1. Scraps of Wisdom Business Truisms & Advice for those who toil in corporate world!

2. First Scrap It’s surprisingly easy to give a short oral presentation or even write an entire newsletter article, using only one of the following “scraps”. Give it a try... Use my scraps to jump start a story from your own life.

3. It’s Like Tarot... Take this presentation to a creative brainstorming meeting. “Shuffle the deck” and have people give a one minute story about the scrap they pulled.

4. Let the Scrapping Begin! Click to begin....

5. Effort does not Equal Results Beware of shallow vision statements like: “Effort Equals Results” & “Pride in our People”. When selecting a company to work with, look for depth & intelligence, not slogans.

6. Effort does not equal Results Working long hours doesn’t prove anything without results.

7. Effort does not equal Results Don’t work for a company where you are paid for effort. Work where you are recognized for results.

8. Effort Does Not Equal Results. If you spend all of your time at work, you are not hard-working. You are boring.

9. Effort Does not Equal Results Do not work on weekends. Do not work more than 40 hours per week. Remember, we advanced technology so that we would have more time to evolve our consciousness.

10. Effort does not equal results A happy employee doesn’t necessarily make a good employee, but a good employee is a happy employee. Focus your efforts on good work.

11. Clients Always learn about your customers, no matter what your job is.

12. Secretaries Be nice to secretaries. Their job description, essentially, is to help people. Make it easy for secretaries to do their jobs.

13. Bosses Don’t let your guard down around your boss. Ever.

14. Overheard Compliments Compliment somebody behind their back. Compliments heard second- hand have more credibility with the intended recipient.

15. Overheard Compliments Compliment somebody everyday. Period.

16. Overheard Compliments Everybody responds to flattery.

17. Simplify Simplify everything. Your life, your home, your office, your desk, your processes, vision, policy, procedures. Everything.

18. Solutions Don’t take a problem to a meeting without a solution. Your job is to fix problems, not complain.

19. Change Believe that change can happen.

20. Victory There are no defeats. What some people see as defeat is actually a valuable learn- ing experience. And that, as any cheerleader knows, is a victory.

21. Waiting When waiting in a lobby, don’t just sit. Explore, read, talk - - - use this time to learn.

22. Shoes Wear comfortable yet attractive shoes. Keep them clean at all times.

23. Telephone Numbers Carry important phone numbers with you at all times.

24. Deadlines Don’t be late. Apologize if you are, and be prepared to accept consequences.

25. Missives from on High Re-organization memos grandly outline sweeping changes in the company. Remember the adage, “same old horses, same old glue.”

26. Missives from on High Vision and mission statements are not nearly as important as knowing what to do when you show up for work.

27. Missives from on High Executive memos are political fantasies. They have little to do with reality. Real change is always due to an outside force.

28. Missives from on High Employees always know what’s really going on. The internal information in an executive memo is hardly a surprise. The rumors are usually true.

29. Missives from on High The business should shape the organization, not the other way around.

30. Missives from on High Real activity takes place between the lines in the org chart.

31. Office Stay out of the office as much as you can. Be with customers or prospects.

32. Washroom Don’t be seen taking magazines into the executive washroom.

33. Washroom Beware of a false sense of importance. When you think you’re too busy to use the washroom, ask yourself if two minutes of work is really worth risking your health.

34. Time Treat time as if someone is paying you for your contribution. Someone is.

35. Business Cards Carry business cards with you at all times. Give them out freely.

36. Phone Calls Never leave a phone call unanswered for more than 24 hours.

37. Clothes Wear timeless, classic clothes. Wool, silk and cotton are natural favorites.

38. Ambiguity Life is uncertain - develop a high tolerance for ambiguity.

39. Ambiguity Avoid dotted-line reporting relationships.

40. Brainstorming Write down your best ideas before they get lost in the shuffle of all the good ideas!

41. Brainstorming Don’t tell people that their ideas are bad, especially if you don’t have a better one.

42. Acronyms 1.Don’t use acronyms. 2.Don’t invent any more!

43. Strategy Never say, “It’s not my job.”

44. Presentations If you want to lose your audience, show them slides with columns of numbers. Refuse to tell them a story about the meaning of the numbers.

45. Presentations Do not read your speech or presentation. Instead, read your audience.

46. Meetings Do not attend more than two meetings a day, or else you will never get any real work done.

47. Office Leave the office building at least once a day.

48. Paradox Manage the paradox of being fully committed to where you are, while remaining open to other opportunities.

49. Acronyms If TQM, CIP, CRM or any other new acronym doesn’t produce measureable results within a year, dump it.

50. Success The most interesting people I know are successful.

51. Problems Work on problems, not symptoms. Morale is never a problem, it is always a symptom. No company should ever have a morale officer. If they do, it’s a sign that they are going down the toilet.

52. Hobbies Try to make your hobby your life’s work.

53. Performance Evaluations Performance evaluations take place every day, not once a year.

54. The Company Party Part I: Always attend the company party. (sigh) Part II: Never get drunk at the company party. (sigh)

55. The Company Party Be specific when you order a drink. Name the label.

56. Speaker Phone A conference call, driving, or a broken neck are the only 3 reasons for you to use a speaker phone.

57. Manners Don’t treat people as if they have died when they get laid off.

58. Power Lord Acton was wrong. Power doesn’t corrupt. The illusion of power is the result of corruption.

59. Nepotism The owner can produce children in his own image, but alas! These children have no light of their own. Together, parent and child hold the infinite reflection of opposing video cams. Tunnel Vision.

60. Advertising Being creative is merely compulsory. In advertising, the audience is essential and the offer is everything.

61. Advertising Copy is King - Design is Queen. Together, they rule. Jingles and special effects are court jesters. They live to serve their masters.