How do you keep someone from stealing your idea? This is one of the most frequent questions I get from budding entrepreneurs. Here is my common sense advice that will help you move past being frozen without totally abandoning common sense. "Creative Commons" by Grégoire Hervé-Bazin is licensed under CC BY 2.0[/featured-image]Click to ListenDale’s Rule of Thumb:  "People who will steal ideas cannot execute them."]Corollary:  "People who can execute ideas do not need yours."] Five Things You Can Do to Protect Your IdeaMake sure your ideas is really unique. Most people think their idea is new, but often it is not. So before you get too worried about protecting something that someone else owns, search and find if it has already been done. Beware of the red jeep rule. (Do a quick patent search)Document your idea. Use photos, notes, emails to trusted people or even to yourself. Common sense stuff.  (Engineering Notebooks)File a provisional patent. (See provisional patent forms)Sign a non-disclosure as you are discussing your idea.  (Non-disclosure Form)Execute swiftly. The sooner you capture the market the better. "In entrepreneurship, execution is everything. Ideas are a dime a dozen."]What’s the Worst that Can Happen?Your idea will be stolen. But, you will know you have good ideas and you can now move to idea #2 with lessons learned.Subscription LinksIf you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe to it on iTunes. To subscribe, go to iTunes and hit subscribe! You may have to click the button that says, “OPEN IN ITUNES.” You can also find Company of One on Stitcher.Your FeedbackIf you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, e-mail me.Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out! Thanks.

In my annual review, I wanted to find my most popular shows of 2014. Why would you care? First, many of you are content creators and I wanted to show you how I find new ideas. Second, it is just fun to learn what others are thinking. So here is a quick review of my most popular shows of 2014. "Creative Commons " by Rula Sibai is licensed under CC BY 2.0[/featured-image]Click to Listen Looking Back to 2014I hope by now that all of you have had a chance to look back at some things that worked in 2014. Looking back to my most visited pages tells me what people are thinking and what matters most to them.Live Webinar – How to Create Your First Information ProductOn January 20, 2015 I am going to do a live webinar on How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days. I’m getting ready for the next release of Product Creation Academy so I’m going to cover some steps about how you can create information products.Most Popular Pages of 2014:My homepage5 Ways to Create Productive Thinking TimesReverse Interview QuestionsDo I need a business license?How to Make a Living from AmazonHow to Do a Reverse InterviewAbout pageHow to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days "My most popular post in 2014: 5 Ways to Create Productive Thinking Times"] What Did I Learn from This?What’s the meaning of it? The thinking time was such a big post, it must be a big issueShould I be creating more content around this subject?What’s the need? What do I need to do with that?And perhaps you could let me know as people are looking at these pages and links, what is it they are looking for? Are they misunderstanding what the page is about? I rarely seem to get a lot of questions from these pages so I’m not sure if people are searching it and get to the page and it’s not what they want. Or they come to the page and it’s exactly what they want and it answers all their questions and they go away. I have no idea. I would to hear any thoughts you have.Encouragement for 2015My encouragement to you is to go back to 2014 and look at your calendar, look at maybe where you spent money, look at things you did, look at interactions and just take a look. When you look at those things what worked, what didn’t work in 2014? What can you learn? What changes can you make now? You now can plow forward but, I think it’s very valuable to learn from the past.Shout OutShout out to Servante, a member of my Podcast Creation Academy and he’s says,“Life changing. Dale gives his audience practical and actionable insights. He’s well knowledgeable and highly respected in both academic and business communities. Thanks, Dale, for sharing your wisdom and motivating us all to reach for that golden ring.” Servante on iTunesBusiness Venture BonusMany people are looking at business ideas and there’s just not a lot of time. So, I’m going to just kind of share with you one of the bonuses since it’s almost tax time. From a business point of view we have to do some stuff pretty early in January. Each month we calculate income, expenses and profit. Then we take 25% from our profit. The 25% stays there and is not spent. It belongs to the IRS. But every single year when we pay taxes, it’s less than the 25% we have set back.Having a business venture like this allows you to generate enough money to cover taxes. Even though I have a day job the business ventures allow me to generate money and take control of how we pay our taxes as well as where the money comes from. So it’s an awesome thing. So I’ll be sharing with you some thoughts about some of the benefits of owning your own business as we go along.We want you to make things happen. We would love to hear from you so give us a shout out, email or tweet.ReminderJoin us January 20th for the webinar, How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days Subscription LinksIf you have enjoyed this podcast,

