Fast-Food Energy: Self-Repairing “Artificial Leaf” Cheaply Generates Electricity from Dirty Water (New Discovery)

A research team has developed a “self-repairing artificial leaf” that produces electricity from dirty water. This is a milestone achievement, in the drive for sustainable energy. Forward thinking governments of developing countries may find it useful to explore adopting this new technology.

This is a major advancement in efforts to develop alternative – and sustainable – energy sources. It has been featured in the “ACS journal Accounts of Chemical Research”. The research was funded by USA’s National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Department of Energy.

Artificial Leaves Generate Electricity - 27 Science Fictions That Became Science Facts in 2012

How It Works

This artificial leaf works by mimicking the process of photosynthesis carried out in nature by green plants – which convert water and sunlight into energy and oxygen.

However it does not use the same complex chemical process. It is just a thin slab of silicon (referred to as a “sunlight collector”), coated with catalyst films on either side. The two films generate oxygen and hydrogen gas (on opposite sides).

When placed in water, under sunlight, the catalysts in the device break the water into its hydrogen and oxygen components. As the gases bubble to the surface, they can be easily collected for use as fuel to produce electricity in fuel cells. This is the simple principle on which this innovative device works.

The Relatively inexpensive compounds used to make the catalysts on both sides of the leaf (nickel-molybdenum-zinc generating hydrogen on one side, and cobalt film generating oxygen on the other) are said to be abundant in nature.

That eliminates the potential problem of replenishment as the devise needs to be mass produced.

Potential Applications – Individual homes in Off-Grid Locations

The research team leader is Daniel G. Nocera, Ph.D. (Harvard University’s Patterson Rockwood Professor of Energy). He has suggested that individual homes lacking access to power grids/generating plants would benefit from using this inexpensive alternative.

With less than a quart of drinking water, he explained that the artificial leaf would provide about 100 watts of electricity for an entire day.

The improved version of the leaf was reported in New Orleans on Apr. 8, 2013 (during the “Kavli Foundation Innovations in Chemistry Lecture” at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society).

It has been re-designed to utilise dirty or impure, bacteria-contaminated water readily found in nature. The scientists found a way to make the leaf self-healing. Basically, the catalysts now fall apart in a manner that prevents bacteria’s access to smooth surface they need to establish their bio film. “Then the catalyst can heal and re-assemble” said Nocera.

In earlier versions of the leaf, this had not been possible. As a result electricity production got shut down as the bacteria eventually formed their bio film across the smooth surface of the leaf.

This new self-healing property represents a major advancement – especially for the needs of developing societies. There, access to clean and pure water remains an even greater challenge.

Personalized, Fast-Food Energy: A Cheap Energy Generator, Adapted to Tough Local Conditions

Millions of people around the world still lack access to basic power supply via their country’s power grid.

They will benefit from a portable, inexpensive solution like this self-repairing artificial leaf energy generating device.

Nocera stated that “It’s kind of like providing ‘fast-food energy,'” and he pointed out that his team plans to produce lots of inexpensive units that will trade a bit of efficiency for functionality. They will be aimed at getting the job done.

He used the analogy of the transition from “huge mainframe computers to a personal laptop” noting that “This is personalized energy.”

The artificial leaf offers superior benefits to existing alternative energy solutions.

For instance, solar panels are expensive, and can only generate energy when the sun is out. In contrast, the leaf’s hydrogen and oxygen can be stored and used at night.

As Nocera points out, many complicated and expensive alternative energy devices are being developed.

But that is making it difficult for them to get widely adopted on a large scale. A less expensive and simple system that works like the artificial leaf, therefore stands a much better chance of getting widespread usage.

He revealed that the team has plans to further integrate the device, with technologies used to convert hydrogen into liquid fuel, for running portable electric generators or indeed cars.

Final Words: Developing Countries Stand to Beneift The Most

Leaders of developing nations – especially those in Africa, should seriously consider cutting back on money they keep sinking into space projects, and similar “abstract” pursuits.

They would be better off exploring ways to collaborate with Nocera and his team, to get the research solutions working for their rural populations.

Doing so will translate to an immediate improvement in the quality of life enjoyed by their people!

FURTHER READING

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123900.htm

 

No. 97: Forget Circumstances, Create Your Opportunities (Bruce Lee)

Last Friday, my article titled “Young People Must Be Taught to Be Original” attracted over 100 views in 48 hours. It describes an extremely abusive use of a popular article I published (in 2009), by a young blog owner.

He did not want to do the work of creating his own opportunities.

Instead he settled for “stealing” the opportunities other people create for themselves, by the work they do.

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 8th July 2013

No:97

Title: Forget Circumstances, Create Your Opportunities

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my Speaking IDEAS newsletter.

10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind (FREE PDF DOWNLOAD)

E-mail your name, country, mobile number, occupation, & facebook/twitter URLs (if any) to tayo at tksola dot com, and I’ll send you a FREE copy of my detailed PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind.

Screenshot of PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind."

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN…

How to Make Drinks You CAN SELL, from Peels of Pineapples & Nine (9) Other Fruits!

