Some Audience Comments

Posted on October 4, 2011 by David DeFord

Edmonton, Alberta
David made for a very good two days of easy, fun, and interesting learning. Lisa

Des Moines, Iowa
I expected dull and drab. I was “Wow’ed” with the information. It was wonderful! Loni

Omaha, Nebraska
Had great tips! I’m excited to share with employees things I learned. Very informative and enjoyable. Jennifer

Enjoyed it! The best seminar I have ever attended. I needed this. Angie

David did a great job! I learned wonderful tools to help give better customer service. David was wonderful. Very informative and entertaining. Time flew by very quickly. Melissa

Had a great day!! It was fun and informative. Lisa

I’ve been to many customer service classes, but this has been the most enjoyable, with key points on how to make me a better customer service representative. Ronald

I’ve been in customer service 20+ years and came away with some valuable, workable tools. I enjoyed the day very much. Time flew by. Linda

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Prayer–Don’t Leave Home Without It

Posted on September 24, 2011 by David DeFord

Just finished a fantastic week speaking in Canada. I started the week in Edmonton, Alberta, then flew to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Here’s a picture I took of the convention center in Vancouver.

Canada Place in Vancouver

I loved the people, the scenery, the regional dialects, and unfortunately, the Aero Bars. My son Adam loves those Aero Bars. I bought one for him–and quickly ate it. I bought him another–then ate it too. So I waited until my last day to buy him another. I told that story to my audience on Thursday, and some of them returned from a break with three of them to give my son. I feel confident that I can keep them for him.

My alarm went off at 3 a.m. so I could make it to the airport in Vancouver in time for my flight. The customs process doesn’t take long that early in the morning.

I worked while I waited in the Denver airport for my connecting flight. They announced a gate change, so I found the new one. Then it changed again.

Finally I boarded my flight for home and realized that in my sleepiness and the confusion of the gate changes I didn’t have my laptop! I rushed off the plane and looked at the gate where I sat–no computer. I asked the gate attendant if I could be switched to a later flight so I could find my computer.

While she finished the boarding of my original flight, I fretted and fussed. What would I do without my computer. I have seminars to lead next week! Now’s not a good time to have to replace it. Wow!

So I took the action that after so many years has become automatic and second nature–I prayed. After about five minutes of praying for inspiration to find my laptop, I remembered the multiple gate changes. As I walked to the second gate, I saw it! As I picked it up the man sitting there said, “You’re lucky!”

I am lucky. I’m lucky that I was raised to pray. I’m lucky that I belong to a church that has taught me and has given me opportunities to grow my trust. I’m lucky to love my wife, my family, and my work.

And, I couldn’t believe it when the gate agent also gave me a $400 voucher for a future flight. I’m lucky!

Prayer–Don’t leave home without it.

 

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The Three Imperatives of Real Success

Posted on July 27, 2011 by David DeFord

As a result of my nearly 40-year study of personal improvement and success, I’ve observed a pattern. Highly successful people follow these principles:

  1. They take personal accountability for their own success.
  2. They act right away when prompted or inspired.
  3. They continue to study their craft.

Personal Accountability
We all choose our levels of income. If we want more, we must be more. If we want to be more, we must prepare.

Rather than blame our bosses, our companies, or the economy, let’s take personal responsibility for our situations.

Act When Prompted
Inspiration without action has negative value. It brings regret and lost time.

Inspiration with action brings prosperity. I don’t necessarily mean riches. With action we can prosper in our circumstances and grow above them.

Promptings have a source—and the source isn’t coincidence nor is it indigestion.

If we over-deliberate, we will often miss our opportunities.

Regret or prosperity, we get to choose.

Continual Study
Charles “Tremendous” Jones often said, “You will be the same five years from now as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

Highly successful people have huge libraries.

Prepare yourself for when opportunity knocks. Those who are prepared get the breaks.

Become a lifelong learner.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

SendOutCards Opportunity

Posted on July 22, 2011 by David DeFord

SendOutCards provides a fabulous way to keep in touch, to lift spirits, to express thanks, and to remember birthdays.

But it’s also a way to earn extra cash while you do good. In fact, you can earn a lot of cash.

My experience has been fantastic. I love the card sending, and I love helping other people get started. All I do is send cards, receive inquiries, invite, present, follow up, and train. I make $190 every time someone starts and I get a percentage every time they send a card.

This is a network marketing opportunity, so I also make $100 for every time one of my users gets someone started, and I make a percentage of every card sent by them.

Unlike most network marketing deals, SendOutCards actually costs much less than the retail competition, and pays well for the first person you help start, and for every person thereafter.

Robert Kiyosaki said, “Network marketing satisfies this generous impulse. It offers a path to personal success, to building great wealth, and creating financial freedom through a process that operates successfully only through helping our fellow human beings.”

That’s been my experience.

Let me know if you want me to show it to you.