Is it OK to want a new job that has more meaning to you when so many other people are unemployed?  Should you not just be content with your work and live the blessing you have been given? Most of my clients do NOT like their job. There - I said it - most do not like their job. For most, they work for a good company and have good people around them, but something is missing. They are unfulfilled. They do not care about the mission of the company. They are bored. So, should they just grin and make the best of it or should they go after something that matters? "Creative Commons Hope" by pol sifter is licensed under CC BY 2.0[/featured-image]Click to ListenHow Can I help You in 2015? Click here to tell me!Survey SaysIf you have not taken my reader/listener survey - please do! But, looking at the data as it stands now, here are the top issues:I feel trapped in my jobI need or would like more incomeKey Indicators You Need a ChangePersonal reasonsNo Passion - You just do not feel it.Morning Blues - You dread going to work. Sundays are a drag as you know Monday is coming.Pain - Especially unexplained pain symptoms. These are classic signs of unhappiness or internal conflict. (Future show on this.)Environmental ReasonsDishonest company environment - You see things going on that are against your principlesPoor morale - "Beatings will continue until morale improves."You do not respect the mission and/or the peopleYou have no trust in the leadershipBe Careful!!We often want to blame the company and the people for our unhappiness at work. However,  I have found that you are usually the problem. (Sounds harsh, but I have been there and looking back, it was all me).How can you tell? If there are people in your company who seem to love their job, then it might be you. That is OK, maybe you are in the wrong place. But QUIT running around blaming them. Take responsibility for your career and your job and make the needed changes.Two Options to Find Happiness at WorkTake Control. I have worked with many clients who took personal responsibility and got control and influence through focusing on their Company of One. (The Company of One model is covered in detail in the book Resumes are Worthless.)Prepare to leave. Do not just quit and run to another job, but take the time to find what you want to do. I have walked more people than I can count through this process. First, start with your calling and identify things you might like. (See below) Then, go out and network.Calling is the KeyBefore writing about this topic, I searched it to see what others have written. But, I found a lot of people instead who were writing about how to be happy at work. I totally agree. You have to take charge and be happy where you are today. But, if you are doing the wrong job for you, you need to start the search for the right fit.A great way to start the calling process is to do the brainstorming exercise. Download a FREE copy of my ebook on How To Find Your Calling below.What Do You Need?What do you need to succeed in the next year? I would love to be a part of your success. Take a minute to fill out this form so I can be searching for resources and opportunities to help you meet your goals.ResourcesDiscovering the Entrepreneur in YouResumes are WorthlessThe Great Pain DeceptionSubscription LinksIf you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe to it on iTunes. To subscribe, go to iTunes and hit subscribe! You may have to click the button that says, “OPEN IN ITUNES.” You can also find Company of One on Stitcher.Your FeedbackIf you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, e-mail me.Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out! Thanks.[reminder]Which is you? 1) I love my job.

Want answers and solutions to your problems? Then FIRST you must get clarity in your questions. As I sit here reviewing my interactions with you and others from last year, I realize that most people are very unclear in their questions when they approach me. Instead of asking what they really want to know, they come with statements, which are often statements of hopelessness. "I cannot get more time because I have a job and kids," instead of, "How do you find time with a job and kids?" In this podcast, I will provide you a tool to help you develop clarity in your questions and in turn find hope and inspiration for the future! Finding Clarity in Your Questions  - "Creative Commons Fog Ocean Sunset" by Mike Behnken is licensed under CC BY 2.0[/featured-image]Click to ListenHelp! Take My Reader/Listener Survey How To Get Clarity on the QuestionsGoals: List the things you are trying to accomplish, goals if you will. (For more details on goal setting see Setting Goals of Next Year and Make Your Goals Actually Happen. Also see 5 Ways to Create Productive Thinking Times)Obstacles and questions: Now for each goal, list the obstacles and things you need to know. If you have a long list of goals, then focus on a few of the key goals.Questions for the expert: List of specific questions you would love to have answered. If you had the EXPERT to your question in front of you, what would you ask them?Who: For each question, who would be the best person or people to answer that question for you? Write their name or at least a description such as pharmacy manager. (More detail on making contact and finding that person can be found at Reverse Interviews)Order the questions by importance: Now with all these questions, think about which questions will have the greatest impact in your life. Focus on the most important long term impact question first.ACT: From the list you made in step 4, search and find that first person to ask, and email them (or send them some kind of message) today. If it is someone you need to meet, setup a reverse interview. (If you are looking for career