 

No. 97: Forget Circumstances, Create Your Own Opportunities

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NB: If you ever find yourself wondering what else I’ve written, some days after you’ve read THIS Speaking Ideas newsletter I send out on a Monday, here’s what you can do to find out: Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

**********

“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”  ― Bruce Lee

Last Friday, my article titled “Young People Must Be Taught to Be Original” attracted over 100 views in 48 hours. It describes an extremely abusive use of a popular article I published (in 2009), by a young blog owner. He did not want to do the work of creating his own opportunities. Instead he settled for “stealing” the opportunities other people create for themselves, by the work they do.

Laziness Can Silently Cost You The Success You Seek

Creating one’s own opportunities can open doors to great success if mastered.

But how does one go about doing that i.e. create opportunities?

In my experience based opinion, it’s nothing complex:

Sit up. Think. Then act. Every day. In every way possible. To get what you want. Never rest, until you move beyond where you were the last time you tried. And even after that, refocus, and go for it again. Do this as a habit, and you will create a stream of opportunities over time.

By the way, what I just said above is what I have done for over a decade. And it works. So, this is not textbook theory.

Sadly, it is a habit some people struggle to get used to.

And today it seems a growing number of both adults and youths have that problem. Intellectual laziness, combined with an insane desire for unearned rewards of success, afflicts many people today.

That young man who mutilated my article (and replaced my mobile phone number in the call to action I wrote in my article), was intellectually lazy. He IS intellectually lazy! He did not want to do the hard work of “thinking” up his own unique marketing message with which to attract potential buyers.

It would not have been so bad if he had left my by-line in place.

But he went as far as “spinning” my content into a grammatically embarrassing piece! Then he left my name linked with the mess he’d made of my original work – adding further insult to the injury!!

Sadly, this has now gotten him negative attention from me. And I’m someone who can easily give him support to achieve his blog’s goal of helping farm owners.

Maybe I still can. If he changes his ways :-)

I’ve just reminded him via Twitter that he has until midnight (today Monday 8th July 2013) to post the correct version of my article – including my by-line – or remove it entirely. Otherwise, I’ll publish his name, and URL via all available outlets, announcing what he’s done.

Many Diligent People Overcome Circumstances by Creating Opportunities

It’s true that one’s circumstances can be limiting. But if one checks historical records, someone has probably overcome more difficult circumstances to succeed in life in the past.

Having said that, our circumstances are never a legitimate excuse to abuse others, or deny them what is theirs. This is the mistake so many people make once they get into difficulty.

Their world gets so small in their heads. They forget to remain fair in their dealings with others – thinking they alone need to survive. And if that means killing off everyone one else to do so, then so be it…

Completely unacceptable philosophy – of course!!

Open Doors of Success by Being Grateful – And Creating Your Opportunities

As some of us groan about difficulties in our societies, others don’t even have access to what we do. Yet, they go after their goals daily. I need not mention names of places. You can easily think some up.

That’s why the song about COUNTING one’s blessing always appeals to me.

Not in a religious sense, but in terms of the message it passes. Be grateful for what you have, and where you are. And then take action to get where you want to go. Do it with faith and perseverance. Take baby steps if you need to, for as long as necessary, until the results you want become reality.

If you maintain a mindset of gratitude, it will be easy for you to accept the reality of your circumstances at any stage in your progress, as temporary. That is what it will always be – temporary.

You alone can decide to make it permanent – by stopping. When you stop trying to create opportunities, they stop trying to appear to you. Many things happen on the non-physical plane before you see them in the physical. You must make enough input to get the output you want from life.

Final Words: Remember What Bruce Lee Said

Bruce Lee was not just a martial arts expert. He was a wise teacher of life’s truths. And that quote from him was/is an instruction to those who seek to succeed, in spite of limitations they face.

Anyone who knows the story of how Lee got into America, and broke into Hollywood, will agree. He knew how to ignore circumstances, and create opportunities in order to achieve success.

Our creator wishes the best for each of us. But not all of us get what we want in life.

Why?

The reason is linked to how well we create opportunities, in spite of our circumstances or situations. That means we get what we DESERVE.

I therefore suggest we all adopt Bruce Lee’s mental attitude, and say to ourselves:

“To hell with circumstances; I create MY OWN opportunities.”

Need More Details of How to Make The Above Ideas Work for YOU?

If you need more specific details of how to make use of the ideas I’ve shared in this newsletter, send me a message using this request form – with “Re: Forget Circumstances, Create Your Own Opportunities” in the subject line.

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Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement SpecialistTayo Solagbade – works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing  zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Entrepreneur.

He’s presently based in Benin Republic, where he’s preparing an English-French Language Guide, City Travel Guides, and a Commercial Rabbit Farming Guide.

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

For a limited time, Tayo is available to speak to your group or organization for a moderate fee. Send e-mail to tayo at tksola dot com. You can also visit www.tksola.com to learn more.

Connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

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Comments?

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You can choose to purchase Burt’s mentoring at any of the three (3) levels listed below:

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Burt’s three mentoring packages can be likened to the seating options offered by airlines: Budget Delight (Economy); Mid Range (Business); and Top Shelf (First Class).

At least that’s how I like to think of them!

All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc). During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple :-)

So, make your choice:1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

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Use Articles for Your Marketing, or Lose Money

This article should have gone live yesterday – Saturday 6th July 2013 (my 43rd birthday). But since my blog posts auto-publish on my Facebook profile, I felt it would be disrespectful to those who had taken pains to post birthday wishes on my wall. So I auto-scheduled it to publish 0400 today. Thanks a lot. I appreciate you all.

