James Knight is a human behaviour specialist who brings years of successful selling and management experience, along with professional training to the seminar and speaking circuit. James has published Hot Gossip magazine since 1995 http://james-knight.co.uk
During our lives more changes have occurred, more progress has been made that any previous millennium in the development of humankind. It is almost impossible to select the most important idea in recent years. What would you choose? The jet engine, atomic energy, new metals, synthetic fabrics, rockets, satellites, television, plastics, antibiotics, computers, self image psychology, the Internet, mass communications, abstract art, automation, fast food, DNA, digital technology, the list goes on and on.
No one can say for sure, what changes will come in the next five or 10 years, but they will come, and they will be amazing. These changes will start with someone having an idea, on how they can make things better.
Idea comes from the Greek word" eidon" meaning "I saw". We think in terms of pictures rather than words. Everything starts with a picture (idea) in someone's mind.
BBC 's Apprentice gives people a glimpse of what it takes to succeed in Corporate UK and in my opinion is a good idea. Like millions of others I have set aside Wednesday evenings from week first week of the series to watch initially 16 candidates invest their time energy, ambition and courage for the opportunity to work as a protégé of one of the UK's most successful businessmen.
The decision to fire Raef Bjayou was in my opinion a bad idea. I believe it sends the wrong message to people who are all looking for ways to be successful in business.
Every person needs a picture on the wall some one to look to and say "I want to be like that person"
Raef provides an excellent picture (role model) for people of all ages, education, background and cultures to follow.
During the 9 weeks that he was on the Apprentice he grew in experience, and appeared to learn from his mistakes. The ideal for every person is to achieve an Ego - Empathy balance. Having high Ego strength to want to be the best and yet not so strong that you turn people off. Understanding others and why they are acting the way that they do, but not so understanding that you appear wishy washy.
As the weeks went on I believe that Raef developed that balance, and his likeability skyrocketed.
Most importantly he proved to be reliable, credible, responsive and empathetic.
Other candidates chosen over Raef in my opinion send the wrong message as to how to succeed in business.
As an example Michael Sophocles, who according to his bio, has as his passions women, food, drink and gambling. It was reported in the media that Michael previously worked as a male escort, and is a liar.
What was Sir Alan thinking? Some have suggested that the reason that Michael has stayed in the Apprentice is because Sir Alan sees a lot of himself in Michael??
Someone once said, "it's impossible for the mind of a person to determine between a blessing and a curse."
Sometimes, the things that we want badly turn out to be the worst thing that could ever happen to us, and vice versa. On reflection, Sir Alan firing Raef was a Great Idea, I believe Raef deserves better!
Here's a Great Idea to find the cheapest petrol within 10 miles. Simply enter your postal code and with a data base of over 8000 service stations it will tell you where you get the best buy on fuel.
Thanks to the skyrocketing prices of oil carmakers are finally starting to do something to find alternative technology. For the past 100 years oil was plentiful and inexpensive and there was no incentive to find the answer or less dependency on oil.
The quest for clean air and independence from foreign oil is leading to the wall socket.
Tesla is being touted as the first of a wave of electric cars that will bring the most profound change in the auto industry since the first Model T rolled off Ford Motor's assembly line 100 years ago.
It's in the vanguard of the electric car revolution that is coming," proclaims Elon Musk, the digital-age tycoon who is Tesla Motors chairman and largest shareholder of Tesla Motors.
The fledgling company's finances were boosted by the involvement of Musk, who made his fortune creating the PayPal online payment system another Great Idea! Allowing small companies ability to process credit cards and now owned by eBay.
Rather than design a new battery from scratch, they made the Tesla roadster's energy-storage system a multitude of rechargeable laptop computer battery cells — 6,831 per car — arranged in a half-ton block that's catacombed with cooling channels. Each cell is a little bigger than an AA battery, virtually identical to the few lithium-ion cells that power your mobile phone.
The battery pack is designed to last more than 100,000 miles and operate in weather extremes, says JB Straubel, Tesla's chief technology officer.
With today's gasoline prices and environmental concerns, major automakers from Toyota to Mercedes-Benz have become serious about electric power. General Motors' Volt performance electric car is due in 2010.
Chrysler just showed off an electric-powered concept car in Detroit in January. Ford and Toyota are pushing ahead with tests of plug-in electric hybrids — vehicles that would run solely on a plug-in battery charge part of the time. Mercedes-Benz recently announced it will be one of the first makers to use lithium-ion batteries in its hybrids.
Tesla is the upstart. Deciding five years ago to try to independently develop a performance electric car took a lot of courage. At that time, oil was cheap, now that it this has changed, progress will accelerate.
For those traveling to the US, an Encore Hotel discount card is a great idea! Encore is a travel club, with over a million members in the US. The annual subscription fee of $59, proximately £30, members are given up to a 50% discount at hotels throughout the United States.
Check it out. http://virtual-encore.com
You are no doubt aware of how commercialized everything is and to a certain point we have to accept that someone has to "pay the piper" and that there "Ain't no free lunch" However, having to endure 5 minutes of commercials for every 5 minutes of television viewing is outrageous.
Anything that saves time and or gives us more control had got to be a Great Idea. That's why I have just subscribed to Sky +
Having the ability to fast forward commercials makes the £140 plus £60 installation a real bargain!
Someone wrote a book about the most "powerful word" and that word is Choice. I am now looking forward to recording the programs that I want to watch and then doing it when I choose to watch them.
In last month's issue of Hot Gossip I talked about the Dyson story and the years of struggle, before making a big. Sometimes a Great Idea can result from being in the right place at the right time, and then things can happen fast!
You Tube is video sharing service that was created and by three former Pay Pal employees Steve Chen, 28, Chad Hurley, 29, and Jawed Karim, in February of 2005 and sold to Google in November of 2006 for $1.65 billion in Google stock.
In July 2006, the company revealed that more than 100 million videos were being watched every day, and 2.5 billion videos were watched in June 2006. 50,000 videos were being added per day in May 2006, and this increased to 65,000 by July. In January 2008 alone, nearly 79 million users watched over 3 billion videos on YouTube.
As of April 2008, a YouTube search returns about 83.4 million videos and 3.75 million user channels.
YouTube is currently not profitable, with its revenues being noted as "immaterial" by Google in a regulatory filing. Its bandwidth costs are estimated at approximately $1 million a day.
Check out why You Tube captivates millions of people through this sample by watching this one legged Salsa Dancer !
Here's a Great Idea to Help You Connect with Others!
I have developed a personality profiling system that is fast, fun, simple, and inexpensive that leads to a greater understanding of yourself and others, increases self confidence and "the likeability factor."
Having worked with thousands of people in companies throughout the UK we will begin are offering a special introductory sessions open to the public in London beginning in May at the Jury's hotel in South Kensington.
Every day people give you the keys to what makes them tick through their facial expressions, body movements, voice tones and words that they use.
After just one session each participant will learn how to create instant rapport and develop skills that will change his/her for the better.
Become the Person You Are Capable of Being. Erase and replace those habits that continually hold you back from being successful through my Positive Self Programming CD's? http://potential-unlimited.com/mypotential.html
James Knight is founder and director of international property sales, marketing and property development company Knight International.
Publisher of Hot Gossip Magazine and Virtual Tower of London.
James is a member of the Professional Speakers Association. For more information about programs available for your group or organization please go to http://james-knight.co.uk.
