In This Issue

• Hope Is A Scary Strategy When It Comes To Your Companies Data
• Lumberjack Or Gardener?
• The Columbo Effect
• 7 Tips For Creating A Secure Password
• Who Else Wants To Win A $25 Gift Card
• Protect Your Kids Online
• What Would You Do?
• Client Spotlight: Community Partners of Dallas
• Shiny New Gadget Of The Month: Bed Phones

"As a business owner, you dont have to waste on technical and operational issues. That's where we Shine! Call us and put an end to your IT problems finally and forever!"
-Fred Givhan, Computer Troubleshooters

Hope Is A Scary Strategy When It Comes To Your Companies Data

Last night I startled out of bed in a cold sweat, heart racing, with fear racing through my mind…and you were the reason for my panic! Was I having a nightmare? Was I just watching too many episodes of "Ghost Hunters?" Maybe taking the Halloween spirit too far? No – it simply occurred to me that you might not know the importance of having a solid backup and disaster recovery plan in place!

And if your server data was erased, corrupted or destroyed because of a hardware malfunction, system crash, fire, flood or some other random, unforeseen disaster, you might not be able to be back up and running again FAST!

The Thought Of That Happening Scared Me Half To Death!

And quite honestly, it should scare you too! Just imagine what would happen if your server went down and you…

• Lost all accounting documentation and history…
• Lost all the work files you've spent YEARS developing…
• Lost the work files and documentation you desperately need to service your customers…
• Lost all the e-mails you've had saved and couldn't access your inbox…

Can you even put a price tag on it? Probably not – yet so many business owners aren't 100% certain that they could be back up and running after a disaster and are purely hoping that their current tape drive or backup is working and storing a usable copy of their data.

That's why I desperately urge you to contact us today to schedule your FREE Data Security and Backup Audit – a $300 value. Here's what you need to do:
CALL OUR OFFICE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFER 214-363-6013
Hurry, offer ends October 31, 2011.

Lumberjack Or Gardener?

A lumberjack uses an axe to make broad sweeping strokes and chop down trees. On the other hand, a gardener makes cuts with an attitude of pruning, molding, shaping and helping things grow.

Recently, I spoke with a client who was behaving like a lumberjack. (He gave me permission to share this story.) We were talking on the phone in a coaching call and he used phrases I'd never heard from him before, such as "I blasted that employee" and "that was a stupid mistake." He repeated these phrases over and over. As I helped him work through the issues, he realized the way he was behaving was not really congruent with his personal values.

I gave him three tools to use when correcting employees—call them gardening tools:

1. Never respond to a first instance. We all make mistakes and, most of the time, we all recognize when we make those mistakes. It's no different with your employees. By giving them a little bit of space to make mistakes and correct themselves, you'll empower them. Now, obviously, if the mistake causes blatant harm to the company, you'll need correct immediately. Yet for majority of mistakes that your employees make, you can back up and give them a little bit of room.
2. Correct quickly with clarity. Many "lumberjack" leaders allow poor employee behavior to occur repeatedly and they keep their frustration bottled up. After weeks or even months of this self-restraint, they explode. Instead, when you see something that's out of place, on the second instance, jump right in and correct. Do it with clarity, focusing on actions and results instead of personal opinions or emotions. In other words, describe what actions they did and what result they got from those actions. Then describe what different actions you want from the employee, and what different results will come from those actions.
3. After correction, be supportive and caring. Sincerely tell the employee how important they are to you and to the company. Be as specific as possible. This will help them help them realize that you're not the enemy. You're their friend—a gardener. As a leader, you're there to help them grow and improve not just for the company but for their personal career, too.

Use these three simple "gardening" tools consistently, and over time your employees will begin to view you as a trusted mentor and a resource for their success.

