DIig Your Well

Produced by Point to Point Communications,a subsidiary of Twin Cities Public Television

Presented by

1998, The Business Channel, L.L.C.

Participant Materials

SM

Harvey Mackay

Dig Your Well Before Youre Thirsty

How to Out-Sell, Out-Manage,

Out-Motivate, &

Out-Negotiate Your Competition

A satellite seminar

Dear Participant

Welcome to PBS The Business Channels satellite presentation ofDig Your Well Before Youre Thirsty: How to Out-Sell, Out-Manage, Out-Motivate, andOut-Negotiate Your Competition.

This discussion guide accompanies the presentation by bestselling author,

successful businessman, and highly sought-after business management and

motivational speaker, Harvey Mackay.

In the next two hours, Harvey will touch upon key concepts introduced in

three of his previous books: Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,

Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt, and Sharkproof. He also incorporates

valuable networking tips from his most recently published book, Dig Your Well

Before Youre Thirsty: The Only Networking Book Youll Ever Need.

Harvey draws from his personal experience as an active CEO for Mackay

Envelope Corporation, a prominent civic leader in Minneapolis, Minnesota,

and a master networker. Months from now you will find yourself recalling energizing

examples Harvey has amassed from world-class networkers such as Muhammad Ali

and Lou Holtz. Harveys aphorisms (sayings and adages) on relevant business concepts

have proven themselves true time and time again.

While viewing Mr. Mackays presentation, it is recommended that you follow

along and take notes in this discussion guide. This guide cues you to key learning

points. It includes reproducible sales and management tools and thought-provoking

discussion questions.

Get ready to be inspired by Harvey Mackay and his ideas on how to out-run

and out-do the competition!

1 Harvey Mackay


Harvey Mackay

Dig Your Well Before Youre ThirstyHow to Out-Sell, Out-Manage,

Out-Motivate, &


WelcomePat Miles, news anchor for the Twin Cities area, is the moderator

Fostering Creativity Valuing Continuous Improvement Boosting Self-Esteem Mastering the Art of Effective Networking Hiring the Right Person for the Job Managing the Workforce in Uncertain Times Seeing Perceptions for What They Are Mastering the Negotiation Process Being a Differentiator Visualizing Your GoalsFarewell

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Program outline

By participating in this satellite seminar with Harvey Mackay,

you will be able to:

Define the term networking. Cite the purpose and value of The Mackay 66 Customer Profile. Explain how to establish and maintain a Network Rolodex. Name a minimum of three revealing, highly informative questions to

pose to prospective employees during the interviewing process.

Identify a minimum of three tips for effective negotiating. Describe strategies for including visualization in your personal

and professional life.

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What you will learn

During the program...During the program...

Take notesjot down your ideas and inspirations for what you can do with this information when you go back to work.

After the program...

Read Harvey Mackays most recently published book, Dig Your Well Before Youre Thirsty:

The Only Networking Book Youll Ever Need.

The book may be ordered from PBS The Business Channel

by visiting our Web site at www.PBSbusinesschannel.com or by calling toll-free 1-888-822-8229.

Consider Harveys Aphorisms on page 26 Answer the discussion questions on page 28 Score Your Networking Report Card on page 30 Complete the Mackay 66 Customer Profile on page 34 Use Dr. Kurt Einsteins 20 Most Revealing Interview Questions and

Answers on page 38

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How to get the most from this seminar

Participant Evaluation

Harvey Mackay

Dig Your Well Before Youre ThirstyHow to Out-Sell, Out-Manage, Out-Motivate, &Out-Negotiate Your Competition

Satellite Seminar

SM

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Your comments about todays program are greatly appreciated. At the end of the program, please answer all questions and return this form to your site coordinator or mail to the address below.

1. Todays date: __________ Your city, state: ________________________

2. On a scale of 1 10 (with 10 being the highest), rate this program in terms of its educational value to you:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3. If asked to describe what you like best about todays program, which of the following phrases would you use?

knowledgeable presentercurrent important topicin-depth instructionactive involvementinteraction with othersgood participant materialseffective Q&Aideas for immediate usethe right length of timeeffective program flowother:

4. If asked to describe what you didnt like, which of the following phrases would you use?

program too longprogram difficult to followlack of local participationout-dated materialsboring presentationpresenter hard to followinformation not usableinadequate participant materialspoor audio/visual qualityuseless Q&A timeother:

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Please feel free to add additional comments on the back of this sheet.

5 Harvey Mackay


Harvey Mackay


6 Harvey Mackay


How to Out-Sell, Out-Manage,

Out-Motivate, &


1 Fostering Creativity

Harvey Mackays lessons

Some of the best people spend their most productive time looking out the window.

Creativity is crucial to any organizations success. As Harvey describes major corporations such as 3M and Cub Foods,

take notes on how creative ideas are encouraged and rewarded.

4 Personal Notes

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22 Valuing Continuous Improvement


Practice makes perfect . . . not true.Perfect practice makes perfect.

Practicing any task or process with inadequate or inaccurateinstructions only perpetuates mistakes and inefficiencies.

Embracing continuous improvement techniques and strategies enable

individuals to study processes, exercise creativity and critical thinking skills,

and take responsibility for working in a more productive manner.

4 Personal Notes

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3 Boosting Self-Esteem


Believe in yourself even when no one else does.

Achieving success requires taking chances and experiencing failures. Never give up. Recognize that if you want to triple your success ratio you

might have to triple your failure ratio. Use the space below to note other

relevant points made by Harvey regarding self-esteem and perseverance.

4 Personal Notes

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4 Mastering the Art of Effective Networking


Dig your well before youre thirsty.

Digging a well is no easy task. It takes careful planning and constant upkeep. The same holds true with establishing your professional and

personal network. Many people assume a solid network just happens or

can only be built by extroverts. Harvey has identified the following

as the ten Biggest Networking Mistakes made by people.

