At first glance, the markers look much like those that can be found in any cemetery. Name, date of birth and the date that there life here on earth came to an end.  Then you look a little harder.  In this cemetery there are many markers that only show a life span of twenty or thirty years.

Many don’t come home.

I realize that most that serve this Country, serve for a period of time and then get discharged to civilian life.  Many, however do not.  Many don’t come home.  Many kiss their loved one’s goodbye and never make it back to say hello again.

You don’t see these stories at the cemetery but you know they exist.  It is quite a moving experience to hear the boys say the names and even for the young ones that might not fully understand what some of these great men and women went through, you can sense a certain reverence that you would not hear otherwise.

“The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry our their dream.”  – Les Brown

Les makes a great point.  There are not only the stories of what did happen that we can only speculate upon, but also the stories that never took place.  I am a big fan of stories and I think everyone has a story that can add value to others and that story should be shared.

You have the freedom to tell your story – so tell it!

We all have a story for what has already taken place but I am more concerned about the story that has not happened yet – the story you can still write.  I know in the United States, there are men an women who have committed their lives to make sure that I maintain not only the freedom to tell my story, but the freedom to create it of my own free will.

If you want to truly honor the men and women that serve your Country, be willing to serve others by creating a story worth telling – live it and tell it.  Look back on the quote above.  What part of your story has not been written yet?  Isn’t it worth writing?

What if only 10% of the book you are reading had words in it?

It has been said that man will only reach ten percent of his potential during his lifetime. How would you feel if when digging into the last book you purchased, you found that only ten percent of the pages had words on them?

Picture your life as a book.  The past has already been written and no matter what are in those pages, everyday starts with a blank sheet of paper.  What will you write?

Today’s Challenge:  Start writing and think and dream big while you do it.  There is no greater way to give back to those that have gone before you than to make the most out of the life you have been blessed with.

Today’s Shout Out:  Thanks to all those serving their Countries, past and present.

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Barry Smith  5/27/14   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2014

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Self-confidence is one of those funny things.  You don’t really understand it until you get it.  No, not “get it” like understand it, I mean get it like “get it.”  Self-confidence is a process and a difficult one at that.  Our culture does several things to keep you from getting it as well as giving it to you under false assumptions.  Let me explain.

First, the world we live in teaches that failure is bad and that the more you fail, the worse off you get.  If you have been reading any of my posts lately, you know that failure is actually a means to success.  From failure we not only learn the wrong way to do things, but we also learn that doing things wrong is ok because we can learn from those “failures” and build our confidence from the lessons learned.

Second, our society has gone overboard to make sure that everyone feels good.  Somehow by rewarding people, especially children, for everything they do will somehow build up their self-esteem and self-confidence.  Well I suppose it will short term, but what happens when they get into the real world where simply “participating” get’s you just about nothing?

You can choose to agree or disagree with my comments in the previous two paragraphs but the bottom line is that “authentic” self-confidence is the only thing that will provide lasting results.  So let’s take a look at the idea of self-confidence.

WHY DO I NEED SELF-CONFIDENCE?

Self-confidence is the tool that allows you to be you.  Not just you, but the best you that you can be.  We all have beliefs and those beliefs make up who we are.  The problem is that when we don’t have the confidence to “walk our talk” it results in a less authentic model of who we are. Maybe even someone we are not.

WHERE DO I GET SELF-CONFIDENCE?

You build self-confidence by doing the right things at the right times no matter what other people will think.  If this is a new concept for you, it won’t be easy at the beginning.  But continue and people will recognize you as a trusted, respected individual.  Even if they don’t agree with you, they will appreciate the fact that you actually believe in something and are willing to stand behind it.

WHAT DO I DO WITH SELF-CONFIDENCE?

Do you consider what other people will think of you when you speak or act in a certain way? Or are you so totally convicted by what you believe in that you will do what you do and say what you say regardless of what other people think.  Now I am not saying don’t be respectful or courteous, just be solid in who you are.  That is what self-confidence does for you.  As my mentor John Maxwell has taught us; “you cannot give what you do not have.”

