The Blog - Where Business Collides with Human Nature

Michael Hartzell

Recent Posts by Michael Hartzell:

Test Your Intelligence Here & Why 'Smart' Holds You Back

If you are exceptionally brilliant, you probably realize it because unlike others who are working and studying harder, making more errors and sweating with unusual stress, you move forward with ease.

It is however, very easy to get a false sense of reality. It is possible that you are not so smart but instead associate with, work with or hang around less intelligent people. In this case, you could appear to be a genius (and they will tell you so). You will strut a little and believe their truth as your own. Since you are obviously so advanced, you won't work as hard to learn, more acquire more skills and takes risks (Which adds to experience and wisdom).

Joining a membership, club or attending networking events can trap you with a false sense of intelligence.

If you rely on your reputation for being the smartest person in the room (in regards to your industry or field), you can easily assume that all is well.

When someone walks into the room who runs circles around you and asks questions you don't have the answer to, you will sneak away for two minutes to Google the questions so that you can appear to be "in the know". It reminds you that maybe... you might not be quite as intelligent as you thought.

Anyone can be at risk of being removed from the top spot by not only the boss, but also by clients, customers, peers, mentees and those we hope to impress because of pride and social status.

It is sad to know that so many want answers to questions like the ones below simply because they want stay off the bottom - and 'beat' the person next to them.

  • How intelligent am I?
  • Is there a test? (Like in school)
  • How intelligent do others believe me to be?
  • How smart to do I have to be?
  • Should I consider myself "the expert"?
  • What do others believe?
  • Which is most important? Intelligence or wisdom?
  • Is my I.Q. ?
  • How do I improve my intelligence.
  • How can I prove to others that I have intelligence and wisdom.

Before you take the test, what about your brain function?

Improving brain function may be more important than studying. If you are having challenges, it may be related to mental health, and for good reason. Conditions such as Alzheimers, anxiety and Schizophrenia are just a few of the mental health disorders to consider.  There are some interesting factoids about improving brain function here. The infographics should give you an 'ah-ha' moment or two.

Get ready to test your intelligence - Here are quizzes and tests to take that will help you dig deeper into who you are, and your personality:

Topics: Test Intelligence Quiz Assessment

Boss Survey

How do you answer to the boss?

  • Do you create expectations in advance beyond the the boss's calendar to be ready for answers?
  • Do you challenge the boss by asking hard questions?
  • Are you someone who does exactly what the boss says?
  • Do you anticipate in advance what the boss will ask of you?
  • Do you tell the boss what your best choice is among all the available options?
  • Do your co-workers and bosses ask you difficult questions?
    • If so, do you give them support or say: "Get lost"?
  • Have you created a totally new way to do things, something no one has ever seen or done?
  • Do you seek out the boss when you make an error or mistake?
  • Do you frequently often do you push, encourage and lead your co-workers to do ever better work?
  • Will next month be one the boss will celebrate because you are on the team?
  • Do you insist that your co-workers challenge, push and encourage you?
  • Do you appreciate the boss when he/she gives feedback which contradicts your opinion?
  • Do you thank the boss?
Topics: Deep Thoughts Leadership

The Theory of Success - Jesse Henry at TEDxFSU discovered the formula

When its a theory, does it matter? The theory of gravity exists and we take the existence of gravity as a fact. If we have enough science and proof behind the theory, it soon becomes a fact. At this point, with a plethora of corroborating evidence, the TEDx talk below by Jesse Henry should in reality be a "Fact". Which might change the title to "The Facts and Reality of Success".

Fair warning, Jesse Henry will begin with a "rope-a-dope". Instead of feeling resentment, you will have an appreciation of his perspective and it will draw you in.

Watch Jesse's TEDx video to learn the three  things that catalyze success:  

Perspective, Strategy and Execution. 

Topics: Success Business Success Entrepreneurship Personal Development

The Lure of Easy

Easy is the first choice because typically "easy" means less work, less time and less money.  Attempting to achieve success based on "easy" only to fail along the way brings to mind:  "If it was easy, everyone would be doing it".  This quote serves as a reminder that if a task or project is difficult, think of the difficulty in a positive light. 

