King Quotes Garner Inspiration

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Here is a small trivia challenge for you. Who said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"? If you guessed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. you would be correct.

However, you may not have heard this next quote. Doctor King said, "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

That is a powerful wake up call. Reading it brings to mind a human rights tragedy happening right now.

Many Falun Gong practitioners are struggling to obtain one of the most precious of all human rights. That is the freedom to believe what they choose in the space between their ears.

Here is a not so trivial question. Who is withholding that right from them?

If you answered, "the Chinese Communist Party", right again! With their track record of killing those who support democracy and those who support other freedoms, it wouldn't have been hard for you to guess.

What is amazing about the Falun Gong practitioners is that much like Ghandi and Dr. King, they believe in the way of peaceful non-violence. These noble men and women are working towards that precious freedom without hate and without physical conflict. Many have lost their lives in attempting to do so.

Between the torture and killings that are rarely reported in the world's media, the price paid so far has been extremely high. Your heart aches upon thinking of those who have endured so much torture and for those who have paid the ultimate price to obtain freedom. Yet, the struggle is not won and continues right at this moment.

Admiration for those who remain firm in the face of such terror is boundless. The courage to endure when confronted with some of the extreme tortures thrust upon them is the stuff that only the greatest are made of.

It makes one shudder to contemplate being forced to live in a cage that is too small to stand up and too narrow to sit down. The enormous horror of living in that situation day after day strikes at the very depth of the soul. Everyone should be fully aware of what is happening in China today.

The plight of the Falun Gong practitioners is a noble one, deserving of support. Without freedom, quality of life is diminished to a shadow of what it should be.

In response to their enormous suffering and equally enormous endurance, visit the Faluninfo website to more fully understand the tragedy and learn what you can do to help eliminate the continued suffering of these brave hearted men and women.

Here are two more Dr. King quotes. "In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends" and "The time is always right to do what is right".

The power to make a difference is in your hands. To support the just and good is a choice. And the choice you make may be remembered throughout history.

A simple action to take is to call the Chinese Embassy in New York or Chicago and say three simple words, "Stop the Persecution". They will understand exactly what you mean even if they pretend not to.

The New York Embassy phone number is: 212-868-7752 (US).

The Chicago Chinese Embassy phone number is: 312-803-0098 (US).

When the horn of freedom is sounded in times of need, men and women of the highest character heed the call.
 

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Ask Don't Tell Leadership: When To Start Your Own Business?

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When to start your own business?

Q: After working at one company for 10 years, I would like to begin my own business. What issues do I need to consider, and how do I know when it is the right time to take the "big step?"

A: Almost 20 years ago, my roommate asked me to spend a day of my vacation in New York spying on his competition at a tradeshow. I made up a story to tell the vendors at the show -- I was planning to start a fundraising call center for politicians and wanted to implement the most advanced technology in the industry. Eighteen years later, my business partner and I were running one of the largest outsourced call center operations in the world!

With a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, we made it, but there is no way to eliminate the risks of entrepreneurship. There are, however, several key questions you can ask yourself to determine whether you are prepared.

1.) Do I have a business plan?

A clear business plan is essential, and the lack of a plan is a frequent cause of business failure. A business plan helps you assess, in advance, how you are going to address key issues. I have found planning software, such as BizPlan, to be very helpful. It may take weeks or even months to develop a quality plan, because your ideas may need a gestation period before fully coming together. Throughout planning, it is important to find a source of objective feedback -- ideally, someone who clearly understands the process.

2.) Do I have the energy and physical stamina for the venture?

Owning your own business typically requires long hours, and stamina is essential. It is common to work 12 to 16 hours a day, particularly during the first several years. Be prepared, and be honest with yourself. If you do not already have an exercise regimen, begin one now.

3.) Can I get the money I need to support the business and myself?

If your business plan is interesting and enticing, money will be available. Although most banks have little interest in financing a start-up these days, they can help you secure an SBA (Small Business Association) loan. An SBA loan can be valuable, even though it may require repayment before you can raise money elsewhere.