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If you do not currently use articles for your marketing, you could be spending more time, effort and money on marketing than you need to. Articles remain one of the most cost-effective tools for business promotion – and they’ve been used that way for decades. Both online and off the web.

Whether it’s Article Marketing or Guest Blogging – Using Articles for Your Marketing Can Pay Timeless Dividends!

People have access to large volumes of information today. As a result, knowing what is worth paying attention to is now more of a challenge for many.

That’s why they depend on the thought leaders to guide themselves. In every field, experts who are competent function as thought leaders. Others depend on them to review the mass of information/trends, and make some sense of it to share – via writing, speaking, and other methods.

As an expert in your own field, how do you currently do your marketing?

What combination of strategies do you use? Are you focused on serving target audiences online, or off the web – or both? What have you found to be the most effective way to attract such persons?

What do these different strategies you use currently cost you in terms of time, effort and money – compared to the verifiable benefits or returns they yield to you?

Do you know?

I ask these questions simply to challenge you to do a little thinking about the methods you currently employ to achieve your business promotion goal.

Articles Cost Less & Stick Around Much Longer Than Most Other Marketing Media

There is no doubt that not all businesses will benefit equally well from using the same methods.

However, I’ve learnt one thing from years of experience, and also observing others”

It is the fact that articles remain a universally applicable instrument for promoting virtually any kind of product or service.

The major benefits one stands to gain from using articles to promote one’s work, or business, are (among others) its combined low cost, and generally long lasting impact.

Articles enable one achieve “timeless marketing”. Be it on the web, or in print, very often an article has a much longer shelf-life than virtually all other promotional media.

And it often costs next to nothing too!

Useful Places to Publish Your Articles for Marketing Purposes

Despite attempts by some who lack accurate insight to suggest otherwise, article marketing – of the kind done via directories like EzineArticles.com – remains viable – despite Google’s algorithm changes.

So, that’s one place you can go: Articles directories.

Many website owners or content publishers regularly visit EzineArticles.com to pick up articles they use on their websites, and in newsletters they publish.

If your work meets their needs, your articles will get picked up a lot. And you’ll see the result in form of increased traffic back to your site.

This is mainly because in your article by-line (right at the bottom) EzineArticles allows you to insert a promotional block of text, with URLs of your choice.

In addition to that, you have a profile page you setup on their website, and of course people who read your articles may also choose to Google your name.

Another approach is to write Guest Posts – currently a popular strategy used in many industries.

Guest Posts are articles typically published on blogs. You’ll submit them to blog owners to consider publishing on their blogs. Again, you usually get to put in a byline that gains you traffic back to your website.

It of course goes without saying that you will also write and publish articles (and even a newsletter) on your own website or blog.

These you would actively use promote via social media, and to search engines, to get increased name recognition, and credibility.

Final Words: You Don’t Even Have to Write Them Yourself

I realize not everyone will find it easy or convenient to write articles as often as may be required.

More business persons are discovering the advantages of using articles. However due to limited writing proficiency, or a lack of time, they find themselves struggling to do it as often/well as they should.

If your schedule is too tight, you could formally engage a reliable professional (e.g. yours truly!) – to ghost-write articles or even books for you, on your preferred theme(s). You would then only have to make “editorial” input to align what is written with your preferences.

In other cases I’ve seen persons who got started in the above manner, and over time understudied their hired writing expert. And eventually, at some point, they were able to take full ownership of creating new article content.

The truth is each person must settle for what works for him/her. What is crucial is that action be taken to add the use of articles to your marketing arsenal.

Doing so is bound to boost the overall cost-effectiveness of promotional strategies you employ.

What’s more, articles provide a flexible interface, through which most other promotional activities can be given further exposure. As a result, they complement other methods – enabling you to reach a larger number of people.

The long run implication is that your business promotion efforts will cost less. At the same time they’ll get you more marketing exposure, attracting more buyers for your products and services.

At the end of the day, that is what we are all looking for!

And the easier and less expensively we can get it, the more profitable we end up being.

Which is why if you don’t already use it, you really want to give Article Marketing a try!

NB: This article was first published online in July 2013 via Tayo’s 9 year old former flagship website (www.spontaneousdevelopment.com – now defunct), and republished via www.ezinearticles.com

Young People Must Be Taught To Be Original!

Less than 24 hours ago, I saw one of my most widely read and referenced farm business ideas articles (titled Producing Good Catfish is Important, But Finding Good Buyers is Imperative!”) subjected to a more malicious level of abuse than I’ve ever seen. Naughty people periodically use other writers’ works without giving credit. When found out, many quickly make amends.I’ve experienced this with some of my articles. But yesterday’s was a new experience!

Before I tell you what happened, let me provide some background.

I’ve Been Writing on Farm Business for Over a Decade

Yesterday 3rd July 2013, was my brother’s birthday. At about 10.38 a.m I arrived in a client’s office in Cotonou, for a Web Marketing Systems development project review meeting.

But just before we started, I pleaded his indulgence to let me call my brother in Abuja, Nigeria, to wish him happy birthday.