Go back to the title of this post.  What would you try if you had the confidence to do it?  I know there is at least one thing.  Did you know that most people have more regrets for things they wanted to do and didn’t than things they did do and wish they hadn’t? [Tweet This]

Simple challenge for you today folks.  Make a list of the things you want to do but have not had the self-confidence to do, pick one, and GO DO IT!

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The post If I Had The Self-Confidence To Do It, I Would _____________! appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

Dictionary.com provides a pretty good picture of what I’m talking about:

esteem for a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect for her judgement.

deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgement: respect for a suspect’s right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the elderly.

Do you see the difference?  One is about the person and one is about the position.  I have observed that these two definitions are often misused in understanding how we “respect” other people.

I think the word respect get’s used too often and too easy by most of us.  I think people use the word without truly understanding the real meaning.  The last time you said your respected someone, did you really think about why you respect them or was it just a good thing to say at the time?

I don’t think it would be right to post about respect without giving an example of someone I respect a great deal.  The guy in the picture is my coach, mentor and most importantly, my good friend Kary Oberbrunner.

Kary is a well respected author, speaker and coach.  But what does that really mean? He is successful?  He is accomplished?  He knows what he’s talking about?  Sure, probably all of the above.  But I would suggest that it’s who he is that has gained him that respect, not what he has done.

My point is this – I think a lot of people are well respected in their field but not necessarily as individuals.  In my opinion, respect is earned and I don’t really care what you have accomplished if your values and behavior don’t represent a lifestyle worth respecting.

I have only known Kary for about a year and a half, but during that time I have seen him continuously give to those around him and without any expectation of return.  He simply leads a life to add value to other people.  I believe that the success he has achieved in business is due to hard work and caring about those that he serves.

Now don’t misunderstand me, Kary is a regular guy just like you and me.  Similar struggles and similar challenges – just ask him – he will tell you.  But the thing that makes him different than most is his authenticity and transparency.  He has no fear of laughing at himself if the story can help someone else.  How often do you wish the people in your life had those traits?

I have a handful of people in my life like Kary and they all add value to me on a regular basis.  In fact, these are the type of people that I turn to when I need help because I know they will be there.

This post is not to tell you how great of a guy Kary is, it is to describe how people like Kary are the type of people we should respect because they have earned it through their actions and not their accomplishments.

One thing that Kary has taught me is that you don’t ever want to be like someone else. You simply want to be a better “you.”

So is respect about the person or the position?  You can make your own decision but for me it’s about the person.  For me it doesn’t matter what success I achieve in life.  If I can’t be respected for who I am and only for what I have done, I have completely missed the mark.

Challenge yourself to think of someone you respect and then try and come up with ten reasons why you respect them.  When your done with the list, see how many are about who they are and how many are about what they have done.  Just sayin’

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Barry Smith    8/5/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013

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The 5 Pillars is a project that I have been working on for almost two years and am looking forward to officially launching “The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership” Coaching program on May 23th.

Why the 5 Pillars?  I have spent more than 30 years in the business world and although it has been primarily in the Construction world, the 5 Pillars philosophy works across all industries.  In fact, while developing this program I realized that it can have a significant impact on your personal life as well.

I will break down each Pillar into three sections, personal, business and community. Any growth or improvement needs to start within, with the end goal of influencing the community you live in.  In this post we will take a look at BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.

The environment that we live in impacts the way we live in countless ways.  The question is “Is my current environment conducive to my growth?”

BALANCE

Balancing your time between your work and personal life is one of the biggest challenges any of us face.  Understanding your purpose and responsibilities helps you to prioritize your time correctly.

CHANGE

For most of us, change comes about from the actions and requirements of others. Understanding how change impacts you directly will help you to handle it in a productive way.

CULTURE

What type of business culture are you surrounded by?  Is it one you are proud of?  If you can’t explain to someone else what the corporate culture is within your environment, you may not be in one conducive to growth.

ENGAGEMENT

Are you and your fellow employees engaged in the workplace or simply there to collect a paycheck?  Engagement will tell a lot about the business environment you are in.

MORALE

Would you consider the morale in your workplace high or low?  Probably somewhere in between.  What changes at work would increase company morale?