advice, see Reverse Interview Questions ) "Action TNT: Action Today, Not Tomorrow"]Top ALMOST Questions from 2014I sat down and tried to remember all those statements made to me that were really intended to be questions. I even checked back to old emails and social media, I found many statements from people. So I have listed the top (in no particular order) with the question that they MEANT to ask in parenthesis.I am not really sure what my calling is. (How do I find my calling?)I need to get my business license first. (Do I need a business license? Which one?)I really do not know what to blog about. (How can I create a list of blog topics?)I need to develop my expertise before I can do ________. (How much do I need to know before I start doing _______?)I know my calling and purpose, but I have not figured out how to monetize it yet. (How can I make $ from my calling?)I have a business idea, but not sure what to offer. (What kind of products or services should I offer in my own business?)My business only has a few products, so we do not make a lot of money. (What other products and services can I offer? OR How can I add more value?)I cannot decide what my niche is. (How do I  decide what my niche is?)My boss always ignores me and my suggestions. (How do I get influence with my boss?)I do not know anyone making a living doing what I love to do. (How do I find people doing what I love? )I am not sure I am adding value at my job. (How do I show value?)I do not have the time and support to do what you are doing. (How do you find time to do all the things that you do?)My Twitter/Facebook audience is too small. (How do you build a big Twitter audience?)My list is too small. (How big does my list need to be? OR What are some secrets to growing your list?)I wish I could be a speaker.

Ever get stuck needing ideas, or perhaps just needing better ideas or more ideas? We often find ourselves stuck in not knowing what to do over even seemingly simple decisions. Just the other day I was meeting two friends, one being Jonathan, a musician who has started blogging. Jonathan was stuck trying to find what to write about on his blog and had few ideas. As two of us listened and heard about his vision, we helped him generate over 20 ideas (I bet it was a lot more than that - but I am being conservative) for very interesting blog posts. Not because the other two of us are brilliant, but because we had another perspective. What are you stuck on? What area of your life needs new and fresh ideas? Below I have outlined an approach for creating a one time mastermind session. "Creative Commons Good Idea" by Celestine Chua is licensed under CC BY 2.0[/featured-image]Click to ListenTake My SurveyHelp! I need YOUR feedback. Fill out the survey and then shoot me an email telling me you did and I will send you a list of my best audio and video tools!How to Create and Ad-Hoc Mastermind GroupSince you are stuck on your limited thinking of ideas, how about we think about this…Get people together. Asking advice one-on-one is good, but bringing a small group of people together generates synergy and new ideas as each person plays off the other. Sure, ask individual advice, but really go crazy and creative with a team of 2 to 6 people.Get the right people together. Make sure you avoid the naysayers and those who are negative about everything. Also perhaps best not to invite two people who dislike one another. Look for positive people who you think would like to give their advice (most people do) and who will be willing to help.Mix experts and novices. Having both the expert and the novice giving you feedback really helps. Sometimes the expert is missing that fresh view.Avoid those who have an agenda. Anyone who has skin in the game might reduce the flow of ideas. To get unbiased opinions, find people who are not going to be impacted when you decide.Take notes. Be ready to write it all down. The ideas, once they start, will come like crazy. You might even ask them if you can record. Use you iPhone or other smart phone in some memo mode to record the conversation. (Be sure to get OK first.)Tell them what you are doing. Let them know up front they are one of  few in the group and you will need about 1-2 hours of their time. Offer to buy the pizza in return. At The MeetingGive them the scope. Start the meeting by explaining what the problem is you are trying to solve. Best if you get clear on it first, but not critical.Answer honestly any question they ask. They may feel off topic for a moment, but go with it as you can. For instance, when people are starting a company and need product ideas, we will often start asking them about why they want to start a business. While not what they asked us about, these questions help direct the conversation. Also, you might learn you were asking the wrong question. (Which happens OFTEN.)Do not kill ideas. This is brainstorming, so do not tell them the ideas are stupid or will not work. You might need to clarify constraints, but again, be willing to learn what you thought was a constraint is really an opportunity.Wrap it up. After your alloted time, wrap it up even if ideas are still flowing. Tell them you would like to hear more but you want to let the group get on to other things and not monopolize your time.Expect to create more meetings. Everyone at these mastermind meetings wins. They all walk away with ideas about their problems and new ways to think about it. So,  expect that some might want you to return the favor and attend their mastermind session. What Kind of Problems?Here are some of the challenges you might consider for an ad-hoc mastermind group.What do I do about this situation at work where my boss does not listen?...

