It's Your Career.

"No one is going to serve you a career on a silver platter. Your career will be what you make it. No more, no less."

Good Morning Folks,

Often I hear candidates say they want to leave a job, because their current employer is not ‘looking after my career’.

Sure, it’s important to work for a company like FSO where you can thrive, but you must above all understand this:

The person who will always care most about your career is you!

All of which reminds me of this post I saved from a recruiter I know...

==>  You Own Your Career, No-One Else! By: Alexey Fursov

The biggest mistake you can make in your work life is leave your career to your employer, or anyone else. You have to work at your career goal, plan it, and drive it where you want it to go.

Please understand that just having the qualifications is not enough anymore. Gone are the days where ‘getting the right degree will set up your career’. A degree just gets you the chance to get on the field, not win the game.

Ponder this. Success in your career will never be just a matter of qualifications or skills. It will always be a matter of motivation.

No one is going to serve you a career on a silver platter. Your career will be what you make it. No more, no less.

And so, as clichéd as it sounds, the starting point is to find what you like doing.

A career without passion and enthusiasm will have no meaning, no joy, and little hope of long-term success.

Indeed, does your career goal keep you awake at night?

If not, maybe you need to start to worry. You have 30 more years at work, and trust me on this.

No one else is having sleepless nights about what happens to your career.

So that means no one is steering your career ship.

Bottom line: You are always afforded a career, not just a job at FSO. But it's not a free ride.  Whether you have the motivation to apply and invest in yourself to learn and grow into future opportunities, is your part of the deal.

So, just a quick good morning. Great inspiration and motivation. Thanks for listening. Have fun and love life folks. We have lots to be thankful for. 

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time."
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Ted Tuesday: "You've Got To Find What You Love,"Jobs says

"Hands down the best career talk ever given. EVER! Jobs urged the Stanford graduating class of 2005 to courageously follow their heart and intuition, just as he did. He encouraged them to give their inner voice a chance and not suppress it by giving in to others' opinions."

Good Morning Folks,

Today we revisit one of the most memorable and classic speeches ever— one that Steve Jobs gave to a group of graduating young students from the University of Stanford beginning a new journey of their lives: How to Live Before You Die (& not spend your life hating what you do)

I believe this is hands down the best career talk ever given. Ever. I’ve watched it over a dozen times. Not originally a TED talk, but now one of their top videos. This commencement speech garnered over 8 million views in a single day on YouTube, the day after Jobs' death. As I write this post, the speech now has over 15 million views.

Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks -- including death itself -- at the university's 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005.

"You've  got to find what you love," Jobs says

What was so special about Steve Jobs' words that day which made a lasting impression on many? It was straight from the man's heart. And secondly, there was much to reflect upon in terms of the embedded message encouraging youngsters even today to achieve their best.

In his three part speech, Jobs talked about how one's past can influence one's future, stumbling upon both love and loss and coming face-to-face with death. Jobs shared many personal moments from his life right from when he started as a college student till the day he discovered he had cancer. 

Jobs narrated his experiences when he had dropped out of college and so didn't have a dorm room. He slept on the floor of friends' rooms, returned coke bottles for 5 cent deposits to buy food and walked 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. He wanted to convey that the past had an important role to play in his present.

Jobs continued to talk about how he was fired from Apple, which was the biggest turning point of his career. Being jobless for a few months, Jobs thought it was all over until his perspective changed and he began to see this as an opportunity. He went on to start NeXT and Pixar, and during this time Jobs also fell in love with Laurene, whom he eventually married. In turn of events, Apple bought NeXt and Jobs returned to Apple, a move he never thought would've been possible.

Jobs urged the Stanford graduating class of 2005 to courageously follow their heart and intuition, just as he did. He encouraged them to give their inner voice a chance and not suppress it by giving in to others' opinions.

Here's Steve:

Full  of Steve Jobs' address

The sprit of Steve Jobs is very much alive today at FSO as we consistently strive to help our clients discover and (re)imagine new and better ways of doing business.

Every day, people search for something that motivates them. Things to get them out of bed, things to get them pumped up, things to help them make it through the day and so much more! What a great thing to be able to say about your job!

As in the locations that I am lucky enough to visit this week, each site employee, YOU, are the FSO difference! You're commitment to service, to exceed the client’s expectations, to notice that detail, to have that SKIP, FIRE, TWINKLE is uniquely FSO.  

The employee and client lovefest could not be stronger and I could not be more fired up!!

Thanks to NDTV for their inspiration putting this together and most of all to you for listening.


Have a GREAT day. Love LIFE!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"If you resist change, you fail. If you accept change, you survive. 
If you create change, you succeed" ~~Mike Schlappi
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Ted Tuesday: Rita Pierson— Every Kid Needs A Champion

"Simply outstanding and relevant to all those who dare to struggle and dare to win in the game of Education."

Good Morning Folks,

On this Ted Tuesday, I'm excited to share this inspiring talk from Rita Pierson.

