What is the meaning of the 4th of July?

On June 5, 2009, a young rancher named Neal Wanless claimed one of the biggest undivided jackpots in U.S. lottery history — $232 million. He bought the ticket in the small town Winner, SD, part of Todd County, which according to the Census Bureau, was the nation’s seventh-poorest county in 2007.

In this rural and impoverished area where cows outnumber the human population, people do whatever they can to help one another. They brand cattle, dig neighbors out after snow blizzards and free tractors from mud - all without expectation of repayment. Serving each other is part of the culture of their community. Nobody goes hungry in Winner.

In a few days, our country will be celebrating the 4th of July holiday and pay tribute to our forefathers who banded together against a common enemy and committed themselves to a cause so great that many gave up their lives for it. This cause was freedom.

As a professional speaker and consultant, I’ve been able to network and build trusting relationships with a lot of very successful people all over the world.  This truly has been a blessing and I really enjoy facilitating what I call “wingman connections” in my network.

My travel schedule often prevents me from networking locally in my hometown of Atlanta, but this past week I was home so I went to a few events. Now, I’m no pro at networking.  I wish I was better at working a room but I would rather have 3-4 personal conversations about something of substance than meet twenty strangers, sling some cheesy conversation back and forth, get 20 business cards, and then leave wondering who the heck I spoke with. I want to plant seeds and nurture future wingmen, rather than seek my next business opportunity.  It’s just not me.

I have to admit that I get wound up watching certain people who will only acknowledge or speak with someone if they see a big, juicy dollar sign on their forehead, or if they look like a person of influence who can ‘hook them up.’

You may bump into them at the hors devours table and they strike up a (one-way) conversation. Then they enthusiastically ask for your card and toss it in their pocket without even looking at it.  “I’ll send you an e-mail and we’ll connect” they say.  They go home, toss out your card and you never hear from them again (unless of course, you had that dollar sign on your forehead.) But rest assured, you’re now on 3 new marketing lists and getting spammed from some nimrod who knows nothing about sales, networking, or relationship building.

“But hey, it’s all about relationships.” Yeah right!

Can you relate?

Arlete is my cleaning lady.  She is the most positive, loving person I know. And I love her for it.

I have to admit I just don’t like to vacuum and mop my floors so I would rather pay someone to do it. So, Arlete comes by when I need her and she creates a space happiness in my life by giving me TIME.

But she’s much more than that to me.  Arlete always has a smile on her face and has such positive energy that she changes my mood instantly. She hugs me and says “Robert, God Loves you…he has such great things in store for you.  This year is going to be wonderful for you.”  She even gives me advice on my relationships, on living in the moment, and appreciating things that I have.  She is always, always positive! I write my checks to her with love.

As I write this article at my favorite Starbucks, I can’t help but hear the conversation next to me.  A middle-aged woman is having a coffee meeting with a peer discussing job opportunities, the market, and their personal networks. It’s obvious that she’s lost her job due to cutbacks and is networking like mad, reaching out to her wingmen and exploring job opportunities.

Sound familiar?

We all know someone who recently lost a job or who is struggling with their business. The economy is tough today. Sales are down, credit is tight, budgets are being slashed, and jobs are being cut.  We’ve all been affected. It’s just reality. And while we can’t control Wall Street, the only thing we can control is how we react to what’s going on. As my friend and wingman John Harrington of OTR Consultants says, when adversity strikes, “we either fear or we lead.”

I’ve been getting countless e-mails and newsletters this past week from coaches and consultants capitalizing on the downturn in the market.

Their message is fear based.  “The dow is down again, it’s scary out there, layoffs are rampant!”  Then they offer a $1,995 weekend seminar on wealth building or business growth that will solve all of your problems.  These “compassionate coaches” become opportunistic vultures praying on the carcass of your fear.

Give me a break!

Here’s my take on it wingmen - Strap in, focus your radar, and hold on. Its time to push it up! These adverse times separate the top guns from the lazy bums; the philosophers from the performers; and those with attitude from those with aptitude.