Do you feel overwhelmed? Just a few days ago I was sitting ready to get to work, looking at a list of things to do. But the list was huge and some of the individual items seemed overwhelming on their own. I sat for some time staring at them and wondering what to do first. I finally shook out of it and went to get coffee. But, when I came back, the list was still there. I needed a better way to deal with all I needed to do. Hours later, Lea was telling me the same thing - she was overwhelmed. What about you? Do you have more to do than you can handle? When you look at things do you ever feel stuck, wondering what to do first?[featured-image single_newwindow="false" title="Stress level: Midnight"]"Creative Commons Stress Level: Midnight" by Sara V. is licensed under CC BY 2.0[/featured-image]Click to Listen**Would love your feedback. Take my reader interest survey. Shoot me an email that you have taken it and I will provide you my list of tools for creating audio and video for the web.**Your Ability to Decide "What  Next" is Critical to Your JobFor the first time in history, our workforce has to make daily and possibly hourly decisions about what to do next. Few of us upon waking up have to immediately go get water, start a fire to stay warm, or milk the cows. No matter if you are an executive, software developer, administrative assistant, or mom at home with kids, you still have many decisions to make.Today every employee (even those who feel they are at the bottom) has many decisions to make through the day. Do I read my email now? Do I answer that email now or wait till I have more information? Should I speak up at the meeting? Should I call a meeting, send an email, or just go talk to the people I need to get information from? How long does this report need to be? Etc, etc, etc. We are buried in tiny decisions daily.As I sat with my hot coffee I was consumed with these simple decisions. I had to break out of the cycle myself. I flipped through some notes and found an email I had shared with a client who was suffering overwhelm at work. He had asked me how to get past overwhelm and followed my advice to much more peace and success. And now I sit here struggling with the same.Perhaps we should listen to the advice we give others. I took the list I had written him and started acting on it. Thought I would share it with you.When You are Overwhelmed with Indecision - Review These Steps1. Pick Something. Accept that you cannot do everything - at least at the same time. You have to pick what needs to be done next - and it does require a decision. That means something comes later.2. Mundane Must Do’s. Remember, some things feel mundane but are really critical and must be done. Some of these will consume your day. You might can improve on them through better processes, but right now you just have to get it done. Things like going to meetings (those you must attend), taking the kids to their game, and answering critical emails. Most of these “must do” items rarely take all day (unless you are caring for a small child), but they still must be done. Accept it and accept that this means your list of 20 things to do today is unreasonable.3. Triage. Emergency rooms do triage. This is the process by which they decide what is critical and must be done now vs what can wait. Triage is setting priorities. Someone who walks in with a minor wound goes to the back of the line behind someone who has chest pains.So, triage your work. If you can only do one thing today, this week, this month, what should it be? One place I do this is in my thinking times.As a side note, I find the most successful people have a knack for doing what is critical and leaving out those things that are of less importance. For instance, I have a friend who is a business owner and he has a knack for focusing on things that bring value to his customers or adds income to his company.4. Is it a task or a project?

