What it Takes to Rule the World

In watching the news coverage on Dick Clark last night, a clip of Madonna was shared of her in one of her first appearances, being interviewed by Clark.

It was no surprise when Clark asked her, "are you afraid?" (referring to her new found success and upcoming performances), with which she replied; "not really, I have always had self confidence."

That struck a note with me.  I think it answers the question of what quality determines success.

Self confidence.

If you don't have it, you won't get very far.  As for myself, I faked it, all my life.   I apparently did a very good job of it,  because I usually got the job I was after.  Trouble, is, if you don't really have self confidence, it eventually will come back to bite you, no matter what the endeavor.

How do you get self confidence?  First, the most conventional way to obtain it is from excellent parents'.  Parents' that remind you as a wee little one how extraordinary you are.  If your parents' don't have self confidence themselves, that may be a liability to you.

Other people, do not have a conventional upbringing, and just seem to have the "it"  factor.  They scratch and claw their way into life, setting their sights on a goal and winning.

I call them the fighters.

Their motivation is to prove to themselves and the world that they are winners. They are achievers.  They have their handicaps, but refuse to be vulnerable.  This is commonly referred to as over compensation.

I think I fall into that category.

The danger of faking self confidence is that it will eventually sabotage your work and life.  For example, in making decisions, you will find yourself questioning whether you made the right ones.  You will seek other counsel instead of relying on your own judgment.

People with self confidence, achieve what they want - because they know that they are right.  Against all odds, they pursue their goals and see success at the end.

It is almost impossible to acquire self confidence if you don't have it in the first place.  You can get better, but you always will have the inner voice questioning:

•  Did I do a good job? 
•  Make the right decision?
•  Pick the right partner?

When Madonna ended her interview with Clark, she said, "I want to rule the world."

There is no question she has accomplished her goal.

What Would Have Become of Camelot?

President John F. Kennedy and Mary Pinchot Meyer in Pennsylvania in September 1963.

I remember the day all too well.  I was in Jr. High School, in 1963.  An announcement came over the loud speaker, it was our principal announcing that John F. Kennedy was shot dead in Texas.  School was immediately let out, tears streamed down students' faces, as if they had lost one of their own.

John Kennedy was bigger than  life to me at 12 years old.  He looked differently, acted differently, and was so handsome.  Nobody wore their hair quite like him, he had charm, and wasn't afraid to use it.  He cracked jokes as easily as downing a beer, and the media loved and protected him.  Something that would never happen today.

When I looked over this account of his latest dalliance, I wasn't surprised. Mary Pinchot Meyer JFK Mistress Assasinated.  I take the fact that Kennedy was a philanderer with a grain of salt.  He was so precious to me as a young girl, that, in my mind, he had no faults.  I felt, and still feel, that he always had the best interest of his country in mind, and would gladly die again for America.

I don't think this article, or anything else that has exposed his liaisons with actresses and acquaintances can ever ruin his credibility.  He was just too brilliant and kind for that to happen.  When he addressed the nation, you know he meant business.  We felt protected and privileged to have such a progressive, forward thinking leader.

We reveled in his family outings with John and Caroline.  We loved watching Jackie jump her horse, and watching Caroline learning to ride on her pony.  The one photo- besides the one of John John saluting his dad at the funeral - I will never forget is of John John playing under his desk at the White House.

Jackie, so fashion forward, was a breath of fresh air.  I especially enjoyed watching her first television presentation, when she took America on tour after redecorating the White House.  After the Eisenhower administration, the Kennedy's were royalty in the White House.  President's before Kennedy, were stuffy, formal.  We didn't see their wit, or have a window into their family life.

No wonder the years' Kennedy spent as our President are fondly remembered as the Camelot years.  Those years' were a fairy tale for most of America.  Even Khrushchev was charmed by Mrs. Kennedy, sending her a little dog she had expressed an interest in that was part of Russia's space program.

With the death of John Kennedy Jr, Caroline is all that is left of Camelot.  I often think of what Camelot would be like today, if John F Kennedy were alive.  I imagine he would be writing,  and still be involved in politics.  His reign ended far too soon, like all good fairy tales.

We can only wonder what would have become of Camelot had he still be alive.

Does Your Facebook Page Enhance Your Professional Image?

Employees may be scrutinized by their social media sites.  But should you really be concerned?  Look at the percentages of  companies that evaluated potential job candidates on their social media web sites: Here's What hiring Managers Actually Look For In Your Facebook Profile.

There are rumblings about managers looking at social media to evaluate potential hires.  If candidates' are foolish enough to post inappropriate information - or suggestive material on their sites- they should be concerned.

Good taste should be the rule.

I believe that social media sites, such as Facebook, provide a window into a candidate's personality; they can help hiring Managers determine if the potential employee is a good fit for the company.  For example: artwork, movies, family activities are all examples of sharing personal interests.  This kind of information can be very positive - portraying you as family oriented and well rounded.

I have posted religious photos on my site, and realize that is a no-no.  Religious beliefs can make me vulnerable in my job search quest.   I am aware of this risk, but chose to go ahead and post them anyway.

Where is gets dicey is when expletives are used on social media, provocative photos, obsessive  interests, for example; excessive discussion about weapons and explosives will probably not sit well with a potential employer.

It comes down to exercising good common sense.  I often forget that so many intelligent people lack common sense.  Whenever I post anything on my Facebook page, I always try to assess how that will be interpreted by my audience.  If I have any concerns, I just don't post the comment or article.

Actually, there are a lot of positives about having a presence in social media.  Your connections, for example, may be to prominent business people, your interests may tie into a company's mission.  Those examples may get you the key to the washroom door.

So, the next time you want to post something wild on your Facebook page, think about how it will impact your professional image and ask:

Will this post elevate my professional status? Or will it jeopardize that job or promotion I have long sought?

One final thought:  In this competitive job market, it just may come down to having good luck anyway.

Dead Man Phone Scam

I received a phone call last night from my son, he is concerned about an incident he is having with his new mobile phone service.

This is one to add to the list of strange and bizarre.  It is out there for sure.

He is able to phone out using his new service.  However, when someone tries to reach him you get the following message:

 "This phone was found on a deceased person.  This is _____ at  the ____ Hospital.  Please call the following number if you have any information on the deceased."

Needless to say, family members were absolutely panic stricken when they received this message.  Unbeknownst to him,  he was curious about why he hadn't received any calls.  When I tried his number, I realized I was at risk - as the offenders' now had a record of my caller ID.

It was obvious to me that this was not a legitimate message.  First of all, no police department would let a wireless company issue that telephone number to another person, while a crime is under investigation.  That was the first red flag.  The second, was asking for the caller to phone another number.  God knows what information can be garnered from simply making the call.  With all our sophisticated technology out there, it is open seasons for criminals.

My son called his wireless provider and reported the incident.  They are researching this now.  I imagine if someone were to call the number provided on the voice mail message, they would get hit with a big, fat charge.

What is next for scammers?

This is most devious attempt to defraud people of money, and the cruelest methodology ever used.

I am wondering if this has happened to you?

It is my hope this will open a forum for discussion as a public service to help educate the public about fraud.

I am willing to share your experiences on my site.

I look forward to your war stories, and would like to expose the "black slime" trying to take us down!