The Two Most Powerful Words in Business

Hot Mustard:
The Two Most Powerful Words in Business

My brother opened the door so that I could only 
make out his green eye through the three-inch wide space.

"Password!" he demanded.
"Hot Mustard," I replied.

"Did you follow my instructions?"
"Yes. I wasn't followed."

"OK."
The door closed and the chain rattled along its mini-track
before making that characteristic 
I quickly looked around to make absolutely sure 
I hadn't been followed. 

Then, certain that I'd lost my enemy,
I walked into the bedroom that we shared.

As described above, when I was a kid, my brother and 
I had a secret password.

How it got started? Where it originated?
No clue.

But it was Our Password.
Until our older sister figured it out.
The it was toast. 

It suddenly lost its appeal.
It no longer was a secret. 
We abandoned our beloved "hot mustard."

As Linus said to Charlie Brown,
"Big sisters are the crabgrass in the lawn of life."

(Love ya Kath! ;-p )

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What's "Hot Mustard" Got to Do With Marketing?
----------------------------------------------
They're magic words. OK, "Hot Mustard" isn't going to drive
more business in the door. But there are other magic words 
that will.

If you use them right.
What are the magic words I'm referring to?

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Leadership & The One-Minute Manager
------------------------------------
Since relocating to the coast, I've discovered the wonder of
free books at the library.

I recently checked out the title above by Ken Blanchard.
If you haven't read any of Ken's wonderful books, I highly 
recommend you do something about that.

A few years back when I was a college president, I taught my
executive staff Blanchard's leadership/management system called
"Situational Leadership." 

It was based on the same concept that is presented in this book
for self-leadership.

I don't have the space here to tell you about it, but you'll
find the book I just mentioned to be a goldmine for the 
freelancer or solo-professional.

Now, back to magic words.
In Blanchard's book, he says that the two most powerful words
in business are...

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Article continues....
-------------------
"I need..."
-------------------
In Blanchard's book, the main character is struggling to 
dig his way out of a sticky business situation. He's an account 
executive and he experiences frustration in managing a staff of creatives.

In discovering the keys to self-leadership, he stumbles across
this concept of the two most powerful word in business.

"I need..."

He begins to use them and see dramatic results.
Why would using these two wimple words bring about results
not previously experienced?

Several reasons.

----------
Reason One
----------
It's the clearest type of communication possible.
It leaves no question what you mean.
I need this....period.

-----------
Reason Two
-----------
It cuts to the chase. 
It doesn't waste energy.
It eliminates all possible confusion and alienates
distracting interpretation chatter.

------------
Reason Three
------------
It makes you human.
It softens the business-like tension that is
present in all business conversations.
Suddenly, you're not just a business associate;
You're a real, live, human being with a softer side.

That softer side is what we try sooooo hard to hide
in most business situations.
"I need" is the cure.

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Final Thoughts
--------------
Try this little-known communication tool for
yourself this week.

Begin to use the term, "I need."
Don't overuse it, because then you'll just be
well, rally needy. 

I don't like that, and most people in business 
don't either.

But when you really need to cut to the chase and
get something accomplished, use the hot-mustard
approach.

Then let me know how it worked for you!

Thanks for reading,



P.S. As always, you can shoot me a response, a criticism,
even a compliment ;-) here: Barry@BarryMorris.com