The most successful people I know spend time to think. Like us, they are busy, have families and responsibilities, so they have to find ways to force thinking time into their schedule. Why? They know success is tied to thinking and action. Action can be easy, but thinking about what action to take, now that is the key. As one person suggested to me on thinking time, if you are not thinking you are not leading, you are only following. And followers are average. My son David in his "thinking time"[/featured-image]Click to ListenWhy You Need a Thinking Time"Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in." -- Alan AldaWith all the inputs coming at you on a daily basis, you need time to process the information and do something active. Your ability to think and reason is what makes you different from a robot. Robots just respond to commands and stimuli.  Don't be a robot - THINK."Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking." -- Albert EinsteinThinking HintsSchedule a regular thinking timeFind a place to thinkPut away distractionsUse tools that help you be more creativeMindmaps (I like Xmind for a software version)Paper and pen (bank paper - not ruled)WhiteboardSet a wrap-up timeProcess the thoughts into something that capturesSave documents, mindmaps, etc.Put in calendar or scheduleMake notes - like a journal - of the key thoughtsDownload my "Getting Started" guide to help you have more productive thinking times.Subscription LinksIf you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe to it on iTunes. To subscribe, go to iTunes and hit subscribe! You may have to click the button that says, “OPEN IN ITUNES.” You can also find Company of One on Stitcher.Your FeedbackIf you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, e-mail me.Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out! Thanks.[reminder]What do you do to have a productive thinking time? [/reminder]

Are you thinking about moving from employee to entrepreneur? Over 50% of Americans want to start a business. And when you get to those in their 20’s and 30’s, that number increases to about 65%. Other countries have similar statistics. So if you are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, you are in good company. But, how do you prepare to move from employee to entrepreneur? I am currently helping one of my clients, Bob (not his real name), who is preparing to make this transition from employee to entrepreneur. Here is a quick snapshot of the process we have been taking.[featured-image single_newwindow="false"]"Another Gorgeous Outer Banks Sunrise" by Michael Bentley licensed by CC 2.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/  Edited with text. [/featured-image]Click to ListenEmployee to Entrepreneur TransitionA few years ago, my wife Lea and I felt like God was leading us to go into missions work. So, we began to seek counsel, starting with our pastor. He asked us how much we had been involved in missions in the past. Lea and I looked at each other oddly and realized the answer was almost none. Our pastor then made this statement that has stuck with me: “You do not go into missions, you grow into missions.”Since then we realized the missions work God had for us was much different than what we typically think of as missions, in fact, it was serving others through business, writing, and podcasting. But the lessons I learned from the pastor have stuck with me. As a faculty member and coach, I often find I am working to help people “grow into business.” You do not go into business, you grow into business. "You do not go into business, you grow into business. #entrepreneur"]So as I began to work with Bob, I wanted to help him grow into his business. Just so you know, Bob actually likes his day job, and may never quit. Yet, he is feeling trapped. He wants to become independent so that the daily turmoil of the corporate setting does not create stress for him and  his ability to pay his bills and provide for his family. Bob is looking for a lifestyle business, one he can do on the side now and get freedom but may one day do full time.1. Get Control of the MoneyMost people in industrialized countries are in debt. Each month part of their income goes to pay for student loans, credit cards, and automobiles. And, their spending habits keep them in this trap. Are you in this trap? Make a list now of the debts you have. Who are they and how much do you owe each. Look at how much you spend month-to-month just keeping up with the minimum payments.If you want to make a transition from employee to entrepreneur, you need to get control. Starting with a budget and paying off debt will free you from many of the traps that keep people in their day job. I am not a financial counselor, so I will point you to an excellent source to get out of this trap - The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness.2. Start Your Business as an Income SourceOnce you get a plan for the money and start working the plan, you now need to start a second income source. You could deliver pizza, but that will get you no closer to your goal. Instead, start your business. But, start it in a way that generates income instead of costing you cash. For instance, if you are looking at a food services business, instead of investing in a storefront, begin catering out of your kitchen. If you are developing a software tool to sale to the healthcare market, start now by offering consulting/contracting services to the healthcare market.By taking these simple steps you will be entering your market with minimal investment. The benefits are extra income, knowledge of the business, and a growing reputation in the business.3. Transition Bills to Business IncomeAs income starts to come in from the business, you can start to live on it. Bob has managed to grow his business to the point he can saf...