1. Dont assume the credentials are the power.Every outfit is different. No organizational chart can tell you

who is the real decision maker. You need a network to find out

where the power is.

2. Dont confuse visibility with credibility.Dont join any organization solely to advance your own interest.

Your motives will be as painfully obvious as a deathbed conversation.

3. Dont be a schnorrer.Thats Yiddish for people who constantly take a little bit more than

theyre entitled to. Save your big favor requests for the big issues.

4. Dont say No for the other guy.Dont presume that someone within reach of your network

would automatically say, No.

5. Dance with the one that brung you.When someone in your network comes through, dont be a stiff.

Dinner, flowers, a box of candy, or even a phone call is a must.

6. Dont mistake the companys network for your network.If youre going to keep your job, your network has to be as good as

or better than your own companys.

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7. Dont be slow to answer the call.Dont stall. Even if you never expect to have your effort repaid.

Remember that your network will be as fast broadcasting your failures

as it is broadcasting your successes.

8. It probably isnt just your network thats aging; its you.Make a genuine effort to modernize your skills and knowledge.

Catch the zeitgeist.

9. Dont underestimate the value of the personal touch.Small businesses must know how to network with their customers

and prospects by emphasizing a level of personal service and

attention that the big businesses cant.

10. If you dont know, ask.Even if you do know, ask. To compete, draft a questionnaire and

put it where your customers can pick it up.

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Now that we are familiar with the mistakes, what tips does Harvey Mackay have for building a solid network?

Heres a partial listing:

Your best network will develop from what you do best. People arent strangers if youve already met them.

The trick is to meet them before you need their help.

Keeping a Rolodex is a lot like getting dressed in the morning. It doesnt matter so much how you do it, it just matters

that you do it.

When two people exchange dollar bills, each has only one dollar. When two people exchange networks,

they each have two networks.

One reason that people are afraid to network is that they dontwant to hear the word, No. But no is the second best

answer there is. At least you know where you stand.

What do you have to offer that makes you memorable? What connects you with the person you most want to be

remembered by?

Networking is not a numbers game. The idea is not to see how many people you can meet.

The idea is to compile a list of people you can count on.

Out of sight doesnt have to mean out of mind. People drop out of sight for reasons,

usually the wrong reasonsjob loss, illness, divorce.

Dont let them get too far away.

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In a world where information, jobs, and even whole companies are transient, only your network is permanent. Safeguard it.

Your network is the best, most emphatic and most credible reflection of your success and your talents.

The old 80/20 Rule still holds true. Twenty percent of your network probably provides 80 percent

of the value. What have you done for them lately?

Youre never too old to start networking. And youre never too young, either.

I dont know what Ill be doing a year from now, but whatever it is undoubtedly will be based on the contacts

I made today.

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Many times people are reluctant to devote energy to maintaining their network. Surprisingly, they overlook the fact that

their day-to-day interaction with customers, colleagues,

suppliers/vendors, and neighbors is the foundation of their network.

They have already begun to dig their well.

Simply asking about and making notes of the achievements and

accomplishments (and unsuccessful attempts) of these contacts will build

the networks depth. Adding notes about personal and professional

activities, special interests/goals, and other tidbits of information reinforce

the strength of the wells structural integrity. So when its time to go

to your well, you will find it not only filled with contacts that go beyond

the depth of your well, but that tap into the springs that

feed your well. You will also tap into your contacts networks.

So how does your network rate? Harvey Mackays Networking Report

Card is found on page 30. After this program, take a few minutes

to respond to the questionnaire and assess your networks strengths.

Proactively establish a plan for reinforcing your network wells structure.


People dont care how much you know about them once they realize how much you care about them.

A valuable technique for assessing the strength and scope of your network is to keep records of your professional and

personal contacts. Salespeople often maintain a customer profile

for both existing and prospective customers. The profile includes

information about the customers business needs and buying preferences,

but also has personal data, such as, family description, education,

special interests, and lifestyle. This is the same type of

information that becomes invaluable when its time

to dip into your networking well. Merely expand the usage

of this profile to encompass customers, vendors/suppliers, colleagues,

associates, direct reports, neighbors, and even friends. A copy of the

Mackay 66 Customer Profile is provided on page 34.

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What are two of the most important words in the English language?

Answer:

4 Directions

Harvey Mackay is an advocate of creating and maintaining a

Network Rolodex. In the space provided, jot down tips for organizing the information stored on your personal Network Rolodex.

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4Rolodex File

5 Hiring the Right Person for the Job


Whats the worst mistake a manager can make?Make a bad hire.

The individuals employed by an organization are its lifeline. Without qualified, competent, enthusiastic individuals, an organization

cannot remain competitive.

Dr. Kurt Einstein, a renowned researcher of employee selection,

often suggested twenty questions that should be posed of

prospective job candidates. The questions and the manner in which

they are addressed by the candidate reveal much about his or

her character, values, and motives. The questions are found on page 38.

4 DirectionsIn the space provided, jot down tips for identifying and selecting

the most ideal candidate for an open position.

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6 Managing the Workforce in Uncertain Times


Its not the people you fire who make your life miserable Its the people you dont fire who make your life miserable.

4 DirectionsUse the space provided to note key, relevant points made by

Harvey Mackay regarding firing techniques and fostering a positive

workplace.

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7 Seeing Perceptions for What They Are


Things are not necessarily as we perceive them to be.

Perceptions and reality are not necessarily the same. For example, the composition of the American workforce has changed

considerably over the last thirty years, yet some peoples perceptions

are slow to recognize the change. As a result, they may be losing

opportunities to excel in the current business arena.

4 Personal Notes

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8 Mastering the Negotiation Process


Smile and say, No, no, no, no, no, no until your tongue bleeds.