We had not spoken since I left Nigeria 3 months before. By the time I was done, I’d learned my new report titled “10 Fruits You Eat, That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind” (featuring ideas on using pineapple peels to produce fermented and non-fermented drinks), emailed to him a month ago never arrived.

So I promised to re-send it.

You see, writing on Cost-Saving Farm Business ideas and providing best practice support to farm business owners has been my passion since 2003. And it’s earned me considerable name recognition and credibility. Indeed today, I enjoy the serious attention of farm business owners, and others aspiring, as subscribers to my newsletter, website visitors, and buyers.

Developing Solutions Of Different Kinds to Help Farmers

The challenge many farmers face in finding buyers for their market ready farm products –especially livestock and perishables – has always intrigued me.

For years while in Nigeria, I actively interacted with many farm owners to get an idea of unique challenges they faced, and solutions that could be evolved.

My Feed Formulation Handbook was meant to help farmers acquire the know-how to compound their own rations for their animals. This was in light of the compromised integrity of commercial livestock feed that some found themselves buying.

I got feedback from buyers who expressed the desire avoid manually doing the Pearson square computation for feed formulation.

So I developed an MS Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator software. Both have become quite popular.

The Menace of Content Thieves and Intellectual Property Abusers

In 2009, I wrote the above mentioned article, that attracted serious attention and interest locally and internationally. Various blogs, and websites linked to, or referenced that article via Ezinearticles.com where I published it.

Many such articles have generated pre-qualified sales leads for me. A good number result(ed) in sales of my products, and services (e.g. consultancy).

But as is common with intellectual works, I have found people using my works picked up from Ezinarticles.com without abiding by the terms.

Content publishers know Ezinearticles.com requires that they retain an author’s byine in any article they choose to republish on their website or newsletter.

That’s where we authors post short “marketing” blurbs containing one or two links leading to relevant pages on our websites. It is the small payoff authors gets for sharing their expert knowledge at no charge.

This is meant to be a symbiotic relationship. Sadly, some people – and I’ve seen this a lot in the farm business “category” – prefer to take without giving.

I’ve periodically found my articles reproduced verbatim from Ezinearticles.com, with ONLY my name retained. My entire byline is removed, including any links I added back to my website.

These people feel my work is good enough to be used on their website, and/or social media pages. But they refuse to let me get what is due to me, preferring instead to use my work to generate benefits for themselves alone.

It’s nothing new. Other authors/writers have similar experiences. We do what we can. Sometimes I’ve succeeded in getting abusers to make changes or simply take my work off their websites. Recently, I simply decided to ignore them.

Discovering a More Malicious Form of Intellectual Property Abuse

However yesterday, I encountered a more malicious dimension of abuse.

To generate sales leads based on my expertise on the subject, I had inserted (in line with a Burt Dubin tip) my mobile phone number in the last paragraph of the article.

That simple gimmick led to many people calling to consult me on how to apply the ideas in the article. Then at a point, those phone enquiries fizzled out. They just stopped coming. I didn’t know what to think.

Eventually I put it down to the reduced search engine visibility of article directories, following Google’s repeated algorithm changes.

Then yesterday afternoon, I saw that article reproduced verbatim on a blog run by a young Nigerian chap. As usual, my name was on it, but my byline was not.

However I got really ticked off when I saw that he’d replaced my phone number with his. Exactly where it appeared in the last paragraph of my article!

Less alert readers would naturally assume that that was my number!

Not believing my eyes, I called the number. Sure enough I found myself speaking to a young guy, who identified himself as the website owner.

I casually enquired about the service he was offering, and he readily asked “Do you need help with marketing your farm produce?”(he did not know it was me i.e. author of the article he’d used).

In other words, just what I aimed to do, he was now doing using my write-up – effectively denying me any benefit from my intellectual creation!

Young People Must Be Taught To Treat Intellectual Property With Respect It Deserves

All over the world we have people who steal content and abuse copyright privileges. But only in Nigeria have I consistently found people doing it so callously, with absolute disregard for the damage they do.

I say this without apology. It’s an indisputable FACT.

They abuse a system that encourages competent experts to offer such valuable works in the Internet space at no cost. Failing to see that their actions threaten the continued willingness of such people to share what they know!

This is why today, I write much fewer farm business articles for article marketing online.

Instead, I offer information products for sale to my subscribers and interested website visitors.

My probing questions soon unsettled my young friend. He said:

“There’s too much noise here. Let me call you back later.”

That was 4p.m yesterday. It’s already 10a.m today. And I know I will not be hearing from him.

However I do intend to get him to do the right thing.

If he does not, I WILL put up links to his website here on my blog, along with his name and phone number. Then I’ll inform his website host and Ezinearticles.com via a formal complaint email.

Next, each week that the abused version of my work remains on his website, I will post about it on my Facebook and Twitter profiles, and share widely.

Keeping Quiet Only Emboldens These Cheats and Other Dishonest Individuals

Saying nothing emboldens people who do these things. I refuse to be a silent victim. Anyone who abuses my work in that manner will have me to deal with, if I find out..

Our young people must be taught to develop serious respect for intellectual property.

Many learnt not to do so, from what they saw some irresponsible adults do.

The onus is on us to help them realize that they have within them the capacity, and capability, to produce original ideas and writing.