MOTIVATION

Are you motivated by external or internal forces to do a good job at work?  Many of us are able to motivate from within, but this will only last so long.

TEAMWORK

Teamwork is critical in any organization.  Are you part of the problem or part of the solution when it comes to collaborative efforts within your team?

TRAINING

What opportunities are you provided in your workplace to further your skills?  Is there a commitment from management to provide training or is it something you continually have to ask for?

RESPECT

Is your opinion respected at work?  Are you listened to when you have something to say? Being respected and respecting others are difference makers when it comes to personal or corporate success.

The 5 Pillars coaching program will take each topic to a much deeper level.  We will explore open ended questions and how they are directly impacting your life and more specifically in this segment, will allow you to evaluate and understand your business environment and how it negatively or positively impacts your well being and your potential to succeed.

In the mean time, start asking the type of questions that will result in better answers. When you ask “How can I”  you get an answer that will move the needle.  “How can I improve my business environment so that it is more conducive to my growth and the growth of my business?”  Answer that question, act on it, and you will succeed.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER FOR THE MAY 23RD CALL

RELATED:

• Click here to see Part 1 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
• Click here to see Part 2 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
• Click here to see Part 3 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
• Click here to see Part 4 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
• Click here to see Part 5 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
• For more on The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership and to view my video click here
• To view my guest post in the 2013 International Leadership Blogathon click here

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com      5/9/13            photo by author

The post The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership – Part 6: Our Environment appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

I think most of the people I spend time with are fairly honest but hey, we’re all human and sometimes truth just seems to get lost in the shuffle.  I think what happens more than lying, is just not telling the entire story or not providing all the facts.

I suppose there are times when leaving out certain parts, that have nothing to do with the outcome or moving forward, is acceptable, but in doing so, we take the chance that we won’t be able to recreate the story just like we told it the first time.

Here is the problem with just telling part of the story – when we tell it again and it’s different, we lose credibility and trust.  Those are pretty important pieces of any business or personal relationship.

Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. – Albert Einstein

Remember those two words I just mentioned – credibility and trust?  What do you think will happen when there is doubt cast on your story?  How will your boss or your employees feel if they don’t think they got the straight scoop?  Any time your truthfulness is questioned, it is a step back and not one easily regained.

My guess is that all parents, at some point in time during your children’s lives, tell them that “telling the truth is always better than telling a lie” and don’t forget “you will never get in as much trouble telling the truth as you will telling a lie.”

I wonder why we as adults don’t always follow the same advice.  We all have enough going on already.  It doesn’t even make sense to use your mental energy to “try and keep your story straight.”

I think there is overlooked aspect of telling the truth.  Not the obvious choices like morals and ethics, but awareness.  I think awareness plays a big role in our ability to tell the truth.  I think when we have a clear idea of the big picture, not telling the truth does not fit into the equation.

Think about this … when you create your goals or cast a vision for your team, are there any steps along the way that require lying?  In fact, have you ever written a plan out, or even seen one written by someone else for that matter, that included lying as one of the steps to achieve the goal.

So here is my logic on this.  If lying is not part of the plan to succeed, why would we incorporate it into the game plan?  The answer I came up with is obvious, we forget about the big picture.  Rather than deal with the inevitable roadblock that get’s in the way, we come up with some story or way out to avoid the issue.

Inevitably this will come back to bite us (you know it always does) and will slow us down or worse yet, destroy the plan completely.  Like I said earlier, most of the people I spend time with a fairly honest and I would include those reading this in that group. But we all are well practiced in getting in our own way and have no trouble completing the occasional slip up.

Mark Twain said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” Sounds like pretty good advice to me.  I have a hard enough time remembering as it is.  

Telling the truth is always better that telling a lie, but when you do (and you will), come correct, own it and make it right.  

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Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 4/27/13  photo by author

The post Telling The Truth Is Like An Elephant – Neither Of Them Forget! appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

I have learned (and am still learning) the hard way, when to say yes and when to say no.  I think many of the mistakes I have made over time really come down to the fact that I was not very intentional about the decision I made.

One of my mentors recently told me that he always waits 24 hours before giving a yes or no answer.  I acknowledge that some times this is not possible but if you really think it about it, most of the time you have the opportunity to say “let me get back to you.”