Masterful negotiating requires common sense and practice. Read the list of tips provided below. From time to time

(particularly before sitting down at the negotiating table at a

car dealership), review the list.

1. Know About No. If you cant say Yes, its No. Dont sugarcoat it.Dont talk yourself into Yes just to seem like a nice guy. No one

ever went broke because he/she said No too often. The single

biggest tool in any negotiationis the ability to get up and walk away

from the table without a deal.

2. Authority. Always, always, before you start any negotiation, look beyond the title and make sure that the person you are dealing

with is in a position of authority to sign off on the agreement.

If not, dont deal until you can sit down with someone who is.

3. Risk. Go out on a limbthat is where the fruit is. Stretch to win: You dont say Whoa! in a horse race.

4. Pricing. Its not how much its worth. Its how much people think its worth.

5. Persuasion. The diapers we wore in childhood werent the garmentsof helplessness. They were made for a shark. They represent the first,

and probably the only time in our lives when we get exactly what

we want just by hollering for it. From the time we take them off, and

for the rest of our lives, we have had to figure out other ways of getting

people to do what we ask of them.

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6. Self-Interest. A deal can always be made when the parties see it to their own benefit. Whatever it is you are trying to buy or sell,

can be bought or sold if you put yourself on the other side of the table

and see how the deal works to their advantage.

7. Contacts. More deals result from who you know than what you know.And, its not just who you know but how you get to know them.

Always aim to build contacts on an even footing.

8. Contracts. The most important term in any contract isnt the contract.Its dealing with people who are honest. The old adage goes:

You lie down with dogsand you get up with fleas. Still agreements

prevent disagreements. Whenever someone says, Forget the contract,

your word is good enoughmaybe yours is, but his or hers usually isnt.

9. Follow-Through. We are judged by what we finish, not by what we start. Initiative is important. Finishative is vital.

Theres a place in the world for anyone who says, Ill take care of it.

10. Leaks. The walls have ears. Dont discuss any business where it can be overheard by others. Almost as many deals have gone

in elevators as elevators have gone down.

11. A Feel For the Deal. There is no more certain recipe for disaster than a decision based on emotion. Make decisions with your heart,

and youll end up with heart disease.

12. Information. In the long run, instincts are no match for information. The most powerful weapon you can possess in any negotiation is

superior information.

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13. Planning. People dont plan to fail, they fail to plan. Dig your well before youre thirsty. Planning also means taking notes, studying those

notes, and sharing your ideas with your colleagues. Top negotiators,

top athletes, and top poker players debrief themselves after every major

session. They always keep a book not only on themselves, but their

opponents. You never know when that information may be solid gold.

14. Listening. Many people hear. Few actually listen.

15. Over-Negotiating. Whether its a labor negotiation, an acquisition, or a real estate deal; dont deceive yourself into believing that just

because its negotiable, it has to be negotiated.

16. Timing. People go around all their life saying, What should I buy? What should I sell? Wrong! The right questions are When should

I buy? When should I sell? Time is almost always the sellers enemy

and the buyers friend. The longer you have the use of your own money

and control over the terms of any deal, the more likely those terms

are to improve. If youre the seller, beware the late dealer.

Feigning indifference or casually disregarding timetables is often just

a shrewd negotiators way to make you believe he doesnt care.

17. Reality Check. In any negotiation, the given reason is seldomthe real reason. When a customer says No based on price, money is

almost never the real reason. If you want to learn the real reason,

dial up a third party with contacts to the customer but without an agenda.

18. Reality Check II. No persons credit is as good as his or her money.

19. Greed. Be wary of the deal thats too good to be true. Beware the naked man who offers you his shirt. Never go for broke to get a

deal. If the customer cant or doesnt want to pay what the deal is

worth, you dont need the sale.

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20. Attitude. Your day usually goes the way the corners of your mouth turn. Your attitude determines your altitude. A dream is

always a bargain, no matter what you pay for it.

21. Arrogance. No one ever choked to death swallowing his or her own pride.

22. Positioning. They can always tell when you need the sale more than they need the deal.

23. Experience. When a person with money meets a person with experience, the person with the experience winds up with the money

and the person with the money winds up with the experience.

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9 Being a Differentiator


Put a little fun and creativity into your business and life.

4 Personal Notes

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10 Visualizing Your Goals


Visualization or fantasizing is the most powerful means there is to achieving personal goals.

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Harveys Aphorisms

Harvey Mackays years of experience in corporate and civic settings have allowed him to coin a number of aphorisms

or adages that have been proven true time and time again.

Here are a few gems that may brighten your day.

1. If you can afford to buy your way out of a problem

you dont have a problem.

2. You can take any amount of pain as long as

you know its going to end.

3. No one ever kicks a dead dog.

4. I dont care how many pails of milk I lose, as long as

I dont lose the cow.

5. I know that you dont know

but you dont know that you dont know.

6. Bass are where you find em. (Customers are where you find em.)

7. You cant saw sawdust.

8. If you cant forgive your enemiesforget em.

9. Its not what you eatits whats eating you.

10. The single biggest tool in any negotiation

is the ability to get up and walk away from the table without a deal!

11. Rotten wood cannot be carved.

12. If you cant winmake the person ahead of you break the record.

13. If you want to keep someone in the gutter

you have to get down in the gutter and hold em.

14. Nobody ever set a record competing against themselves.

15. Cream doesnt rise to the topit works its way up!

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16. Ideas without action are worthless.

17. My definition of pleasure

when you have to do something youre totally unprepared to do.

18. The pioneer gets all of the arrows.

19. My definition of moneyis something you can get more of.

20. There is no such thing as having a poor memory.

You either have a trained memory or an untrained memory.

21. Those who have free seats at the play hiss first.

22. You cant solve a problem unless you first admit you have one.

23. They dont pay off on effortthey pay off on results.

24. You always want to travel first class

because it only costs 90% more.