That will make them discover it’s a more dignifying and fulfilling approach.

A Manager Who TRULY LEADS, Succeeds More

This article is not for anyone hoping to quietly work for a regular salary, without making a fuss, till they leave. I’ve written it for people looking to make a noticeable impact, and be positively relevant – anywhere they work.

If that describes you, then you’ll hopefully also realize you need to demonstrate the capability to influence others to succeed. This write-up offers ideas you can use.

It Will Not Matter What Level You Start From

I once read that General Collin Powell (former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff in the US government) started out as a floor mopper.

His is just one of many real life examples. It means you can get to any position you want in an organisation, no matter where you start from…IF you do what it takes.

Even if you are just a Graduate Management Trainee, you already have within you, the capacity to occupy the highest position available. Just be prepared to do the work.

Understand That a Manager Will Not Necessarily Be a True Leader

People sometimes fail to realize these two roles are not the same. Many managers do not act as true leaders for those they are in charge of.

They can, but not many do.

And that can have a direct impact on how far that team, or the organization they preside over, goes towards its goal.

To me, a manager is primarily concerned with overseeing a pre-existing state of affairs. Most of the work about how things should happen would already have been done. Hers would primarily be to keep things going the way they have been designed to run.

S/he will typically ensure conformance or adherence by all who report to him/her. Every now and then s/he will apply initiative in dealing with unforeseen developments.

In contrast, a true leader in an organisation will be a manager, who goes a step further to actively influence change, and develop new initiatives to achieve the company’s goals.

Typically, s/he would display a tendency to identify weaknesses in the existing system, and propose viable practical solutions or alternatives. And s/he will often actively lead the process of exploring the implementation of such ideas – even if initiated by others.

Where a true leader is present in an organisation, stagnation will be very rarely found!

2 Important Facts About True Leaders In Organizations

It is my considered opinion (based on my experiences, and studies, on this subject) that:

(1). Firstly, true leaders are rarely appointed as, or made into, leaders. It’s not a formal role. Instead they become leaders – by using exposure and experiences provided in the organization, to develop that ability. It’s often a self-driven process.

Smart decision makers will regularly identify such persons, and put them in roles where they can be more useful to the company.

(2). Secondly, true leaders can show up at any level in the company. And I mean any level.

Wise decision makers will let these 2 facts guide their search. Otherwise valuable employee talent will be allowed to go to waste, because they fail to look well enough to discover it!

As an employee, use the above insights to guide your development of true leadership ability.

Organizations Are Looking for Leaders Who Understand Management

“Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the art of management says is possible” – General Collin Powell

Think about any successful organization you know. They are often headed and run by people who demonstrate a high aptitude not just for management, but for leadership.

Companies prefer putting such people at the helm, because they want to reach their ultimate goals. True leaders are better equipped to see the big picture, visualize, and then act!

Collin Powell’s Rules for Picking People (an 18 Lesson Primer that I originally came across as a Power Point presentation) can help you. It contains short but insightful descriptions of attributes you need to be a good leader.

Google “Collin Powell’s Rules for Picking People”, then download and read it.

To get you started, here’s an excerpt of Lesson 13, in which Powell gives advice to persons looking to recruit (and it also applies to decision makers who decide promotion):

“Look for intelligence and judgment, and most critically a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego, and the drive to get things done.

Do You Already Have The Above Leadership Attributes In Ample Quantities?

If no, you may want to get started doing something to develop them.

When I read General Powell’s presentation as a 27 year old brewer/manager in Guinness Nigeria (Benin Brewery), back in early 1997, that’s exactly what I did.

And by the first quarter of the next year (1998), I found myself getting nominated to play different roles at levels of management well above my position at the time.

And some – including an eventual promotion, followed by secondments to even more senior positions – came in record time. Less than 6 years (My first 18 months from October 1994, were as Graduate Trainee). Most people took much longer to get that far.

The only thing that made a difference in my case was that I had a plan – based on something I learned by reading, and which I went on to diligently apply till I succeeded.

If you adopt a similar strategy, you’re bound to succeed more.

Four(4) Phases Great Achievers Often Pass Through, to Succeed

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” – Mahatma Ghandi (See source)

The above quote offers a recipe for success that is tried and tested. In this article, I use real life stories of great achievers to illustrate its validity. And in so doing I recommend you adopt it, as I have, to guide you in your quest for success.

1. First they ignore you

Anyone who knows how Facebook started will appreciate the above quote. This relationship (between the quote and Facebook’s coming into reckoning as an online “search” force) was stated on a website I recently visited. Sadly, despite my efforts I am unable to recall that website’s URL.

Mark Zuckerberg and his team were largely ignored by the established online companies they courted while starting up. One anecdote has it that they approached the owners of Yahoo!, and basically got told to “hurry along”, and not bother the big boys with their “school project”.

Well, Forrester Research recently reported that about one third of internet users in the US (where traditional search engines have always been favoured) indicate that they now prefer Facebook and Twitter for use in discovering new websites.

That number jumped from 18% less than 3 years ago. I got these stats from a newsletter broadcast sent out by Greg Pitstick just today. Greg wrote “Google still rules – but not for long”.  I agree with him!

Those who threw the Facebook baby out with the bath water are now being forced to eat humble pie. Maybe they should have paid more attention to them when it was still a school project!