Taking the time to give the answer allows you to review your schedule and determine whether or not the yes is actually going to help or hurt your big picture.  Let’s face it, most of us feel like we already don’t have any extra time so how can we even fit one more “yes” into the equation?  Simply put, saying yes to something is saying no to something else.  A quick yes does not allow time to determine who or what will get the no.

Here are some thoughts on what intentionally taking that 24 hours will get you:

• BALANCE – When you have more yes’s than no’s the scale will be tilted to heavy to one side.  Evaluating the commitment that goes along with the yes may, in itself, provide you the answer.
• CREDIBILITY – Which would be more credible, the person who always says yes and completes half the things he commits to doing or the person who often says no but completes all the things he says yes to?
• FOCUS – Taking the time to answer yes or no will allow you to focus on the entire picture.  There may be much more to yes that you originally thought about.  The time to focus may enable you to clarify exactly what “yes” means.
• PROBLEM SOLVING – Sometimes there is an easier solution to the question.  Taking some time may produce and answer to problem that does not even require you to say yes.  I like this one – it makes me look smart and doesn’t use up much of my time!
• RESPECT – Following through when you say yes helps you to gain respect.  Saying yes and failing to come through breaks down trust.
• PRODUCTIVITY – Do you ever find yourself starting something and then jumping onto your next yes before you finished the last one?  Too many yes’s usually results in too many “I’m not done yet’s.”
• PLANNING – By now I hope you all realize that your life should be lived by a specific plan.  Your personal GPS for life.  Saying yes too often is like taking a trip and stopping at every store along the way.  You will never reach your destination.

OK, is that enough reasons to call a timeout next time someone wants to add you to their agenda?  It takes discipline to be intentional about when to say yes or no.  The next time you have the choice to say yes or no, ask yourself this question …

“What will I be saying no to by saying yes?”  The answer to that question just might give you the answer whether to say yes or no.

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com      3/25/13            photo by author

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Although we still refer to them as our kids, the simple fact is that they are now grown adults and are faced with the challenges and responsibilities that we faced twenty-five years ago.

Sarah and Chris put a lot of effort into making their wedding ceremony unique and personal.  I like that about today’s weddings.  As our culture has changed, there has come more latitude on shall we say “customizing” the ceremony.  Michelle and I agreed that this was one of the nicest weddings that we have attended in recent memory.

As the bride and groom shared their vows, I was impressed, by among other things, the emphasis on commitment.  The traditional “repeat after me” usually spoken by the pastor had been replaced by a more personal touch.  I could tell by the sincerity and emotion that these two were made for each other and no doubt, will have a long successful marriage.

That being said, I make no assumption that it will be easy or without challenges.  That’s what I liked about the words spoken about commitment.  I think that is what makes or breaks a lot of marriages today.  “Till death do us part” has all too often been replaced by “until we can’t get along anymore.”

I look back on my marriage and although there have been ups and downs, Michelle and I have always stayed committed to each other.  I recognize that marriage is something you have to work at each and every day – you have to stay committed.  Here are some of the ways I need to work to improve on every day in order to honor my marriage and my wife:

TRUST

I have learned that for a wife to trust her husband, he needs to follow through with what he says he will do.  This builds trust.  This is one of the things I need to work on most.  Good intentions don’t result in anything unless those intentions turn into action and results.

RESPECT

People want to be respected and this is magnified in the marriage relationship.  Men, you need to respect your wives.  There is no better way to succeed or fail than the respect that you show.

COMMUNICATION

Many of you may have heard, or hopefully even read the book The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.  If you don’t know the best language to communicate with your wife, you will struggle to communicate in the way that matters most.

LEADERSHIP

I am not sure how many men would choose leadership as one of the important pieces of a successful marriage, but in most cases, our wives want a leader for a husband.  Someone that will take care of them.  Someone that will be willing to make the tough decisions based on what is best for the relationship.  Someone who will put the marriage before themselves.