25. Knowledge does not become poweruntil it is used.

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Discussion Questions

Quite a bit of information was presented during the program. Naturally it is difficult to simultaneously listen, absorb, and reflect on

the content. Therefore, the following questions have been posed to

assist you in examining the concepts in greater detail and extrapolate

how you might go about applying key learning points from Harvey

Mackays presentation to your organization and personal life.

Many of the questions are thought-provoking. Most do not have

a right or wrong answer, but merely require you to ponderto allow

your mind to wonder and consider the possibilities.

1. Effective networking benefits both the individual and his or

her organization. How is that possible? How might an organization

promote networking? How might a mentor or a parent go about

coaching someone on the finer points of networking?

2. The most important principle of effective networking is to enter

the relationship with the mindset of what you can do for the other

person; not what he or she can do for me. How might maintaining

a network rolodex and an up-to-date personal profile sheet

help in your networking efforts?

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3. What experiences and/or training/education can be provided to

better equip managers to become more effective interviewers?

4. Negotiation skills are learned. Some people view negotiations

as a game of positioning and control. Cite examples during which

negotiation skills are important to your personal and professional

welfare. Prepare a strategy for honing your negotiation skills.

5. Write your own aphorism or select one of Harvey Mackays that is

particularly relevant to you.

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Your Networking Report Card

How good are your networking skills?

Answer these questions on a 1 to 5 scale;

1 being not true and 5 being very true.

1. I have a large network of people I can call on when I need help,

advice, information, or a resource.

1 2 3 4 5

2. When I meet someone new, I record and file information about

that person within 24 hours.

1 2 3 4 5

3. I add at least one new person to my networking file at least once a week.

1 2 3 4 5

4. I follow up with new contacts immediatelywriting a note,

making a phone call, or sending a clipping.

1 2 3 4 5

5. I keep track of special thingslike their family, hobbies, and

achievementsthat matter to my contacts.

1 2 3 4 5

6. I can easily find out when I was last in contact with someone

by looking at my networking file.

1 2 3 4 5

7. When I mail something outa resume, sales letter, change of

addressI can count on having correct name spellings, titles,

addresses for everyone in my network.

1 2 3 4 5

8. I know about and acknowledge special dates like birthdays,

anniversaries, and holidays.

1 2 3 4 5

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9. When I want to give a business gift, I can count on my networking file

to give me an excellent idea of what the person might like.

1 2 3 4 5

10. I make it easy for others to add me to their networks by providing

my business card, notifying them of address changes, and keeping

them informed about my career progress.

1 2 3 4 5

11. When friends ask me for the name of a good resource on

a particular subject, I am usually able to locate one from my network.

1 2 3 4 5

12. When the moment comes, I can usually tap into my network

to wow a prospect, a boss, or potential employer with special

information or an expert resource.

1 2 3 4 5

13. A particularly argumentative and hostile guy is holding forth at

a business receptionone youre hosting with two of your peers.

Hes not wearing a name tag, so you dont know who he is or

what hes doing there, and hes fixed on you as the prime member of

his audience. Do you:

a) Interrupt the tirade and ask him his name, rank, and serial number?

b) Wait until he stops to catch his breath and then ask for his credentials?

c) Listen, make eye contact, and gracefully excuse yourself to greet a newcomer to the room, promising to return. Then try to find out who this guy is, hoping hes just a windbag who drifted in to get a free drink?

If you answered c), give yourself five points; one point for b) and zero points for a). Why get excited about a cocktail pundit? Everyone has encountered this type before and they may be obnoxious, but theyre hardly dangerous. If hes a heavyweight, you dont want to offend him, so you will return and hear him out, and, if he isnt, the curtain will come down when the dinner bell gongs.

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14. You somehow come by a competitors list of resources, clients,

and P&Ls. Do you:

a) Read it and absorb as much as you can, and then ditch it

in the incinerator?

b) Photocopy it. Stash it. Read it and pass it along to you colleagues?

c) Put it in an envelope, seal it without reading its contents, and

make an appointment with its owner to return it?

d) Put it in an envelope, seal it without reading its contents,

and mail it back to its owner with an anonymous note reading

interesting stuff. We sure will be able to use it.

e) Use it to discredit the person who was careless enough to leave it

behind, thereby not only gaining the use of the valuable information

but disrupting your competitors operation?

Give yourself five points if you picked c). You have created

extraordinary goodwill, a clean transaction, and an additional network

ally should you ever need one. You also should consider resigning

your business position and answering a call to Holy Orders. Only

a candidate for sainthood could have resisted taking a peak. Id award

one point for choosing d). No networking value in this choice, but it

proves youre personally honest, anyway, even if you have a mean

streak. Picking a) or b) nets you a networking goose egg. If you

picked e), you get minus five points and a job working for Ivan Boesky.

15. One of your best friends in the business community is having a

corporate-sponsored seminar, and shes the keynote speaker. Frankly,

as much as you like and respect her, you know her message by heart.

On top of that, theres a competing seminar with well-known

keynoters whom youve never heard before and would benefit from

attending. Do you:

a) Explain this to your friend, expecting her to understand?

b) Pretend you went to her seminar and go to the other?

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c) Stick with your buddy?

Five points for c). Networks are as thick as blood. There will be

times and places to hear the hot shots. This is not one of them.

You go to her seminar because you would want her to go to yours.

Nada points for a), the dumb but honest answer, and minus

one point for b) the dumb but dishonest answer.

16. Youre in your favorite city away from home. As it turns out, you have

the entire day to yourself before you have to return to work. Do you:

a) Go to every art gallery, museum, restaurant, theater, and

sporting event you can squeeze into 24 hours?

b) Lock yourself in the hotel room and work the phone just as if

you were back at the office?

c) Pick out a likely but as yet untapped customer, call, cold and

unannounced, tell the customer you find yourself in town with

some free time and he/she is the one person you want to meet,

could you take him/her to lunch?

d) Same drill as c), except its an existing customer you havent seen

in some time, say six months?