2. Then they laugh at you

Today in America, there is a Robert Goddard Space Center. It’s named after a man who pioneered research into rocket science and space technology at a time when people basically considered it a joke. (5 years ago I wrote an article on it, titled “Why You May Want To Rejoice When Others Mock You!”).

So far ahead of his time was Goddard, that even established organisations- like the New York Times – mocked him for his preoccupation with that (seemingly) unprofitable vocation.  Their reporters tracked his every move, and gleefully reported every failure of the rocket launches he tried.

It got so bad, that at a point he resorted to continuing his work in secrecy. Signs that he was on to something later emerged, when German scientists who had periodically contacted him eventually developed V-2 rockets, which were used to cause considerable damage to London.

Ironically, 24 years AFTER his death, when the US’ Apollo 11 rocket (built based on Goddard’s work) took off for the moon, the New York Times published a retrospective editorial acknowledging his visionary contribution. They ended it by saying: “The Times regrets the error.”

3. Then they fight you

Ghandi’s life story offers an instructive example here. His challenge to the colonialists in his country was initially largely ignored. Until they discovered he had amassed a large following among the people, that was growing rapidly.

At a point, they could not longer ignore or regard him with amusement. He had become a significant threat to the unfair status quo they sought to preserve.

The government used all forms of violent tactics against them. Yet, in line with Ghandi’s instructions they refused to retaliate, and still refused to back down.

4. Then you win

Eventually, international pressure mounted, while the people stood firm. The colonial government had to give in. And Ghandi’s India got independence.

Ghandi led millions of Indians, to overwhelm a dictatorial colonial government, without violence. It was an unprecedented accomplishment.

Another example worthy of mention happened in South Africa.

The whole world is currently united in prayer for Nelson Mandela’s recovery from illness. He’s a living legend, revered worldwide.

Mandela paid a big price, spending 27 long years in prison for a vision he conceived and acted on, to free his people.

No doubt, some well meaning friends and relatives must have advised him against the futility of his actions back then.

The probably said: “Look it’s always been that way. Don’t try to change it, or you’ll regret it“.

And when Mandela and his supporters got beaten down, they may have been laughed for being so silly as to imagine they could have their way!.

When he eventually got locked up, the same people must have nodded knowingly wisely, saying “We warned him, but he was too pig headed to listen”.

And they would have had all of 27 years he spent in prison to walk around feeling “they were right”.

But Mandela would not give in or back down – even in jail. And eventually, the apartheid government had to bow.

The indomitable will of a man who courageously sacrificed himself for a cause he believed in, inspired millions to demand equal rights, justice and freedom. And they got it all!

Final Words

This 4-step process applies to any area of endeavour. Even sportsmen – like Roger Bannister –experienced it.

Bannister was so badly burned in a fire as a child that doctors told his mother he would die.

After he survived, they said he would never walk again. But he threw himself into daily therapy and recovered his ability to walk.

And then he went on to become the first human to run the 4 minute mile!

Anyone who wishes to achieve greatness in life must be prepared to pass through those four phases. Doing will make your success inevitable.

To Effortlessly Do More, Get Into Flow (Or The Zone)!

It’s been about 5 years since I wrote my 6,000 (six thousand) word article titled “Become a Habitual Peak Performer: Learn How to Get Into “Flow”(Or…”The Zone”) More Frequently”.

In that article, I explained what getting into flow (or the zone) means. It means entering a state of mind, that facilitates seemingly effortless attainment of optimal performance in an activity.

You basically arrive at an enhanced level of unconscious competence. And this will derive from having achieved a great degree of proficiency in the activity you’re engaged in.

People who get into flow while carrying out a task, often lose track of time. They simply lose themselves in the experience. Quote often, this happens because they derive great enjoyment from doing it. That makes them naturally inclined to get fully immersed in it, at every opportunity.

Your Best Work Will Happen When You Get into Flow

I’ve seen labelling machine operators routinely get into flow while operating their machines. It was always exciting to see man and machine work in such unison.

And they always turned out superbly labelled bottles!

Some people accidentally get into flow while engaged in activities they enjoy. And the exceptional performances they record shock them.

But since they seldom know how they got into that state of mind, they are often unable to reproduce those performances.

That’s sometimes why someone can get called a “flash in the pan” or “one hit wonder”.

The truth could be that s/he simply does not know how to tap into that hidden ability again.

It is for the above reason, that I always encourage people to learn how to DELIBERATELY get into flow.

What Environment Is Best For Getting Into Flow?

Others may differ on this. But what I say here is based on what I’ve achieved – and continue to achieve – in a wide variety of vocations, as a multipreneur.

You can get into flow anywhere, and at anytime, if you train yourself properly to do it. Yes.

Virtually everything you need to do so is right inside you already.

All you need is interest – passionate interest – in the activity or task in question. Then add to that sound knowledge of (and relevant practical experience in doing) it.

Once those are available, all that’s left is DISCIPLINE.

You must be disciplined enough to concentrate hard on doing the task, until you get into flow.

This means you’ll have to psychologically disconnect yourself from your surroundings, until you lose yourself in the activity you wish to complete.

That is the key to getting into flow – literally at will.

Take it from me – I do it all the time.

