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2010
BOOM! Seven Choices for Blowing the
Doors Off Business-as-Usual
by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg
time and energy to focus on the things you can control. Players
recognize that gaining traction toward a desired outcome is the Your work matters. And the
result of choosing wisely between the two. They ignore the things
they cannot do anything about. They simply don’t let things outside
sooner you realize that, the sooner
their control take up too much mental space, or they concentrate you can begin to change your life.
on bringing things outside their control into their control.
You can control your effectiveness by orders of magnitude by
simply asking yourself the question, “Right now, at this moment, Do you know who “they” are? Have you met “them”? The
given this situation, am I focused on something I can control, or mysterious “they” lurks in every organization.
obsessing over something I can’t control?” Being a victim is a choice, much of which hinges on our failure
Assess your own situation and then decide what you can to be accountable for our own outcomes in life. Instead, we blame
influence and what you can’t. The more you focus on the others for getting in the way of our progress. Don’t wait for others
things you are worried about but can’t control, the more you to show you the way—blaze the trail yourself.
disempower yourself. The more you focus on what you can If we truly believe that leadership is influence, and that anyone
control, the more freedom you have to take a stand! within an organization can influence others, then doesn’t it make
Develop the discipline to ask these four simple but very sense to expect more leadership from ourselves and to stop
powerful questions in every situation and boom, you will take a searching for it in others?
huge step away from helplessness and a powerful step toward Blaming is a defense tactic for those who desire to take the
becoming more in control. spotlight off of themselves and shift the problem to someone else.
• What do I desire most? What do I want to create? Instead of asking, “What have I done to cause the situation I’m in?”
• What part of the problem do I own? the question becomes, “Why are they doing this to me?”
• To what part of the solution can I contribute? If you want to blow the doors off business as usual, take some
• What about me must change? initiative; stop waiting for guidance. It just may be that no one has a
At first, these questions may make you uncomfortable because better understanding of the problem and how to fix it than you do.
they won’t let you off the hook. But don’t give up. Over the long
haul, these questions will absolutely energize you by giving you
the authority to act, the power to effect change and the freedom CHOICE NO. 3: CHOOSE SERVICE
to stay the course. You will feel more at liberty to follow your OVER SELF-INTEREST
dreams for being a most valuable player! When your contribution takes the form of service to others,
The challenge we’re laying down starts with each of us having your work suddenly starts to come alive with meaning. But
the courage to ask, “What am I doing that’s meaningful? How am service is more than helping others, because being of service is the
I adding value? What does it mean to be a person who literally greatest gift you can give yourself. As Gandhi said, “The fragrance
creates my own success? And how do I become this person?” always remains on the hand that gives the rose.”
No matter what part of the world you are from, what you do
for a living, how much money you make, or what you value and
CHOICE NO. 2: BE ACCOUNTABLE believe in, we all share a common interest: self-interest. We all
Once you’ve decided to be a player, you have to know who come into this world narcissistic and self-centered. This natural
you’re playing against—and here comes a big surprise: For most focus on self-interest is a basic human trait, and it is deeply
of your life, we’re willing to bet, you’ve been playing against ingrained in who we are.
yourself! All these years, while you’ve been blaming them—“They When self-indulgence becomes the norm, our egos become
won’t let me grow”; “They hold me back”; “They don’t care about the center of the universe and feeding them becomes priority
my success.” You never knew that there is no “they.” There’s only No. 1. The problem is that when we equate happiness with
you and me, and no one can stop us but ourselves. self-indulgence, we develop a chronic egocentricity. But a me-first
ACTION STEPS
Get more out of this SUCCESS Book
Summary by putting what you’ve learned
into action. Here are a few questions and
thoughts to help you get started.
1. What about you must change in order for you to attain About the Authors
the results you desire?
Well-known motivational speakers, Kevin and Jackie Freiberg
2. Are you playing it safe? What have you been avoiding
that could move you toward greater achievement? have written a number of international best-sellers on how to change
3. Determine today to take responsibility for yourself corporate culture, increase personal success and grow a business
and the impact you have on your team members, through the development of its people. Their publication credits
organization and customers.
include Nuts! Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and
4. Seek to serve. What can you do today to improve
someone else’s life? Personal Success and Guts! Companies That Blow the Doors Off
5. Are you allowing yourself to be dragged down by Business-as-Usual. The couple has appeared on CBS’s 60 Minutes,
negative commentary on why things won’t work or CBS Morning News and CNBC. The pair has been recognized
can’t be done? Shake things up by listing positive
possibilities on how you can improve the situation. among the “Top 30 Best Minds on Leadership” by Leadership
Excellence magazine.
6. Evaluate and use your talents. Ask yourself the
questions the authors pose: Kevin is the founder and CEO of the couple’s professional
• What have you done that felt effortless? That came speaking and consulting firm, Freibergs.com, while Jackie serves
easily to you?
• When have you felt like you were grinding your gears as owner and managing partner. Freibergs.com has worked with
in hopeless work? companies all over the United States as well as in Europe, Japan,
• If you asked 10 people who know you well what
you’re good at, what would they say? India, and Central and South America to help them grow their bottom
• What do you get affirmed for? lines by growing their people. Clients have included American
7. Don’t rest on your laurels. Remember, innovation and Express, Caterpillar, Century 21, Bank of America, GE, Merill Lynch
growth require taking risks. What are you doing to
and Universal Studios.
make yourself and your product memorable?
A former professor at the University of San Diego and San Diego
State University, Kevin has a master’s in communication and a
Recommended Reading
Ph.D. in educational leadership. Jackie holds a master’s in speech
If you enjoyed Boom! Seven Choices for Blowing
communication and a Ph.D. in leadership.
the Doors Off Business-as-Usual, check out:
The Freibergs live in San Diego with their three children.
The Carrot Principle by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton
© 2010 SUCCESS Media. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in whole or in part
Three Feet from Gold: Turn Your Obstacles into in any form without prior written permission. Published by SUCCESS Media, 200 Swisher Rd.,
Opportunities! by Sharon L. Lechter and Greg S. Reid Lake Dallas, TX 75065, USA. SUCCESS.com.
Summarized by permission of the publisher, Thomas Nelson, Inc. PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 37314. Boom! Seven Choices for Blowing the Doors Off Business-as-Usual by Kevin and Jackie
Freiberg. © 2007 by Freibergs.com, a San Diego Consulting Group Inc. company.