Another approach for financing your business is the "family and friends" model. If you go this route, do not overlook the strings attached. Your family dinners and get-togethers can quickly turn into shareholder meetings, particularly when your business is struggling!

There are numerous other options. Couples with two incomes may be able to independently afford the transition of one spouse into business ownership. You may be able to fund the business yourself, especially at the outset. Several years ago, I left my call center business, because it no longer filled my passion. I began my new business, executive coaching for entrepreneurs, by using money earned from my first venture

4.) Does my family support this?

It is important that your family truly understand the demands of business ownership. There are subtle differences, for example, between working long hours for someone else and working long hours for yourself. "My boss needs this done by tomorrow; I have to miss Johnny's game" becomes "I need to get this done by tomorrow; I have to miss Johnny's game." Before writing your plan, make sure all your stakeholders are aware of the details.

5.) How do I feel about making critical decisions and being responsible for others?

Owning a business requires constant decision making, often with no time for self-reflection or opinion gathering. Depending on the business, you may become responsible for other people's livelihoods. Their families will count on their incomes, and your decisions and behaviors will significantly influence their lives. You will no longer be responsible for your family alone, but for all families supported by your business. From experience, I can tell you that this is more stressful than you might imagine!

6.) Am I willing to do things I have no business doing?

Owning a business may force you to learn subjects and perform tasks that have never been your forte. Aside from French, accounting was my worst subject in school. Today, I am quite good at understanding numbers, purely because accounting skills are critical to successful business ownership. Similarly, I quickly learned to repair computers when we could initially not afford a service contract. If you resist doing things that you do not know how to do, reflect hard on your decision to start a business.

7.) Is your soul calling you?

I have always admired those who just "knew" it was their time, almost as though their souls were calling them. They reached a point when they could no longer work for someone else. Your soul may be calling you. Have you begun arriving to work with your body, but not with your mind? Are you working to earn money, but dreading every moment of it? These are potential signals that it is your time. Just remember, however, your soul does not give a "Get out of writing a business plan" pass. Remember, your business plan is essential.

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A Key Element In Public Speaking: Timing Pauses

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Timing is essential when speaking in public. The cliché: It is not what you say but more on how you say it, applies so much to public speaking.

Where you put your pauses during your presentation is one of the important aspects of maintaining an audience that is free from drowsing off. Couple this with humor and you are definitely on a roll.

Timing is the element involved during reactions that are spontaneous especially on developments during your delivery that are unexpectedly expected.

Do not forget, though, that when you expect any laughter to burst any time soon, avoid speaking as your voice and whatever it is that you are saying will most probably be drowned out by the noise of the audience.

Make sure to remember that laughter is extremely difficult to get and so very much easy to discourage. Try as much as possible to maintain eye contact with the audience for a little time longer when you deliver that punch line.

The audience size could also affect the way you use your timing. When the audience is small, the presentation you have will most probably be delivered in a lesser time compared to if you have a large audience. The reaction of a large audience will get to be a little longer and not as quick as if the audience is small. You also have to wait until the seemingly ripple effect of your punch line gets to that audience in the back row. < Believe it or not, putting that much needed silence in your presentation is one of the hallmarks of a skilled and good presenter. No public speaker should jabber constantly away in the hopes of keeping an audience glued to anything it is you have to say. Ironically, this is one effective way to keep their focus off you. The use of silence adds that much needed polish in your presentation making you appear as a confident expert.

Short pauses are effective to use in order for you to separate your thoughts. These pauses last from half a second to two. You do not have to literally count though, just keep in mind to slow down. This gives the audience a chance to absorb all of what it is you are getting across. It also helps if you change the inflection in your voice during the end of a thought as this could also signal to the audience that another thought is coming their way. Pauses are also an effective means if you want to highlight something. Put it before any word or thought you want the audience to focus on, they will most definitely get that.

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