Thinking Positive is Contagious


It is always good to know someone else is also thinking positively and trying to spread the word! On Monday (February 9, 2009) morning, like all weekday mornings at 8:00 AM, I received my email from The Emarketer Daily, a must-read for me every day.

Monday’s topic: Commentary from Geoff Ramsey (CEO and co-founder): How Staying Positive Is Good for Business. I was thrilled to just read the headline. The first three paragraphs made me feel even better. Mr. Ramsey wrote:

We’re bombarded by it every day of the week. The news media is shoveling a constant stream of bad news to us in the form of economic reports, surveys of plummeting consumer confidence levels, company layoffs, negative earnings announcements and decimated marketing budgets.

This drip, drip, drip creates a tremendous imbalance in our perspective. And since the news is fueled by a very real economic crisis, many of us are prone to see the glass as not just half empty, but 98% empty. But that’s not a recipe for success, or even survival.

The answer lies in seeking a balance—anchoring yourself to reality while focusing on every glimmer of hope and opportunity you can find.

(To read the complete article, please visit: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1006915)

This morning (Tuesday) something I heard on the “Mike & Mike in the Morning Show” on ESPN Radio (my morning radio listening in the car) made me feel good. With all the negative news, both in and out of the sports world, ESPN Radio is dedicating this week to something positive in the world of sports and calling it A Celebration of Sports!

Yes, it is a coincidence that within a few days of my thoughts on Something Positive, I am reading and hearing similar sentiments from others.

Thinking positive is contagious. Spread the word…

Something Positive


Yes, the economy is in shambles. We are all aware of this solemn fact. Many of us are experiencing the devastation every hour, every day. And, just to make sure that we do not lose sight of this fact, the media ensure we receive minute by minute, blow by blow updates.

Negativity pervades. It is in the air everywhere, and even if one is fortunate enough to not feel the impact, just the process of osmosis ensures we feel doomed.

Very few are doing anything positive to make a change, or try to make a change. It is not easy, but till an attempt is made, we will never know.

The Chicago Campus of the University of Phoenix wants to try. Try to be of help to small and medium-sized businesses by providing valuable insights into how to cope with today and plan and implement pragmatic changes.

Under the executive sponsorship of Dr. Marty Berman, Director of Academic Affairs, University of Phoenix Chicago Campus, a group of practitioner faculty members, loosely organized as The 21C Group, will offer an Interactive Business Forum Series to business leaders in the community.

The Interactive Business Forum Series has been developed for the express purpose of influencing business leaders into a positive thinking mode and guiding these leaders toward actionable business solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. The IBF Series will be led by a group of top-notch practitioner faculty having a pulse on the day-to-day happenings in the global economy, and practice what they preach to stay ahead of the curve.

The mission of the IBF Series is to help businesses with the timely dissemination of knowledge and wisdom, and the vision is to continuously offer business leaders pragmatic solutions to survive and prosper.

This forward-thinking, pragmatic forum where business leaders can gain ideas for implementing 21st Century business practices will be launched on Friday, February 20, at the Schaumburg (northwest suburb of Chicago) campus of the University of Phoenix, and will be offered at no cost to business leaders.

“Planning for the Unthinkable: Creating Resiliency in the Face of Constant Change” will be the topic for the inaugural Interactive Forum, and will be facilitated by Dr. Reginald Gardner and Mr. Ray Benedetto, two members of the MBA faculty who are also consultants and guides to local business leaders.

Yes, this is a positive step. A small step, yet very positive. Practical Thinking.

Dr. Marty Bermann and the University of Phoenix have to be commended for taking this initiative. Only good can result.

I must also state here, I am part of the University of Phoenix faculty. I teach marketing courses to MBA students. And, I will (along with Mr. Mike Yesner, a colleague) be facilitating the second IBF on March 20: “The Essence of Branding & Marketing your Brand.”