Guest article provided by: Dave Crenshaw is an author, speaker and CEO coach. He has appeared in TIME magazine, Forbes, SIRIUS XM Radio, and the BBC News. His first book, The Myth of Multitasking: How 'Doing It All' Gets Nothing Done, has been published in six languages and is a time management best seller. His latest book, Invaluable: The Secret to Becoming Irreplaceable, is also an organizational behavior and motivational bestseller. Dave has helped thousands of clients worldwide harness chaos, get focused, and build invaluable businesses. For videos and articles from Dave, visit DaveCrenshaw.com

The Columbo Effect

The recent passing of Peter Falk brings to mind one of the most useful techniques in negotiation. It's called "The Columbo Effect."

As a homicide detective in Los Angeles, Lt. Columbo wore a raggedy trench coat, drove a beat-up Peugeot, told corny and heartwarming stories about his wife and dog, and had the habit of forgetting to ask a key question in every interview and interrogation.

In short, he put the other person at ease because they felt superior to Columbo. "How could this bumbling, scatterbrained misfit outwit me?" they all mused.

For the negotiator, whether you're trying to win a million-dollar contract or simply make a sale, it's advantageous to appear a "little less okay" than your respected opponent. It makes them feel comfortable and maybe even a bit smug.

Then you've got them right where you want them.

This is not to say that you should be unprofessional. Leveraging The Columbo Effect simply means not being afraid of being less than perfect. Do you enjoy being around perfect people? No one does. If you show the other person that you're imperfect, they will be more apt to make mistakes. Think of Columbo. He always got his man or woman — and that's because they usually said too much, assuming he was inept, and then dropped clues right in his lap.

How do you act "less okay" than your opponent in a negotiation? Struggle a bit with your answer. Ask to borrow a pen and paper to take notes. Forget your business cards for the first meeting. Drop your glasses mid-discussion.

The tougher the negotiation, the more critical it is to understand that if someone in the room has to be not-okay, it will be you and not your adversary. When your adversary feels not-okay, the barriers go up much faster than you can break them down. But not-okay-ness on your part, or The Columbo Effect, breaks down barriers like magic.

If you have any doubts about the wisdom of this advice, it couldn't be easier to check out. The next time you find yourself in a situation in which your adversary is maybe just a little standoffish or doubtful, try being a little less okay than they are. Pretend your pen has run out of ink, or search your pocket for some paper and ask to borrow a slip of theirs. You will notice an immediate, beneficial difference in the atmosphere of this negotiation.

Guest article provided by: Jim Camp is the worlds number 1 negotiations coach and expert. His best selling books are printed in 14 languages and required reading all over the world in the most prestigious business school and universities. His new Camp Negotiation Institute delivers his "Start With No" credential courses for Team Members, Team Leaders, and Camp Chief Negotiation Officer/Coach. StartWithNo.com

7 Tips For Creating A Secure Password

You've got one for every site and every application you use--e-mail, online banking, social media sites, and your CRM system, just to name a few. With so many password protected sites to keep track of, the inclination is to always use the same password for every site or to make it so easy you can't possibly forget it (like using Password123). Unfortunately, this compromises all of your data and makes it easy for cyber-attackers to steal sensitive, confidential information.

Studies have shown that password security is still the weakest link in keeping data safe. There are some simple things you can remember when creating a password that can help protect your information.

Here are 7 Tips to consider:

1. Use special characters and numbers.
2. Mix up upper case and lower case letters.
3. Make sure your password is a minimum of 10 characters.
4. Be sure it's not something that can be guessed easily (zip code, phone number, birthdate, your name).
5. Randomly replace letters with numbers, e.g. shake becomes $h@ke
6. Pick a sentence or phrase, and reduce it to first letters of each word only, e.g. "A Golden Key Can Open Any Door" becomes AGKCOAD.
7. Reverse the spelling of a word, e.g. partnership becomes pihsrentrap.

Not all cyber-attacks can be avoided, but don't make it too easy for them. Be proactive and update all of your passwords so they meet the above criteria.

Who Else Wants To Win A $25 Gift Card?

Take my monthly "Trivia Challenge" and you could win too!