Its d) for five points. Its a lot easier to keep an old customer than

it is to find a new one. Three points for c). Extra credit of two points if

you can combine a) with either c) or d). Why not kill two birds with

one stone and go somewhere special? Naked a) gets you nothing. If

you picked b) you get one pointpoor networking instincts, but great

work habits.

Scoring Now total your score for all 16 questions and rate your network:025 Your circuits are down.

2640 Youre getting some results, but theres still too much static on the line.

4155 Your signal is coming through, but it could be a bit stronger.

5669 Youre up and running. Keep it going.

7082 We read you loud and clear.

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Mackay 66 Customer Profile

Date _______ / _______ / _______

Customer1. Name __________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Company name _______________________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Home address ________________________________________________________________________________

4. Telephone: Business __________________________ Home __________________________________

5. Birth date _______ / _______ / _______

Place ____________________________________________ Hometown _____________________________

6. Height (approx.) ____________________ Weight (approx.) ____________________________________

Education7. High school ____________________________________ Year graduated ________________________

8. College _________________________________________ Year graduated ________________________

9. College fraternity/sorority _____________________ Sports __________________________________

10. College extracurricular activities _____________________________________________________________

11. If customer didnt attend college, is he/she sensitive about it? ___________________________

12. Military service __________________________________ Discharge rank ________________________

Attitude toward being in the service ________________________________________________________

Family13. Spouses name ________________________________ Occupation ____________________________

14. Spouses education ___________________________________________________________________________

15. Spouses interests ____________________________________________________________________________

16. Anniversary ____________________________________________________________________________________

17. Children, if any, names/ages _________________________________________________________________

18. Childrens education __________________________________________________________________________

19. Childrens interests (hobbies, problems, etc.) ______________________________________________

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Business Background20. Previous employment: (most recent first)

Company _________________________________________________________________

Location __________________________________________________________________

Title ___________________________________ Dates __________________________

Company _________________________________________________________________

Location __________________________________________________________________

Title ___________________________________ Dates __________________________

21. Previous positions at present company:

Title ___________________________________ Dates __________________________

Title ___________________________________ Dates __________________________

22. Status symbols in office __________________________________________________

23. Professional/trade associations _____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

24. Offices held or honors ______________________________________________________

25. What business relationship does he/she have with others in our company?

__________________________________________________________________________

26. Who are they?_____________________________________________________________

27. Is it a good relationship?__________________ Why? __________________________

28. What other people in our company know the customer? _________________________

___________________________________________________________

29. Type of connection? ________________________________________________________

Nature of relationship? _____________________________________________________

30. What do you feel is his/her long-range business objective? _______________________

31. What do you feel is his/her immediate business objective? _______________________

32. What do you think is of greatest concern to the customer at this timethe welfare of

the company or his/her own personal welfare? _________________________________

33. Does the customer think of the present or the future? ___________________________

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Special Interests34. Clubs, fraternal associations, or service clubs (Masons, Kiwanis, etc.) ______________

__________________________________________________________________________

35. Politically active_____________ Party ________ Important to customer__________

36. Active in community _________ How _______________________________________

37. Religion ____________________ Active ______________________________________

38. Highly confidential/sensitive items not to be discussed with customer

(i.e., divorce, AA member, etc.) _______________________________________________

39. On what subjects (outside of business) does the customer have strong feelings?

__________________________________________________________________________

Lifestyle40. Medical history (current condition of health) ____________________________________

41. Does customer drink? _____ If yes, what and how much? ______________________

42. If no, is customer offended by others drinking? _________________________________

43. Does customer smoke? ____ If no, object to others?___________________________

44. Favorite places for lunch ____________________________________________________

dinner ____________________________________________________________________

45. Favorite items on menu______________________________________________________

46. Does customer object to having anyone buy his/her meal? _______________________

47. Hobbies and recreational interests ____________________________________________

48. Vacation habits ____________________________________________________________

49. Spectator sports interest: sports and teams ____________________________________

50. What kind of car(s) _________________________________________________________

51. Conversational interests _____________________________________________________

52. Whom does the customer seem anxious to impress?____________________________

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53. How does he/she want to be seen by those people?_____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

54. What adjectives would you use to describe the customer? _______________________

__________________________________________________________________________

55. What is he/she most proud of having achieved?_________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

56. What do you feel is the customers long-range, personal objective? ________________

__________________________________________________________________________

57. What do you feel is the customers immediate personal goal? _____________________

__________________________________________________________________________

The Customer and You58. What moral or ethical considerations are involved when you work with this customer?

__________________________________________________________________________

59. Does the customer feel any obligation to you, your company, or your competition?

__________________________________________________________________________

If so, what? _______________________________________________________________

60. Does the proposal you plan to market to him/her require the customer to change

a habit or take an action that is contrary to custom? ____________________________

61. Is he/she primarily concerned about the opinion of others? _______________________

62. Is he/she very self-centered? ____________________________ Highly ethical? _______

63. What are the key problems as the customer sees them? _________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

64. What are the priorities of the customers management? __________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

65. Can you help with these problems? ________________ How? _____________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

66. Does your competitor have better answers to the above questions than you have?

__________________________________________________________________________

1983 Mackay Envelope Corporation, Minneapolis, MN

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Dr. Kurt Einsteins 20 Most RevealingInterview Questions and Answers

There are always more job candidates than there are jobs, so its a loteasier to eliminate unsuitable candidates than to attempt to find the oneperfect applicant. An interview is a kind of ritual duel, where the inter-viewer is continually thrusting and probing for information, hoping to drawblood, while the candidate is parrying, trying to stay alive. Every questionis a potential trap, where saying either too much or too little can be fatal.Kurt Einsteins comments apply to the interviewer. Harvey Mackays adviceis for the interviewee. (from the book Sharkproof)

