Rothacker Reviews

The Technician Shop

The Technician Shop is a career, work, education and life resource for technicians.  A technician is a person who works in a residential or commercial setting to repair, replace, maintain or install various things.  From an A/C technician to a window cleaner to a landscaper with a million professions in between.

I created The Technician Shop to help technicians grab hold of their career, work, education and life.  So often I would hear, "my manager doesn't appreciate and recognize me for what I do."  While management should be held accountable for their inadequacies, I must ask, "are you doing everything necessary to be appreciated and recognized?"  Most likely, on this two way street, both parties are at fault.

My message is: Perform your work with passion, care and quality.  Design both a career and educational plan and follow them.  Do it to the point that you can hardly not be appreciated and recognized.  Take care of your health, family and life. 

I'll be reflecting more about this endeavor here at Rothacker Reviews. 

Stop over for a visit and let me know what you think.

Escape From Cubicle Nation

Escape From Cubicle Nation is your personal key to freedom!  Like a weary soul who scraped, clawed and crawled his way across the desert in search of water, I smoked Pamela Slim's most excellent book in search of liberation.  From the tiny molecule in my soul who is standing atop the mountain screaming "no more bosses!" to my entire and collective soul who is getting dry heaves even thinking about Monday mornings, I simply cannot make a more heart felt and direct recommendation: Buy Pam's book today!

Escape From Cubicle Nation is a treasure and as such, I will dip in and review parts of this book with care and reverence.  I will treat it like a fine wine or a seminal Clint Eastwood classic, to be sipped and reveled upon.

Visit Pam's new format at Escape From Cubicle Nation for more info.

Isabel Joely Black: Writing Coach

What are the qualities of a good writing coach?

• A passion for writing
• An active imagination
• A deep love of writing
• A love of art
• A proven track record
• A degree of sensitivity
• Inspirational
• Creative
• A desire to see others flourish
• Intuitive
• Compassionate

Absolutely.  And Isabel Joely Black is everyone of the above!  These characteristics are clear and evident in her writing and communication. After doing a little research on Joely, it is clear and evident that others feel the same way too. 

Joely Black is an incredibly intuitive and generously supportive writing coach.  The progress I've made with my writing struggles since I've been working with her have been remarkable.  Diane Whiddon-Brown, author of Outdrivingmyheadlights.com

Read more from Diane here.

I was so excited when the opportunity arose to work with Joely as my writing coach.  I was feeling very stuck and uninspired before we began working together.  But she is so excited about writing and the art of living creatively that it is impossible to remain stuck around her for long.  Working with her has helped me give myself permission to relax, and to let go all of the rules I was making up about how writing was "supposed" to be.  Jenny Ryan, author of Using My Powers For Good.

And for good measure visit with Alex Fayle.

Now everything that I've told you about Joely is just there.  It's there in black and white for all to see.  But I need to tell you something else about the girl that is there.  It's something that is not necessarily in black and white.  But when you read her words you can just feel it resonate throughout your body.  Isabel Joely Black is thoughtful.  And if I am looking for a writing coach, that's what I'm looking for first!

By the way, if you are in search of a fantasy novel about a young woman on a journey of self-discovery, bent on learning right from wrong, and set in fantastical world...with an occasional dragon, search no more.  Visit Joely's most excellent work: AMNAR THE AWAKENING.

A Smokin' Hot Piece of Brain Candy

Egads!  If this doesn't elicit a hot smokin' visual, I'm not sure anything else could.

Although this artwork is breathtaking, I'm talkin' bout the artwork of Scott Ginsberg.  Go here for that artwork.  I'm thinking if Dale Carnegie were still around today, this is the kind of stuff that he would be writing about.

For an explanation of my post's title, please go to point 6 on Scott, the Name Tag Guy's post.

Do you know what at times, I am uncontrollably guilty of?  Picture Number Five, the robot from Short Circuit:

 

Need input.  Need input.  Need input.

I blast around to every little corner of the Universe looking for more.  More information, more knowledge, more wisdom.

I have some advice for you David.  Take a deep breath, and then exhale.  Relax.  Scott Ginsberg has just what you need...well, except for that mountain retreat with that huge window that overlooks the valley where you could take a journal and quietly address this bright and articulate young man's thirty points.  Seriously David, this isn't rocket science.  Scott tells you what you need to do. 

Listen man, I have an idea for you.  This will require discretion, courage and valor.  Perhaps you could work for folks like Scott and Dan Schwabel?  We both know how much you admire this generation! Perhaps you could infiltrate organizations over run with old coots like youself and teach them about folks like Scott and Dan?

Brain Candy photo from ruk777 on Flickr

Number Five from ygnacioduran on Flickr

Why Aren't You Successful?

According to Peter Drucker, "We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do.  We don't spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop.  Half the leaders I have met don't need to learn what to do.  They need to learn what to stop."

  Marshall Goldsmith writes, What Got You Here Won't Get You There, a book that meets Mr. Drucker's  statement head on and tells us what to stop doing.   Marshall Goldsmith is a communicator extraordinaire!  Although over the years, he's dealt with CEO's, he writes in a clear and specific style so   that average people like myself can understand.  He first caught my attention as a columnist for Fast Company.