The Grand Prize Winner of last month's Trivia Challenge Quiz is Heather Martin of Dallas! She was the first person to correctly answer my quiz question from last month:

Which of these great construction and engineering achievements in American history was unofficially opened on August 15, 1914?
a) The Panama Canal b) Alcatraz c) Mount Rushmore

The correct answer is a) The Panama Canal. Congratulations, Heather, you've won a $25 Tom Thumb Gift Card!

Now, here's this month's trivia question. The winner will receive a $25 gift card to Tom Thumb.

What is Halloween called in some parts of Ireland?
a) Fright Night b) Pooky Night c) Spooky Sundown

Call me right now with your answer! 214-363-6013

Protect Your Kids Online

Nearly 90% of 8-16 year olds have seen inappropriate images online. Most of them stumble upon it as a result of conducting research for their homework. With frightening numbers of pornography, child predators, and other harmful online risks, protecting your children's online activity is a MUST.

With the following 4 features, Net Nanny Parental Controls software by ContentWatch ($29 at www.hermanstreet.com) helps you do just that.

1. Blocks "Mature" Games. The software scans the online game for its ESRB ratings (like movie ratings, but for computer games). If the game isn't kid-friendly, the computer blocks it.
2. Filters Facebook. Net Nanny can provide parents with a report on who their kids' "friends" are, what pictures and videos they are looking at, and their Facebook Instant Message conversations.
3. Prevents Proxy Sites From Working. Content filters work by making a "blacklist" of sites that it won't allow. If you tried to type in a blacklisted website address, you wouldn't get very far. But there's a sneaky way around this called a "Proxy Server." Proxy Server web addresses are usually content neutral, so users can go there without flagging the blacklist system. Once in, your child can navigate to their original blacklisted site. Net Nanny prevents this by blocking both proxy server entries and the inappropriate website itself.
4. Keeps Parents Informed. Whenever your child is trying to gain access to something you have blocked, Net Nanny sends an e-mail notification to the parents.

What Would You Do?

You are driving along in your car on a crazy, stormy night. You pass a bus stop and see three people waiting for a bus:

1. An old lady who looks like she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect man or woman you have been dreaming about.

Which would you choose to offer a ride?

Think carefully, this is quite a moral dilemma…

You could offer the old lady a ride because she looks pretty pitiful so you probably *should* save her first.

You might want to take your old friend, after all he did save your life once.

But you must consider that you may never see the love of your life again so this may be your only opportunity.

This scenario has been used as an interview question by employers. In one experience, out of the 200 applicants, the one who was hired answered as follows:

"I would give the car keys to my old friend and have him take the old lady to the hospital. Then I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams."

This is just a reminder that there are always several solutions in solving your problems. Sometimes you just have to be creative!

Client Spotlight: Community Partners of Dallas

Community Partners of Dallas is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuing safety and restoring dignity and hope to abused and neglected children by providing resources and support to the caseworkers of Dallas County Child Protective Services. We recently replaced their aging servers and networking infrastucture, as well as outsourcing their email to greatly lower their overall IT costs.

Would you like your company highlighted here in our "Client Spotlight"? Then give us a call today at 214-363-6013.

Shiny New Gadget Of The Month: Bed Phones

Just like when you were a baby, you just can seem to drift off to sleep without a lullaby. While your lullaby preferences may have changed from songs like "Rock-a-bye-baby" or "Hush Little Baby" to tunes by U2 or perhaps the latest Idol winner, the need for soothing still exists. And most likely you have been forced to go to sleep with standard headphones that cause a bit of discomfort.

Well not anymore!

Bedphones have cushy pads and ear-hook style buds that are extremely thin and held in place by a length of moldable memory wire.

They also come with an app available on the Android platform that can shut off the music automatically when you fall asleep. There's also the ability to set a timer which gradually counts down music volume as the timer runs down.

Soothing music and comfort all in one! Get your Bedphones for about $30.
Learn more at:http://store-4cf2b.mybigcommerce.com