1. What have you been criticized for during the last four years?KE: Its interesting to know what the candidate would admit to.HM: This question is a real test of your negotiating skillsthat is, negotiating as in,

He negotiated the rapids without tipping over in his canoe and drowning.You must provide something that isnt so serious as to be disqualifying yetnot so trivial as to appear that youre either concealing your flaws or takingthe question too lightly. Id give high marks to a candidate who came up withsomething like, I offered some ideas that I felt were constructive, but I wastold not to rock the boat; or I usually finished my assignments more quicklythan my peers and some of them resented it; or Id take courses at nightwhen everyone else was in the bowling league and I was told I was an odd-ball. Dont try these, though, unless you can back it up, because theinevitable follow-up request is: Okay, wise guy, prove it. I have to admit thatothers, like the National Business Employment Weekly, are quite critical of theLittle Ms./Mr. Perfect answer, like Im a workaholic, or Im a stickler fordetail. The answers I give here dont go quite that far, but they are border-line. They would advise shifting the emphasis off yourself with something likeIm learning to be more tolerant of the mistakes of others. If you ask me,thats a distinction without a difference. I still think weve got the rightapproach.

2. Did you agree or disagree and why?KE: If he agreed with someyouve identified an area of weakness; if he dis-

agreed with allan inflexible candidate, hard to manage.HM: Agreeing with some of the criticism seems to me to be a lot better answer

than agreeing with none of it or all of it. Only a megalomaniac thinks he orshe is always right and only a schnook thinks he or she is always wrong.

3. Where would you like to be in 3-5 years? 5-10 years? KE: Observe whether candidate plans ahead and sets goals.HM: Bag this answer: Id like your job. Its been overworked more than Officer, I

didnt know I was speeding.

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How do you expect to get there?KE: This will indicate whether the previous answer was truthful or programmed.

Ask them to explain in detail.HM: Get beyond the obviousi.e., hard work, or I plan to take lots of courses.

Be clear and specific as to how to meet the requirements and responsibilitiesand obtain the skills to execute your career plan. Theres a study you shouldbe aware of: Over a quarter of a century ago, an Ivy League university inter-viewed a class of graduating seniors and asked them if they had clear, spe-cific career goals. Three percent said yes; 97 percent said no. They inter-viewed the same group again after twenty-five years. The three percent withthe goals had 97 percent of the wealth. Two conclusions are obvious: 1) setgoals, stay focused, adjust your plan to meet changing conditions; 2) yourinterviewer is probably aware of the study.

4. What would you like to change in this job to make it ideal?KE: Why would he want to change it?HM: I dont think it should be changed. I do think it has to be mastered, and

thats an exciting and challenging opportunity. Obviously, at some point in mycareer, Id hope to be able to handle even more responsibility.

How would you describe the most or least ideal boss you could choose?KE: Indicates personality preferences. Indicates would he or she fit with future

boss.HM: Cute, isnt it? Particularly, since you probably dont have a clue at this time

what your potential boss is like. You should finesse this one a bit: Iveworked with hard-driving, demanding bosses, and Ive worked with bosseswhove had such a light touch on the throttle, Ive barely had any real super-vision or direction. I can adapt to any style. And then, move in for the kill:But, if you really pinned me down, Id say it would be someone who gaveme enough direction so I had a specific idea of what was expected of meand had enough restraint to let me do my thing without hovering over meevery step of the way.

5. What activities in your position do you enjoy most?KE: Indirect way of ascertaining areas of weakness.HM: If you have strong feelings about what you like best, youre also revealing the

oppositewhat you like least. What are good things to like least? Well, forone, bad morale. So, you might say, Being part of a winning team. Whowants to be part of a losing one?

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6. How would you describe yourself in three adjectives? KE: Delve for three negative adjectives.HM: Heres another loaded gun. Obviously, no negative adjectives need apply, but

even positive ones can have negative implications if theyre grouped in a waythat suggests a weakness. For instance, intelligent, efficient, reliable. Allgreat attributes, but when grouped together suggest an absence of humanqualities. Is this person arrogant and aloof? Does he or she get along withpeople? The grouping friendly, cooperative, a team player suggests finepersonal qualities but a possibly weak performer. Best to combine a fewvirtues to suggest strengths in both ability and personality, such as goal-oriented, likable, successful.

How would your subordinates or peers describe you with three adjectives?KE: What are the differences? Is the candidate sensitive to how other people see

him or her?HM: In my opinion, the correct response is to give the same answer you gave for

number six, and then smile sweetly and wait for the next question.

7. Do you think you praise enough? If yes, ask: What makes you think so?If no, why not?

KE: Secure people have less problems giving praise then insecure people.Psychological attitude toward praise indicates interest and ability to motivate.Development of self-esteem.

HM: I love to get it, so I love to give it.

8. What would you do if you detected a peer falsifying expense records?KE: Indicates passive or active approach. Common answers: a) Its not my busi-

ness, b) Report it, c) Give warning. Gives indication as to morality, honesty,and ethics.

HM: In my opinion, the first answer is so bad Id be tempted to stop the interviewright there and send the candidate home. If you cant even be trusted to pro-tect the companys interests against dishonesty, why should they hire you?This isnt swiping cookies out of your third-grade classmates lunch pail. Thisis the real world. So get real. The third answer is acceptable, barely. It finess-es the conflict between being a squealer and letting someone rip off youremployer. Understandable, but still weak. Two is best. Theres a fourthapproach, another finesse, which has the virtue of being a bit more proactivethan the third answer. Confront culprits point-blank and try to persuade themto change the erroneous report without issuing a specific threat as to whatyour conduct will be if they dont.