If you want to test the true character of a person, see how they respond to adversity.  Watch how they handle the pressure of a lost sale, an angry client, or a difficult boss.  What do they say?  How do they act?  What is their emotional state?  Do they freeze up and get angry, or do they buckle down and increase their focus and commitment?

The same holds true for those who would assume the mantle of leadership in business.  When adversity hits, how they respond in the market will determine their ability to stay in business and win. Leadership – both on a personal and organizational level – ultimately drives the actions taken amidst crisis and change.

Today’s economy is full of adversity. I call them “missiles of business and life.” It seems we are being fired at every day. Rising costs of fuel, shrinking budgets, demanding clients, and a lack of qualified (and loyal) employees all create an intense and constantly changing environment. As soon as we think we defeated one missile…BAM! Another one is fired.  As soon as profits start coming in…BAM, another competitor enters the fight.

“You’ve got to Push it up to take off.  And you have to take-off to fly!”

I’ll never forget the first time I flew the F-16.  The rush of adrenaline was amazing. The tower controller cleared me for take-off and from the back seat my instructor pilot, Captain “Deke” Slaton, called out over the intercom, “Push it up, Waldo!”

“Yes, Sir!” I replied.

I nervously pushed up that throttle to full power and felt a kick in the seat unlike anything I’ve experienced in my life.  30,000 pounds of pure thrust. The power was unreal as I became airborne and in seconds accelerated to 350 knots.

So, how do you get a 35,000-pound F-16 jet fighter to fly?

It’s no easy feat. To overcome the force of gravity, you have to create a force that is greater than gravity’s grasp.

That force is lift.

As the F-16 blasts through the sky, there is an “enemy” of  lift that must be overcome known as drag. There are two kinds of drag – Induced and Parasite. Induced drag is a “good drag’ in that it is a bi-product of lift and is necessary for flight. Parasite drag is not helpful as it battles against the “good” drag, working to slow the aircraft down. It’s caused by the non-lifting portions of the aircraft, such as the landing gear, missiles, and fuel tanks.

Ok - here’s the big picture.  In order to fly, a jet’s lift must exceed drag. The less drag, the easier it flies.

COMMIT COMMIT!

December 21^st, 1998 – a brisk winter day in Saudi Arabia. I was stationed on my first combat deployment, flying missions enforcing the Iraqi southern no-fly zone.

I was scheduled to take off on only the fourth combat sortie of my career, inexperienced and quite nervous. It was a mission I’ll never forget.

I was flying that day with my flight lead Lt Col “Hos” Hyatt, the commander of the 79^th Fighter Squadron Tigers. Our “2 ship” of F-16’s were charged with “sanitizing” the airspace of any enemy aircraft that might be crossing the restricted area. It could have been a routine patrol – or not.

Suddenly, our radios blared with an urgent call from the radar ground controller, “Viper flight, you’ve got a MIG-23 150 miles off your nose headed south…hostile, hostile!”

This meant the MIG had crossed the no fly zone and was headed towards us and the fuel tankers we were in charge of protecting. A split second later, my headset erupted with a call from Hos.

“Viper flight, COMMIT, COMMIT!”

Almost unconsciously, I pushed up my throttle to afterburner and started to climb as I struggled to stay in perfect formation with Hos. There was no turning back. We were going after that MIG.

With those two words, “Commit, Commit,” my destiny was set in motion that day. No time to think – there was simply time to react. I was trained for that moment and my instantaneous choice was really quite clear: it was time to “commit.”

We have a saying in the fighter pilot world, “lose sight, lose fight.” Lose sight for just a second of the ground or aerial target, and chances are you’ll lose the fight (i.e. miss the target or get shot down). It takes intense concentration, discipline, and focus to keep sight. Your vision is only as good as how well you see the immediate target.

We’ve all heard the experts talk about vision. Vision paints an inspiring picture of what an organization can become and gives us something to believe in, work towards, and identify with. Warren Bennis calls it ‘a compelling goal.’ When we have a vision, we’re naturally driven to achieve it and it inspires us to action every day. It gives meaning to our mission as it provides a purpose in all we do.