Getting Into Flow As A Writer/Developer, While Surrounded By LOUD Noises

Some writers (and people in other creative fields e.g. software developers) insist one must seek solitude and quiet in order to produce the best work.

That can be true.

But I always ask: What if your only source of power supply for your laptop, is a place where noisy people and loud music meet? (Yep. Been there and done that – gratefully too!).

Or what if you live with a music fanatic who won’t listen to your plea? Walking out of the house at 12 midnight in search of alternatives (with a client deadline looming) is easier said than done!

I have lived and worked here in Africa for the past 10 years as a writer, and spreadsheet software developer. Rarely have I found space to work free from disturbances, to do my writing.

As one who is married with 3 boys (now aged 14, 12, and 10), and 2 girls (now aged 7 and 3), I’ve worked from home for years.

I’ve never let it affect my work. Why? Well, I badly needed to get paid – which meant finishing it!

So I forced – trained?! – myself to write without difficulty even if surrounded by noise.

Training Yourself to Work Despite Distractions Can Boost Your Productivity

Instead of noise, the major constraint I’ve faced over the years has been poor power supply.

That’s why since moving from Nigeria’s Lagos, to Calavi – here in Benin Republic (where power supply is fairly constant) on 1st April 2013, I’ve dramatically boosted my productivity.

After pushing myself to deliver good output using 4 hours (or less) of power supply most days in Nigeria, I suddenly found myself having electricity almost 24 hours – daily – to work with.

From then on, I’d tasted blood…and nothing has been able to stop me since :-)

That fact has been obvious to my clients, associates and even friends. So much so, that some have asked me: “Tayo, but how do you do it?

What is most ironic is that very often I don’t even feel like I’ve exerted myself. And that’s because I continued getting myself into flow to do it. It’s an unconscious state of being.

When you’re in flow, you just DO it. You really don’t THINK about doing it.

To Get More Work Done & Still Feel Refreshed And Energised, Get Into Flow!

Whenever I have a writing project, I don’t wait to “feel” like writing. I simply sit down, and start.

By the time I raise my head again from the keyboard, I’m done. And I often feel great – not drained! You can learn to do the same thing.

Remember: To be able to successfully get into flow, and stay there as long as you need to, you must FIRST develop sound competence.

Whatever your vocation – be it writing, software programming, public speaking, or even sports, (as I explained in my article) – apply yourself with dedication to doing whatever it is you do.

Put your heart and soul into doing it. Seize every opportunity you can find to do it, until it becomes second nature. By then you’ll be able to do it, even when you’re woken from sleep!

By the time you get to that level, you’ll have made enough journeys into flow/the zone, to be able to deliberately repeat the process.

I can tell you this, because that’s exactly how I learnt to do it myself!

No. 96: Amaze Clients By Being Extraordinary!

What you’re about to read is a simple – but very effective – formula for impressing people who pay for your services.

People who do extraordinary things often get called “amazing”. If YOU can learn how to habitually deliver extraordinary results, clients will call YOU amazing! It’s that simple.

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter describes a 3-part strategy you can use to achieve that goal.

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 1st July 2013

No:96

Title: Amaze Clients By Being Extraordinary!

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my Speaking IDEAS newsletter.

10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind (FREE PDF DOWNLOAD)

E-mail your name, country, mobile number, occupation, & facebook/twitter URLs (if any) to tayo at tksola dot com, and I’ll send you a FREE copy of my detailed PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind.

Screenshot of PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind."

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN…

How to Make Drinks You CAN SELL, from Peels of Pineapples & Nine (9) Other Fruits!

 

No. 96: Amaze Clients By Being Extraordinary!

**** **********

NB: If you ever find yourself wondering what else I’ve written, some days after you’ve read THIS Speaking Ideas newsletter I send out on a Monday, here’s what you can do to find out: Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

**********

What you’re about to read is a simple – but very effective – formula for impressing people who pay for your services.

People who do extraordinary things often get called “amazing”. If YOU can learn how to habitually deliver extraordinary results, clients will call YOU amazing! It’s that simple.

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter describes a 3-part strategy you can use to achieve that goal.

1. First Agree a Scope of Work Using a FRS

In carrying out projects for clients, always agree a scope of work to guide you. This is always a good thing to do.

It gives a clear idea of what the client has paid for, and when it is to be delivered. That way, you avoid the uncomfortable situation, in which extra UN-PAID work, outside what was originally agreed, gets added to your schedule (i.e scope creep).

I learnt from painful experience never to leave that aspect untreated. As a result, today, most projects I work on for clients are based on a Functional Requirements Specification (FRS) document.

That instrument provides the formal basis, on which the client is to assess the final work I deliver.

And I found that clients who engage me often align their expectations to what we sign off on the FRS.

They rarely expect anything beyond what is on that signed document. And they also often accept that the job will be finished within the duration specified e.g. 20 working days.

2. Then Use The FRS as a Guide to Over-Deliver (3 Tips)

Now, the above state of mind YOU get the client into, is what eventually provides YOU with a unique opportunity to impress him/her. You just need to look carefully for those viable aspects to explore.

Here’s what I mean…

In the FRS, the delivery duration and specific deliverables (tasks to be accomplished) are outlined. As each one is delivered, the client is able to verify and tick it off.