Topics: Paradigm Deep Thoughts

Keyword Ranking Tools

The keyword ranking tools listed below will save you a long search through the Internet. If you are a professional, you probably already have the tools. 

If you are a DIY entrepreneur, you search for great software or services to stay up to date with the latest website ranking strategies and tools. 

Beyond keyword ranking tools are resources for blogger outreach programs. I have included NinjaOutreach as a resource to consider it an option in your marketing plan.

Topics: Business Software SEO Keywords Inbound Marketing

Radio Shows & Podcasting - Taking Advantage of Your Talent for Speaking

You woke up this morning with one thought in mind: Transformation!  Why not take advantage of your special skills and talents and use radio or podcasting to pursue your vision and spread the word about your ideas?

– just like a butterfly!  (aka metamorphosis) 

Unfortunately, you know your lizard brain is still working to keep you away from anything that looks even the slightest bit dangerous.   ...even butterflies have lizard brains.

In the process of your metamorphosis, you want to focus on one of your special strengths of thinking+speaking.

That makes sense since you have spoken, talked, chatted, sold, taught, lectured, motivated, inspired and presented to many.

The options for recording a presentation or delivering it via a live radio show are below:

Topics: Presentation Tools Podcast Audio Content Marketing

Take Action on Your Innovative Ideas with Infographic Software Tools

The next big idea will happen at the most inopportune moment and the idea you share will no doubt get immediate resistance. This leads to arguments and potentially the need for pursuasion and selling. (which is time you could be using to take action on your idea).

The most creative ideas can quickly die a quiet death when  "I have a million dollar idea!" turns into squiggles, chicken scratches and unintelligible dribble that only the author can understand.

PowerPoint and other powerful tools can become an arsenal to confuse instead of creating clarity.

With a primary goal of "speed to market and personalization", learning sophisticated software does not always empower an innovator to start NOW.  

If you have a plan to make an  impact, conquer the world or change the community, you will recruit others to join you in your mission:  investors, staff, peers, advocates, potential customers, cheer squads, advisory board members, and more.  They will appreciate your enthusiasm but will need more than a lame squiggle to get it done.

With PowerPoint experience and 200+ tools in my toolchest, it is more difficult to get my attention with new free or low-cost software.  If you can show me a way to help people make more impact by taking action on their ideas without a steep learning curve, you get my attention.

Topics: Presentation Tools Business Software Free Software Graphics. Design

The Best Free SEO Tools for your Business Success

The Best Free SEO Tools for your business success:

With HubSpot's all-in-one-marketing system, there are many SEO tools built-in and already available. As a result, I have not found it as necessary to use as many SEO tools.

Even so, here are many SEO software tools that will compliment any marketing system, including those using HubSpot.

Topics: SEO Free Software

Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter

Dopeler  Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

Giraffiti:  Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

Sarchasm:  The gulf  between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

Topics: Funny Definition Creativity

Making A Decision With Body Parts

Acronym:  M.A.D. = Making A Decision. 

Silly acronyms in a business might certainly gag a few of the more sophisticated people in the room but they can be so much fun and certainly make a point.

Acronym:  M.A.D. = Making A Difference

Either acronym works. 

The real question is:  "Which body part is used to make decisions?"

Topics: Funny Leadership Definition

Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition to Transcend and Ignore the Rules

Knowledge Empowers so Learn & Teach - but awareness and caution are needed first.  Each person has their own world view, expertise and method for learning.

Take, for instance, the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition.  The model proposes that a student passes through five distinct stages: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert.

Topics: Leadership Training Personal Development

Warning from Entrepreneurs

Who is an entrepreneur?

"An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of a new enterprise, venture or idea and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome.  The term is originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to the type of personality who is willing to take upon himself a new venture or enterprise and accepts full responsibility for the outcome."   

... Schumpeter argues that an entrepreneur is an innovator, one who introduces new technologies into the workplace or market, increasing efficiency, productivity or generating new products or services...  Wikipedia

Could this be interpreted as a "one person show"?  If a person is assuming the new venture or enterprise and willing to accept full responsibility, there might be a tendency to trust others less.  The consequences of marginal results by others has an immediate impact on an entrepreneur.

Topics: Definition Entrepreneur