 Perhaps you have achieved a level of success but you have stalled.  As Marshall says:

You are here.

You can get there.

But you have to understand that what go you here won't get you there.

Pick up a copy today and get there!

Mark Matteson: Solitude, Silence and Serenity

This is my third post in a review of chapters from Mark Matteson's book Freedom From Fear.

 In this chapter we learn about reflection.  Len, one of the book's main characters, uses solitude to gain a greater understanding of his actions and of himself.  Although this chapter is a quick read, the suggested steps toward learning more about yourself can take a weekend. 

I love this quote by Len:  The door of the soul opens inward.

 

Pick up Mark's book today!

Red door by Pia on Flickr

Pam Slim: Are You Considering Self-Employment?

Destination: Dave Rothacker, Inc.  Do you need help getting there Dave? 

Uh?  Do the New York Yankees play ball in New York?  Yes I need help!

All righty then, do I have a resource for you, TODAY: Pam Slim

Pam is conducting a free conference call TODAY to help get you started in the right direction.  Do you know when you go to park at a large public event?  There usually are several people who flag you towards a parking space.  This is what Pam is doing today.  And this is her parking space.

Based upon the coaching call that I have already participated in with Pam, the decision to take advantage of her offer is a no-brainer. 

Definition of a guy who gets it: Jonathan Fields.  Jonathan sent out a Tweet a few minutes ago giving everyone a heads up on Pam's call.  For perspective, this is like Wal-Mart sending out an e-mail newsletter announcing K-Mart's Blue Light special.  This is how you do business today folks!  It doesn't get any better than that.

Mark Matteson: Readers Read

Another snippet from  Mark Matteson's book Freedom From Fear. 

I had mentioned that I would not review Mark's book in one sitting.  I must say, dipping in a chapter at a time is like like stepping back from your freshly waxed Cutlass 442 as the Autumn sun slivers through the red and golden leaves.  Smell and savor scents of wax and turned foliage as connections with the art of reading swill in your mind. 

Do you like to read?  Do you like to read stuff that discusses the importance of reading?  Do you like to read stuff that validates and reinforces beliefs about your reading?  Do you like to read quotes about reading that leave a smolder behind from the hot iron?  Then the chapter Readers Read from Freedom From Fear is a must! 

There is much richness in Readers Read.  Although I would love to ramble on, it would spoil your own journey.  I will leave you with one quote and one thought that make a difference for me.

You'll be the same person in five years as you are today with the exception of two things: the people you associate with and the books that you read.

One of Mark's characters: "One of the curious aspects of the dynamic of growth and personal development is the subtle migration away from others who are not on the same path."

In the last three months I have had at least six people tell me this very thing.  So I am trying to be a little more conscious and proactive than subtle.

Mark Matteson: Journaling the Journey

Except for Patrick Lencioni's work, I hadn't been too fond of business-life-fable-books.  That is until I read Mark Matteson's Freedom From Fear.  Instead of a formal book review, I plan on delving into the book in separate posts on chapters of special interest. 

In the chapter Journaling the Journey, the two lead characters have a discussion.

"Why do you invest so much time journaling? I asked."

"If reading is water, when you pour water into your glass, most people stop when they get to the top. However, if you keep pouring, the water will spill onto the table and hopefully the floor.  What is on the table is your writing.  You have no choice once you spill.  Keep pouring.  Journaling is the overflow."

Isn't this a beautiful metaphor for not only journaling but writing as well?

The water of this message was overflowing my glass this very morning.  I was way anxious to get here to my Web site and write a bit about it.

If you have any interest in building a better you, check out Mark and sign up for E-Zine Street!

The 100 Best Business Books of All Time

I recommend that you buy The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.  I haven't read the book.  I have never recommended a book without reading it first!

While on a little link adventure this morning I wound up on Andrea Learned's buzz up of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time at Marketing Profs.  I followed Andrea's link to the Web site that authors Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten, created for their new book.

Here are my reasons for recommending this work:

High-Andrea Learned-cred - In the past, Andrea provided fascinating insight on culture and trends through a gender specific lens.  Andrea has since replaced that lens with one designed to provide greater depth and clarity. 

The 800-CEO-READ lads - Jack and Todd - When one thinks of business books, one thinks of 800-CEO-READ.  I have been keeping an eye on Todd and his writing since the early Penny blog days.

Big Reason - Ok, this one pegged my dave-take-notice-meter.  800-CEO-READ sells books.  Business books.  What better platform to sell the book that you write and title The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, than that of your own company.  Right?  Well, Jack and Todd body slam caution against the wind.  Right there, directly on their Buy the Book page, they provide links to Borders, Amazon and IndieBound.  And, at least at Borders and Amazon, the price of the book is less than 800-CEO-READ!!

Ok, I am buying the book from Jack and Todd on principle alone.  This business tactic of theirs is the essence of cyber commerce humanism.  For those of you who are driven by left brain analysis's and practicality please note the value that you will receive if you do buy the book from these most excellent authors.