Opportunity A: Firstly, what if you deliberately worked to deliver the finished work 5 working days earlier?

And I mean, the finished job – free from errors or defects that could cast doubt on your work quality.

Wouldn’t that be a pleasant surprise for the client? Quite likely!

Opportunity B: Secondly, what if you also threw in one or two extra services s/he knows would have cost a handsome sum, as a bonus – FREE?

Imagine you did this without saying you would. In other words, let it come as another pleasant surprise benefit to the client – who was not expecting it.

This would be a client who was already happy with what s/he was getting for the money s/he paid YOU.

Judging from my experiences, that bonus is like to make her feel even better about choosing YOU over any other person s/he may have considered.

Should the need to do so arise in future, it’s likely she’ll want to choose you, to feel that way again!

Opportunity C: Thirdly, what if in implementing tasks on the FRS, you went an extra mile for each one?

For instance, as Burt Dubin recommends to experts-who-speaker, after doing your normal program, you offer to do a FREE breakout session at no extra charge?

Or as a writer, instead of ten 700 word articles paid for by the client, you wrote twelve – and let her have the extra two write-ups at no extra charge? Plus, you made sure the articles you wrote were so good, that s/he could not help calling to say:

“Wow, they were all so beautifully written! I honestly cannot thank you enough. You’ve really exceeded my expectations. God bless you!!”

Wouldn’t that be a great feeling to have…in addition to that which would have come from getting paid your desired fees?

It certainly would!

I’ve had that experience more times than I can count. And I know it’s a great way to do what one loves.

Indeed, I’ve already had that experience many times since arriving here in Benin Republic 3 months ago.

Here’s an example in form of a real email compliment from a web marketing client in Cotonou:

Screenshot of an example in form of a real email compliment from a web marketing client in Cotonou:

3. Make Sure You Have the Competence to Over-Deliver In A Manner That Attracts Such Feedback!

To elicit such extremely positive reactions from clients, you must FIRST be really good at what you do.

The question therefore to ask is: “Are you that good right now?”

If you’re not, please DO NOT try to over-deliver for now. Instead, start working to improve yourself.

There’s a saying that “one must learn to crawl first, before trying to walk”. I recommend you do that…unless you don’t mind making yourself look like an ass :-)

Then again, some people actually learn how to be amazing that way too. It just happens to be more painful!

But if you are already reliably proficient at what you do, you can get started using this strategy I’ve described. Creatively develop variants to suit the way you work, or the people you serve.

Final Words: Be Consistent, and You Will Be Rewarded

This is a strategy I use with clients I serve, in my different areas of expertise e.g. Web Marketing Systems Development, Freelance Writing, Spreadsheet Solutions Development etc.

I developed my ideas mainly by studying and adapting advice provided by Burt Dubin in his writing, to suit my needs.

Burt used basically the same strategy, to rise from zero to success in real estate, sales/sales management, public speaking, and mentoring.

That’s why he strongly recommends delighting one’s clients in a similar manner i.e. by delivering incomparable performances, and unexpected extras.

Keep your fees intact. But give more than anyone who does what you do would in their right minds.

Do that consistently, and sooner than later, they are bound to call you AMAZING!

Need More Details of How to Make The Above Ideas Work for YOU?

If you need more specific details of how to make use of the ideas I’ve shared in this newsletter, send me a message using this request form – with “Re: Amaze Clients By Being Extraordinary!” in the subject line.

SD Nuggets Blog

New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking

[Monday]:

Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:

Self-Development [Wednesday]:

Career Development [Thursday]:

Parenting [Friday]:

Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:
Want me to write for you? Click here…

Click now

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement SpecialistTayo Solagbade – works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing  zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Entrepreneur.

He’s presently based in Benin Republic, where he’s preparing an English-French Language Guide, City Travel Guides, and a Commercial Rabbit Farming Guide.

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

For a limited time, Tayo is available to speak to your group or organization for a moderate fee. Send e-mail to tayo at tksola dot com. You can also visit www.tksola.com to learn more.

Connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

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Have you been undecided about whether or not to become a paid speaker? Or have you been trying to get your speaking career off the ground with little success?

Here’s a tip: Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters. Click here to visit his website NOW and submit a contact form message telling him what challenges you’re facing, and how you’d like him to help you. Tell him I sent you, and you’ll get a pleasant surprise offer from him.

Comments?

What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Please share your thoughts!

Share this issue!

Do you know anyone who might benefit from reading this newsletter issue? Why not hit the forward button now, and send it to him/her with a short recommendation. You can also use share it via your social media channels. Thanks in advance.

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What fears or doubts are keeping you from (a) taking up Burt Dubin’s monthly speaker mentoring, or (b) buying his products?

You can choose to purchase Burt’s mentoring at any of the three (3) levels listed below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Burt’s three mentoring packages can be likened to the seating options offered by airlines: Budget Delight (Economy); Mid Range (Business); and Top Shelf (First Class).

At least that’s how I like to think of them!

All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc). During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple :-)

So, make your choice:1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Send me an e-mail with your questions via tayo at tksola dot com. In the meantime, why not get started by subscribing here to get his 7-Part Course (How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker) .  . . and receive his monthly newsletter (Speaking Biz Strategies Letter) at no cost.

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