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9. What would you do if the company you had just joined gave you $3,000 to spend during the first year any way you felt appropriate?

KE: May reveal areas of weakness if job related, or poor attitude if not job related.Important question is WHY?

HM: The obvious answer is the right one: a job-related use, such as taking cours-es. But you must be prepared for the inevitable follow-up question, Why?because it is intended to probe for evidence of weakness, such as your lackof adequate experience or training for the position youre seeking. So be surethat if you answer education, the course work you describe is moreadvanced than that required for the immediate job.

10. If you had a choice, would you rather draw up plans or implement them?KE: Draw up: Has tendency to think, innovate, conceptualize, theorize, risk taker.

Implement: Has tendency to be a doer, follower (can be positive or negative).HM: Dont choose implement unless the major piece of equipment used in the

job you are applying for is a broom.

11. State three situations in which you did not succeed? Why?KE: Does he or she admit to any? Blame others? Is the candidate self-assured?

Has he or she learned from it, and if so, what?HM: Kurts notes spell out the elements of a winning answer. First, admit to having

failed at something. In my opinion, one example is too few: It suggests rigidi-ty, a willingness to make only the barest, most grudging admission of thepossibility of error. Three examples are too many. That response suggeststhat had the questioner asked for more than three, hey, no problem, youwould have been able to come up with whatever number of additional failureswere needed. Pick twoi.e., an attempt to get an A+ that netted only an A.Or a second-place finish in whatever. Hardly real failures, but admitting tohaving caused several total disasters is hardly in your best interests. Next,obviously, you dont blame others for your own failures. And, of course youare self-assured. Finally, what youve learned is to try harder next time, bebetter prepared, not to let defeat get you down or become a habit, and thatsucceeding is a lot better than failing.

12. When you fire somebody, other than severing them from the company,what would be your key objective? Why?

KE: Look for: It was deserved. Its beyond my control. Protect myself legally.Keep company image clean. Get inside scoop/grapevine. Or: Considersemployees feeling, shows sympathy.

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HM: I felt I was acting in the best interests of both the company and the employee in question. Follow-up question: Why? Follow-up answer: From the companys point of view, the employees performance did notmeet our standards and expectations. Despite repeated attempts to help the employee improve, performance was still not adequate.

13. What needs do you expect to satisfy by accepting this position?KE: This gives candidates the chance to identify their most important career

needs.HM: Your needs better track the companys needs pretty closely, or what youre

still going to be needing is a job. I would lean toward answers that stress the satisfaction of setting goals, achieving them, and setting new goals.Companies see employees the way track and field fans see high jumpers.Every time the athlete clears the bar, they want to set it a little higher for thenext jump.

14. What would you like to change in this job to make it ideal? KE: How does the candidate respond when an authority figure makes an error?HM: Heres the trick question of all time: question 4 is repeated here as question

14. Did you notice? If so, now what? Is this some kind of weird psychologicaltest? A memory game? Do you pretend it didnt happen? Is the interviewertrying to see if you change your answer? Do you correct him or her? Are youmade noticeably nervous by the interviewers error? Kurt doesnt give us aclue as to what the right response is, but my guess is that the only reallywrong ones is to overreact and make a big deal out of it. Id answer in totallydeadpan fashion: I think this may have come up earlier, and as I recall, I saidI felt no need to change the job itself; the need was to master the job as it isand then, if the opportunity arose, to assume even greater responsibility atsome later point.

15. We all fib occasionally. Would you say something that is not entirelytrue? Give me three examples when you did.

KE: Discuss: Significant, insignificant, borderline lies.HM: A tougher version of question 1. Again, this is to test your ability to walk the

line between the answer that is too revealing and the answer that is too con-cealing. But theres really a lot more happening here than meets the eye. Likequestion 14, this one is designed to measure how forthright and honest youare in your reactions to an authority figure. This time the authority figure hasnot just made an inadvertent error. He or she has issue a pronunciamento,

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a moral judgment set forth as a statement of fact. He or she has said thateveryone lies and everyone includes you, so the premise on which the ques-tion is based is: YOU LIE. All beautifully contained and concealed in this per-fectly innocent-sounding, perfectly conventional, perfectly legal, plain-vanillainterview question. Whats happening here is youre being tested not only onwhether you fib but whether you will allow a perfect stranger to say that youdo, when the person saying it can have a considerable impact on your future.Am I reading too much into this? Perhaps. Most of us do, in fact, fib. Butremember, this test isnt designed to provide employment for candidates whomost nearly correspond to the norm. Its designed to weed out average appli-cants and locate exceptional ones. I dont see anything the matter with chal-lenging the we-all-lie premise. Id answer as follows: Oh, I dont think every-one lies, or, as you say, fibs. In my life, Ive known people I believe never tohave lied. So I have to tell you, I dont think your premise is correct. I cannotsay I have met that standard myself and have never lied. I know I have. I willsay, though, that when I have lied, Ive tried to confine it to social situations.Im afraid not every baby Ive seen is movie-star material, and not every mealwhere Ive been a guest has been worth four stars in the Michelin Guide.

16. What benefits can be expected from threatening an employee to dobetter? When would you do that?

KE: If answer is other than NONE, probe further for candidate management andmotivational style.

HM: Threatening employees is usually not an attempt to improve performance. Itsa calculated prelude to discharge. The threat is used in hopes of thwartingsubsequent legal action We warned him or her, so the firing shouldnthave come as a surprise. No one is fooled. The hope is that the employeewill get the message and move on before the discharge takes place. AndTHAT is the only benefit of threatening.