Pierson, a teacher for over 40 years, has seen all sides of education. Both of Pierson’s parents and grandparents were teachers, and since 1972, Pierson has taught elementary school, junior high school and special education. According to Pierson, the most important component of learning – what keeps kids in school and passionate about reaching their goals – is simple: relationships. “Every child deserves a champion,” says Pierson,”an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”

Rita Pierson is one of the best educators i've ever seen! Her powerful voice is also inspiring me. I bet this talk is strong enough to stimulate the educators all over the world!!

She has such a passionate, compassionate, witty way of bringing her ideas through! She made me think about the teachers I had who were there for me and my class mates. Our champions...I will never forget them.

Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, "They don't pay me to like the kids." Her response: "Kids don't learn from people they don’t like.’” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

Indeed, it’s heroes just like Pierson and the educators we honor today that are these very champions. “Is this job tough? You betcha,” says Pierson. “But it is not impossible. We can do this. We are educators. We are born to make a difference.”

I hope you enjoy Pierson’s TED Talk as much as I did.


Have a GREAT day. Love LIFE!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me."

~~Ayn Rand

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Ted Bonus: A Talk to Cheer You Up On Hump Day

"Take a moment this Wednesday to be thankful for all the wonderful things in your life. "

Good Afternoon Folks,

I thought that on hump day something to lift the spirits would be in order.
Louie Schwartzberg’s TEDxSanFrancisco talk “Nature. Beauty. Gratitude.” from June 2011 is an excellent mediation. 

Schwartzberg’s talk is a beautiful embodiment of these virtues, and while it’s not a typical presentation, there are certainly elements in it that we can use to better ours.

Most of the power in Schwartzberg’s presentation lies in his use of visuals. Arrestingly beautiful video plays in the background as an accompaniment to his words. Smartly, he avoids use slides riddled with bullet points and words, instead harnessing the power of the incredible photography and video he has collected over years. His visuals fit ideally with the topic at hand, and they do a great job of keeping the audience enthralled from start to finish.

With that said, take a moment this Wednesday to be thankful for all the wonderful things in your life. As Brother Steindel-Rast points out: we so rarely take time to look at the sky and at the faces of other people. Spend a few moments this upcoming holiday season letting gratefulness wash over you, and allow yourself to fall in love with nature’s enduring beauty.

For I am deeply thankful and grateful for all of you reading this right now!

Have a GREAT day. Love LIFE!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, 
whose presence calls forth your best." - Epictetus 
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Ted Tuesday: Dan Pink— What Motivates People

"You should watch this because it is influencing the conversation about what makes a great workplace. It can help you do a better job as a boss" 

Good Morning Folks,

On today's show, career analyst and author of the best-selling business book Drive, Dan Pink, examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don't: Traditional rewards aren't always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating stories -- and maybe, a way forward. 

The talk contains the substance of this book. If you're a boss or concerned about leadership, you need to become familiar with that message. The ideas are important. Pink's rendering of them, for good or ill, will define and influence the discussion of motivation in business for quite a while. He does get the big picture right. He says that people would prefer activities where they can pursue three things.

==> Autonomy: People want to have control over their work. 

===> Mastery: People want to get better at what they do. 

==> Purpose: People want to be part of something that is bigger than they are. 


Pink delivers many key ideas that matter. 

Key Idea: There is a difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. 

Key Idea: Intrinsic motivators are more powerful. 

Key Idea: If you use monetary rewards to get people to perform the way you want, those rewards may have the opposite effect. These are important things for a boss to know. 

Bottom line: "You should watch this because, it is influencing the conversation about what makes a great workplace. It can help help you do a better job as a boss."

Now let's join Dan Pink for "The Puzzle of Motivation."

Have a GREAT day. Love LIFE!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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“People may not always remember what you said, 
but they will always remember how you made them feel."
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TED Tuesday: Forget Mindfulness.Try Nevermindfulness: Bruce Turkel at TEDx

"At FSO we strive to surprise, delight and WOW you every day. Our brand is not about what we do, but built on what we can do for you."

Good Morning Folks,

My friend Bruce Turkel, whom we featured here recently, makes brands more valuable. He's worked with Bacardi, Discovery, Philips, MetCare, Miami, spoken at MIT and Harvard, and discusses branding on FOX Business.

In his TED talk "Forget mindfulness.Try nevermindfulness" he helps us understand that a brand is more than just a logo or a sign; that it is the entire experience of interacting with a company at every touchpoint. He argues that great brands make themselves all about you whereas less successful brands lose touch with the customer by having it backwards.

At FSO we strive to surprise, delight and WOW you every day. Our brand is not about what we do, but built on what we can do for you.

Have a listen to Bruce's brief talk. It can change how you approach your job and how your leaders can better understand their challenges.


In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Want to read more from Bruce? Visit his blog at TurkelTalks.com

Have a GREAT day as I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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 "“Customers are hard to build and easy to loose”

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"TO DO"

"At FSO, we want our employee's "to do" lists a short as 3 words 

"Make Clients Happy." 