Everyone is an entrepreneur - technically speaking. The question is, what kind of entrepreneur are you? And perhaps more important, what kind do you want to be. You make money to live, and depending on who you are and what you want, how you make money and who you serve is the key question. This is a quick look at some pros and cons of where you are that I hope will help you think a bit about where you would like to be. Click to ListenThree Entrepreneurship Models - What Kind of Entrepreneur are You?The Employee ModelMost people do not think about this model as being an entrepreneur. This might explain why so many corporate workers are miserable and lacking in growth. But the reality is, if you are serving others and getting paid for it, you are in business. (The definition of business is the exchange of money for goods and/or services.)Here are some characteristics of the employee model of entrepreneurship.Stability - Perceived to be stable. The reality is that working for a corporate job, especially in a larger company, is not stable or predictable. Right now someone could be making a decision that will impact your job, without warning.Risks - As an employee you do not have a financial investment in the business and therefore you do not risk anything other than your income. But, you do not control the risks. Stupid or risky decisions could be made and are often beyond your control.Source of income - As an employee, you have a single source of income. In other words, you are a business with a single customer. This is one of the greatest risks in the employee model.Control - Most employees assume they have little control of the overall decisions. This is an assumption and using the Company of One model presented in Resumes are Worthless, you can begin to gain influence and take more control. "If you are serving others and getting paid for it, you are in business. #CompanyofOne"]The Lifestyle ModelWhen people come to me wanting to start a business (and sometimes raise capital) they have conflicting views about their goals. So the first thing I want to do is help them decide what kind of business they want. I find most people are talking about a desire to be a lifestyle business. In this model, the desire for lifestyle is first, and income and business growth is second. People start a lifestyle business for the following reasons:Freedom of time, or the ability to work when and how they want.Freedom of location. Lifestyle entrepreneurs may want to travel and work at the same time or just work from wherever they want.Grow a business for my kids or grandkids.Be in 100% control.Like the employee model, this model allows a payoff that is periodic. In other words, you are not working toward a big win in the future, but instead you are making money as it comes. Unlike the employee model, the income is less predictable from month to month. "Lifestyle entrepreneurs are focused on lifestyle first, money second. #entrepreneur"] The Grow and Sell ModelWhat kind of entrepreneur do we normally think of? What kind of entrepreneur risks is all for the big payoff? We are talking about the likes of Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Steve Jobs, and so many other founders who have taken a company from small to very large. Of course while we can think of these who have taken their companies to the big time, there are millions of these kinds of businesses you have never heard of. They are just starting with one person, or a small team serving a specific niche, or just have not made their way to the household name. Most never will. There are also millions who have gone away and closed their doors.This model is about a big gamble. They are not looking for small change or lifestyle, but instead are betting it all for the future payday, the time when they walk away with millions in their pocket.Here are some characteristics of this kind of model.

A few years ago I took a leadership position at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Not in so many words I was told, “You have no money, no people, and no resources, but congratulations, you are in charge.” When I speak to leaders at all levels, I get the impression they have the same problem. Recently I was speaking to a group of school system CIOs who are all working with limited resources having to lead with what they have got. If you find yourself in that situation, here are three things I have learned about getting control and leading with limited resources. [/featured-image]Click to ListenFive Ways to Start a Business for Less than $10001. Get PerspectiveAs a leader, you have to step back and see the landscape of what you are doing and how you are doing it. Some of the best tools I have found to do this are:Networking - When I have a problem to solve, I tend to start searching google and try to figure it out on my own. But that rarely works. Instead, I have learned to find the person who has already solved it and learn from them. This learning most likely starts by contacting them and asking for advice. But, it could also be by learning what they write and speak about - especially if they do teaching on the subject of your problem.Thinking Time - Take some regular time out to think. Daily or weeekly time periods is best. Allow yourself to process information and organize it. Those who depend on you to lead need you to think.2. Create CommunityLeadership is lonely. Often I find leaders (even those who do not think of themselves as leaders) trying to do it all and supporting others on their team as a one-man expert. When you feel like you are the only one with your responsibility, you need to find others who are doing what you do. They could be other people in your same company at other locations, or people in other companies. Either way, you need connections. Best way to do this is through a mastermind group.A mastermind group is a powerful way to grow your network and get constant feedback and advice. A good group will force you to challenge your assumptions, think bigger about alternatives, and provide needed encouragement.3. Develop and share a visionEveryone needs a vision. Where are you going in your role. Even if you have no employees and you are the proverbial “cog-in-the-wheel”, someone is going to ask you what the future looks like. Might come as one of these questions:Where do you see yourself in a few years?What is going to happen to the software you support in the future?What trends do you see with the customers you support?How could we do this better?How can we cut the budget and provide the same service?EtcWhen you get these kind of questions, they are asking you about vision. Unfortunately, these questions rarely come with warning. So you need to be prepared. "It is he who provides hope and a plan that leads."]How do you create a vision?Define your customers? Who are the people you serve? Are they a mixed group with different needs? When I asked this of the CIOs of school systems, they explained how they served teachers, administrators, school boards, parents, and of course students. All had different needs and different views.Learn about their pains and desires. This steps just takes time, but you have to ask and listen a lot to learn about what they expect or would like to see happen.Define the vision. Knowing your customer's pains and using your expertise, you can define the future to serve their needs. Sometimes their big needs are things the customer is not aware of having. For instance, consider problems many school board CIOs find. Teachers, parents, and others have a pain or desire to get user devices (IPADS, etc) into the hands of all students. That is the customer pain. But, the CIO expertise knows these devices mean more bandwidth, and infrastructure issue.