17. If you encountered serious difficulties on this job, what would they be?KE: Ask for examples.HM: Threats are as common in business as coffee breaks. Employers threaten

employees. Unions threaten management. Management threatens unions.For instance, a customer threatens a supplier with replacement if punctualitydoesnt improve. The customer knows how inconvenient it would be to com-mit the time, money, and effort to find a new supplier and, even then, notknow if the new supplier would be any freer from defect than the old. Bythreatening, the customer hopes to achieve the companys goal without

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effort. Thus, a threat is very often a sign of weakness rather than of strength.Why hesitate to take the action announced if youre willing and able to actimmediately to achieve your goal?

18. What are three things you are afraid to find in this job?KE: Explore candidates FEARS (realistic or not).HM: Another attempt to get you to spout negatives and reveal yourself as a bun-

dle of psychoses. Since you fear nothing, you give the time-honored positiveresponse. Your only concerns are that you have the opportunity to excel, andsince your research has led you to believe this is the kind of place you cando it in, well, its not a concern at all.

19. We all have negative areas we would like to improve. Do you agree? Ifyou do, could you give me three areas in which you would like toimprove?

KE: Weaknessunderstanding of oneself.HM: Another we-aller but this time worded in such a way that youre given the

option of agreeing or not. So, now you can agree. Again, Id stick with pro-viding two instead of the requested three, on the theory that giving only oneshows arrogance and inflexibility and three is a classic display of wimpinessin going along with whatever the authority figure demands. And again, Id tryto turn the question around so you can give yourself the opportunity to playto your strengths and not to your weaknesses. Thus, you want to continue togrow professionally. While you are certain you have the tools necessary toperform the job in question, no one can have too much education nor prepa-ration, and youre going to continue to take self-improvement courses, boththose that provide professional training and those that are designed to helpupgrade personal and interpersonal skills. Secondly, you never seem to haveenough time to perform service work on behalf of others, and there are vari-ous volunteer organizations youre interested in, such as Boy Scouts, GirlScouts, and so on.

20. How do you motivate people? KE: a) Threat, b) Fear, c) Example.HM: Ive already indicated why I believe threats are overrated and misunderstood.

Fear works. Bob Knight, the Indiana University basketball coach, is a masterat goading players into performing. But what motivates a nineteen-year-oldcollege sophomore to excel in athletics over a brief, intense time span as partof a team, all of whose members have been equally abused by Coach,wont work in just any setting. Where the personnel are mature, experienced,

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and professional, they will not regard mistreatment and claims of absoluteauthority as a source of inspiration. One of the most powerful motivators ispeer pressure. Thats what the armed forces use to motivate soldiers. Whatmakes an eighteen-year-old kid risk his life in combat? It sure isnt becausehe thinks his second lieutenant is such a prince. Its because his buddies, theguys hes bivouacked with since boot camp, will think hes a coward if hedoesnt go with the flow. But peer pressure, despite its powerful impact as amotivator, is, like the other motivators, imposed from without, which meansthe values expressed are someone elses. It tends to work best on youngpeople, because their personal set of values is not yet fully formed, and theyare more easily influenced by others. I think the best motivator, the one that ismost likely to stick with you, even for a lifetime, is the one that comes fromwithin, the voice inside you that tells you to show em your stuff. If yourelooking for a one-word description of a truly motivated person, Id say self-starter. Sure, the spark that lit that fire had to come from somewhere. It canbe the product of your home environment, your religious upbringing, yourdrive to achieve success. But wherever that spark comes from, once itbecomes part of you, what you believe, then external forces are merely tem-porary, coming and going with the people who are imposing them.

Extra Answer: When do you think you have arrived? (Definition of success) KE: a) When I can collect Social Security, b) When I am president of the company,

c) When I have your job, d) I will never arriveneurotic need, constantly chaf-ing at the bit. Explain Compulsive Achievers. Difference between wantingand having to succeed.

HM: My definition is when youre rich enough to eat the heart of the watermelonand throw the rest away.

About Harvey Mackay

Harvey Mackay is chairman and chief executive officer of Mackay Envelope Corporation, a business he founded in Minneapolis

in 1960. Mackay Envelope employs 500 people and manufactures

15 million envelopes per day, with annual sales of $70 million.

Harvey is the author of Swim With the Sharks Without Being

Eaten Alive which was on the New York Times bestsellers list for 54

weeks and rated the #1 Business Book in the United States for 1988.

It has sold over four million copies worldwide. Sharks has been

translated into 35 languages and distributed in 80 countries around

the world. Its no wonder Sharks has been endorsed by dozens of

well-respected opinion leaders such as Tom Peters, Billy Graham,

Gerald Ford, Ted Koppel, Gloria Steinem, Robert Redford, and the late

Norman Vincent Peale, to name only a few.

In 1990, Harveys next book, Beware the Naked Man Who

Offers You His Shirt became his second New York Times #1 bestseller

within two weeks of its bookstore debut. Harveys third book, Sharkproof,

also became a national bestseller within weeks of its release in 1993.

In July 1997, both Swim With the Sharks and Beware the

Naked Man were named to the New York Times Top 15 Inspirational

Business Books of All Time.

Now, Harvey has written a fourth blockbuster book, this

time on networking, titled, Dig Your Well Before Youre Thirsty. In less

than three weeks it became Harveys third New York Times bestseller.

He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and the

Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Program.

Harvey is the past president of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce,

the Envelope Manufacturers Association of America, and the University

of Minnesota National Alumni Association. He also played a key role

in bringing the 1992 Super Bowl to Minneapolis.

He is an avid runner and marathoner, and former number one

ranked tennis player in the state of Minnesota. His greater loves,

however, are his wife of 36 years, Carol Ann, and their children David,

Mimi, and JoJo, and five grandchildren. Harvey is a nationally syndicated

columnist with United Feature Syndicate. His weekly articles are distributed

in 52 major newspapers across the country including the Arizona

Republic, Denver Post, Detroit Free Press, and Minneapolis Star Tribune.

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