I am in no way claiming to be a marriage counselor, but I have learned (the hard way in many cases) what works and what doesn’t.  The bottom line is that marriage is not a 50/50 relationship.  It is a 100/100 relationship.  We need to be willing to give not an equal amount, but a full amount.  This is what will get you through the difficult times and make the relationship even stronger.

I offer up these thoughts in the hope that some value is added from the experience gained from both my successes and failures as a husband.  If you are married, then you know your spouse was an incredible person when you got married.  In my humble opinion, he or she still is – it just may be the circumstances of life that makes it seem a little different today.

Keep your focus on the other person and I believe you will reap the benefits.  Anything of value comes with a price and there is no better investment that in the one who matters most.  Spend Wisely!

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   1/7/13            photo by author

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I guess if you think about it, it makes sense.  If I am able to follow a strict code of conduct related to morals and values or “character” it would follow that I could accomplish the same consistency with personal growth.

I have to admit, I never really put these two things together but once you consider that our habits, or lack thereof, are fairly consistent regardless of the issue.  If we don’t follow through on the small things, we most likely won’t follow through on the big things.

The higher our level of character, the higher our level of respecting and honoring the things that really matter. John Maxwell in his book The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth describes the five rungs of his ladder:

1.  I WILL FOCUS ON BEING BETTER ON THE INSIDE THAN ON THE OUTSIDE – CHARACTER MATTERS

How you are on the inside is the real picture of your character.  There are many people that we deal with every day that we view as fake.  Authenticity comes from within and is usually is one of the first things identified during a first impression.  How do you represent?

2.  I WILL FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE – PEOPLE MATTER

Treat others as you would like to be treated.  Easier said than done, right?  You may have a chip on your shoulder over something, but at the end of the day – people matter.  Your character will show them how much.

3.  I WILL TEACH ONLY WHAT I BELIEVE – PASSION MATTERS

We all have opinions, but for some of us, those opinions get mixed into teaching or training that we are responsible for.  Do us all a favor and only teach on what you believe in.  You are doing your students or clients a disservice by selling them on something you don’t believe in yourself.

4.  I WILL VALUE HUMILITY ABOVE ALL VIRTUES – PERSPECTIVE MATTERS

We all probably know numerous people who don’t even know what humility means.  And some that do, simply disregard it.  Being humble is a sure way to focus attention on the other person and take the attention off yourself.  We all have something to offer, but be of integrity and only offer it up when the person on the receiving end is ready to receive it.

5.  I WILL STRIVE TO FINISH WELL – FAITHFULNESS MATTERS

Above all, strive to complete the task and finish strong.  Finishing what you started displays not only character, but commitment.  We all know the “I was gonna” guy.  Most of us rely on other people to complete their list of tasks so that we can complete ours. Remember, we are talking about growth.  If you expect to grow, you not only need to complete your list for everyone else, you need to complete your own.

“Ninety-nine percent of leadership failures are failures of character.”

               – Retired General Norman Schwartzkoph

Good character, with honesty and integrity is essential to leading a successful life. Personal growth starts at our core.  Are you ready to grow?

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Next Up:  Law #10  The Law of the Rubber Band.

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   12/5/12       photo by author

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Now if you knew Jeff, you would know that even when you don’t really understand what he said, there is almost always some buried wisdom in his comments.  And the confusion is rarely on his part.  He is just one of those deep thinkers that finds a deeper meaning in anything. This was no different and like I often do, I asked him to repeat it.  I knew it was good, I just didn’t fully grasp it the first time around.

“Truth is forgettable if not put on display.”  Genius!  Right or wrong, typically what we individually believe to be true is our truth.  I believe that there is good in everyone. Sometimes it doesn’t appear that way on the outside but as a professional coach with a psychology background, I know that most negative behavior has an underlying cause.

Jeff’s statement stuck with me right a way.  Why is it so hard sometimes to act on the outside like we feel on the inside?  We know what is true but if we don’t live it, it is easily forgotten and life simply proceeds under false pretense.  I am not suggesting dishonesty or lack of integrity, but would question our authenticity and transparency.

Truth in it’s purest sense is perfect.  There is no doubting the truth and there is not much to question when speaking the truth.  So why do we work so hard in our culture to hide it, twist it, manipulate it or even sometime totally ignore it?  My simple response is that sometimes the truth hurts and by nature, we like to avoid pain.