Good Morning Folks,

Those of you who follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter know that I am a big fan of J.T. O'Donnell and her CAREEREALISM.com blog.

Today J.T. offers some suggestions on making daily "to do" lists and proffers what they should include. Sometimes writing the little things down to follow up with are the only way I can get them done.

Of course at FSO, we want our employee's "to do" lists a short as 3 words "Make Clients Happy." 

My Top 10 daily involves quite a bit to do with calling clients, making marketing calls, following companies that are making the news in my industry and making calls to them, identifying and speaking to top candidates and (since I work in recruitment) sending top candidates to clients. At the end of the day I give myself a minute to clear my thoughts.

From a sales guy's perspective:

1. Sell Something Every Day  

2. Create a new Customer or Grow an Existing Client every Day 

3. Set Appointments 

4. Conduct Appointments 

5. Follow Up from Appointments 

6. Target New Opportunities  

7. Inspect that your team is doing the same things 

8. Monitor 

9. Manage 1

10. Measure (3M's)

But J.T.'s list that follows has real practical implications to a wide group of workers (and job seekers too)as it fits your present needs. Others might have different priorities for the day. That might relate both to industry as well as to career stage. But I think the primary "common factor" here is that we should create for ourselves a daily routine of tasks to complete to remain sharp and satisfied.

J.T. Blogs, "I’ve never shared this list with anyone until now. It’s the list of ten things I try to do every workday. Yes, there are days when I don’t get them all done, but I do my best to deliver. It has proven very effective for me. They are:

• Read something related to my industry.
• Read something related to business development.
• Send two emails to touch base with old colleagues.
• Empty my private client inbox by responding to all career coaching questions within one business day.
• Check in with each team member on their progress.
• Have a short non-work related conversation with every employee.
• Review my top three goals for my company that are focused on it's growth.
• Identify and execute one task to support each of my top three goals.
• Post five valuable pieces of content on all my major social media accounts.
• Take a full minute to appreciate what I have and how far I’ve come.

Very interesting list, not only does it focus on staying updated with your industry but encourages networking with old associates which becomes a lesser priority to many individuals. It also reminds you to connect with your employees on a personal level that will encourage a friendlier atmosphere.

We often become too busy with what happens in our life that we forget to take time to thank those that help us. We should put this into practice more often and see how this small gesture makes our day.

I would add a few extras to J.T.'s list

1. Compliment someone. 
2. Do a favor without being asked. 
3. Listen before thinking. 
4. Think before speaking. 
5. Encourage someone. 
6. Remember there is life outside work.

When done with todo list: Breathe deep, put on some music or not, go outside, get a breathe of fresh air, sit by lake or serene location, look at the stars, give thanks, think or pray for those that are gone, you miss or are less fortunate than you and count your blessings.

These simple efforts leads to great results.

Have a GREAT day as I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others."
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Ted Tuesday: The Science of Stage Fright (and how to overcome it)

Interviewing for a job? First day in a management position addressing your team? In the military and standing up in front of dozens of soldiers and trying to maintain your composer while trying to keep trying to keep their attention and respect? How scared do you get before speaking in public?

Good Morning Folks,

One thing can strike fear into the heart of the fiercest warrior, the most powerful CEO and the smartest person in any given room: having to speak in public. The thought of it makes the palms sweat, the heart beat faster and the limbs start to shake. An estimated 75% of people have a fear of speaking in public, and it’s something that nearly everyone who takes the TED stage must work hard to overcome.

 Mikael Cho

Heart racing, palms sweating, labored breathing? No, you're not having a heart attack -- it's stage fright! If speaking in public makes you feel like you're fighting for your life, you're not alone. But the better you understand your body's reaction, the more likely you are to overcome it. Mikael Cho advises how to trick your brain and steal the show.



This TED-Ed lesson, the science of stage fright, just might help. In the lesson — which is taught by educator Mikael Cho and directed by animator Robertino Zambrano of KAPWA Studioworks — looks at stage fright not as an emotion, but as a physiological response. In other words, it’s not so much something to be overcome as to be adapted to.

“Humans are wired to worry about reputation. Public speaking can threaten it,” says Cho in the lesson. “It’s the fight-or-flight response, a self-protective process seen in a range of species.”

The lesson explains exactly what happens in the body before speaking in public and, of course, gives suggestions on how to calm stage fright. The obvious: practice, practice, practice. The not-so-obvious: stretch your arms above your head before you go on to trigger a relaxation response in the hypothalamus. (Yeah, it kind of reminded us of Amy Cuddy’s idea of power posing too.)

The best way to not get stage fright is to not care what people think about you to begin with. The easiest way to do that is to simply run through the worst possible scenario that's outside of your control, then ask yourself "So what if this happens? Is it THAT bad?".

Now, of course, you may end up in a loop by imagining worse and worse scenarios as consequence, but remember that we're talking about stuff you can't control. The moment you reach something that you DO control, imagine you make it!

Have a GREAT day as I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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“Truth alone will endure. All the rest will be swept away before the tide of time.” ~~Ghandi.

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