - be a thrill seeker and find those risks that are right for you.