Here are five areas of our life that can be impacted by truth:

1.  RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships are built on things like trust and respect.  They are strengthened by honesty and openness.  All these things are founded on truth.  Sometimes the truth is the most difficult thing to say but it is the only way to honor and value your relationships.  In the end, truth always wins out.

2.  COMMUNICATION

Have you ever considered how much effort it takes to avoid the truth in a conversation? Better yet, what it takes to try and remember what was said at the time of fabrication.  There is a lot to be said about the idea that “you never have to remember the story you told when you told the truth.”

3.  CHARACTER

Do you know someone who you can trust to always tell the truth?  Do you know someone who never seems to tell the truth?  Which one of these would you consider more a person of character?  Enough said!

4.  COURAGE

Yes, sometimes the truth hurts and in many cases, telling the truth takes courage.  If the truth hurts, it usually means there is something that needs to be fixed or repaired.  If you don’t have the guts to bring it to the table to begin with, you are only putting off a more difficult challenge later.

5.  HAPPINESS

Hiding the truth will always result in carrying an unnecessary weight around until it is dealt with.  Some are bigger than others but at the end of the day, this burden is going to effect our level of happiness.  Life is hard enough as it is, why carry around additional baggage that will have to eventually be resolved anyway.

Everyone of us is carrying around some of this baggage and whether it’s big or small doesn’t really matter.  The bottom line is that it is impacting every one of the items I discussed above.  Truth is forgettable, but only in our mind – eventually it will come back to the surface.  Remember when you were a kid and your mother told you “that it’s always better to tell the truth?”  Well, she was right.

You know the truth on the inside, now start wearing it on the outside.  It will not always be easy and sometimes it will hurt, but it will always be the right thing to do.

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   11/19/12     Photo by author

The post Leadership Advice … Truth Is Forgettable If Not Put On Display. appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

I don’t think there is any other time in history when the importance of our reputation carries more weight than any other part of our behavior than today.  Think about it – who do you gravitate towards?  Who do you do business with?  Who do you respect or admire?

I consider myself to be a fairly reputable person and I like to think that my video matches my audio but I freely admit that sometimes I would like to hit rewind or delete and start over.  Unfortunately, life usually doesn’t work that way and once you do something, it pretty much is a done deal.

So how important is it that what we say matches what we do?  Ask Jim Tressel, Sean Payton or possibly the biggest example we have recently seen, Joe Paterno.  I know that Paterno has passed, but I can’t think of a better example of what happens to your reputation when your video melts down.

Here are 4 things to consider before you hit record on the video camera:

1.  AUTHENTICITY

One of the things I appreciate about people is their authenticity.  We need to be real people.  We all know that person that doesn’t understand this concept at all.  The guy who is all talk and no walk.  Regardless of how he views himself, my guess is that his success is going to be quite limited due to his actions.

2.  CREDIBILITY

Who do you go to when you need to depend on someone?  Usually it is the person that had a track record of credibility.  Let’s face it – when we ask someone else to help us out with something, business or personal, they become an extension of us.  Their actions represent ours and if you value your reputation, choose wisely.

3.  INFLUENCE

This one is my favorite.  Leadership is influence, right?  So if we want to be a leader or need a leader, we want someone that will positively influence others.  Our influence is often powered by our actions.  People do what people see.  If we want a positive outcome, we better have a good video that matches the script.

4.  INTEGRITY

Integrity is as important to your picture as any other thing.  Do people think you act the same way when no one is looking as you do when on the main stage?  Integrity breeds trust and vice-versa.  Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose.  Certainly it is easier to come up with the words that portray trust, but our actions are much more powerful, in either direction.

At the end of the day, we want to be known as a person that can be trusted to have our actions align with our words.  William Shakespeare said “All the world’s a stage” and he is right.  How we act is what will determine our personal brand.

The cameras are always rolling, so you better be prepared to stick with the script you have written and if you need to add-lib during your performance, make sure it’s not something you would rather have on the editing room floor.

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   11/2/12     Photo by author

The post Does Your Video Match Your Audio? Protecting Your Personal Brand appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.