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Following a Prompting

Posted on July 20, 2011 by David DeFord

Not too long ago, my friend Gerry and I found out that our mutual friend, Nancy, had fallen ill and required emergency surgery. We both agreed we needed to send her a get well card.

I returned to my office and immediately sent her a card using SendOutCards. I expressed my concern for her, and wished her a quick recovery. It took a couple of minutes to create. SendOutCards printed it, stuffed it, stamped it, and mailed it. And it cost me less than a dollar.

A few weeks later Nancy came to our regular breakfast. She gave me a tight hug and with tears, thanked me for my timely card. She said it arrived right when she needed it.

Seeing this, Gerry slapped his forehead, and told us that he fully intended to send Nancy a card, but just didn’t make it to the card store.

Since I was able to send the card in minutes it was timed perfectly. Being able to follow promptings like this one has been a great blessing to me and to many recipients.

Understandably, Gerry and Nancy are now SendOutCards customers and so are dozens of others who’ve received cards from me.

Let me know if you want me to show you how it works.

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Self Confidence–Essential for Success

Posted on July 14, 2011 by David DeFord

One of the keys to success is developing self confidence.

When we feel confident we’re more likely to speak up for ourselves. We feel less stress. We can effectively handle most any situation with poise. We spread confidence to those around us.

This principle was brought home to me early in my life. I was in a huge leadership position with little preparation and few skills. I did my very best.

One day I made a mistake. I internalized this mistake, and began to seriously doubt my ability to lead this big group. The overwhelming doubt led me to make more mistakes–more serious ones. My ineptness became crippling.

In the midst of this leadership confidence crisis I had a dream. Not just a dream, but one of those life-changing, meaningful dreams you never forget.

I dreamed I was playing basketball. I was really good. I could handle the ball like a pro. I could spin dunk, make every pass, and hit every shot. Larry Bird came to mind, but it was me! I hit a groove and could do no wrong.

But then I made a bad pass. Because of my error, I got down on myself, and started making more and more errors. I questioned every move; and in my hesitation, I failed miserably.

In my dream, the coach sent in a substitute for me, sat me next to him, and said, “If you don’t believe in yourself, I can’t use you.”

I immediately woke up. The emotions I felt stunned me and affected me deeply. I knew I needed to work out my confidence crisis or failure was certain.

As I began to study, I learned to change how I reacted to setbacks and mistakes. Rather than say to myself such thoughts as, “You’re so stupid,” I’ve learned to say, “Ordinarily I do better than this.”

The more I studied, the more confidence I obtained.

I challenge you to look past your mistakes and see your worth. You have greatness in you.

As my daughter Sarah once wrote, “Deep down every girl knows she was born to do great things. The trick is to find what those great things are.”

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I Couldn’t Believe It

Posted on July 12, 2011 by David DeFord

Since I fly nearly every week, I get to witness people at their best and at their worst. Sometimes I’m blown away by what I see and hear.

A few weeks ago, I was pleased to hear the captain announce that we were arriving in Minneapolis ten minutes early. He went on to say that the gate was open and that we’ll begin deboarding immediately.

Before I could say something my seat neighbor said, “Good Lord, now I have to spend extra time at the airport!”

I couldn’t believe that he felt distressed because we arrived early. Imagine his life.

In another experience, I sat in an aisle seat next to a lady who was vigorously scrubbing the window.

You know how those airplane windows tend to have that sticky stuff on them? She wanted her window clean! She asked the attendant for some alcohol wipes so she could  clean them, and proceeded to spend fifteen minutes trying to clean that window.

After giving up on that project she began working on the air valve above her head. It wasn’t blowing enough air. She asked the attendant for help and expressed her displeasure that it couldn’t be adjusted further.

She ordered water, and in taking her first sip pronounced her judgment, “This is okay.” She seemed surprised.

I become fascinated when people feel compelled to find problems and annoyances.

On the other hand, I’ve also seen people offering to trade seats so a family could all sit together. I’ve seen people buy food and drinks for military passengers. I’ve seen passengers help parents entertain tired and unruly children.

Let’s all look for the good things people do.

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Audience Comments

Posted on July 8, 2011 by David DeFord

Here are a few comments from audience members:

6/16/2011 Grand Rapids

David does a wonderful job connecting with his students and inviting them to share their experiences. Very engaging.

This seminar was a wonderful experience. I could relate to the information and will use many of the techniques taught. The presenter was realistic and shared many experiences of his own.

5/21/2011 Grand Junction

David is an exceptional speaker and teacher. It was a pleasure.

5/18/2011 Ft. Collins

David is a fine, appealing speaker–possessed of good humor, enthusiasm, manifest experience in his topic. I enjoyed this seminar perhaps more than any other I’ve attended.

Loved David’s attitude. He’s very upbeat, great sense of humor, and he knows his stuff! I enjoy working outside the workbook too. I can go home and read what’s written in it.

2/11/2011 St. Joseph, MO

Smart, welcoming, interactive, and thorough. Jacy

2/7/2011 Garden City, KS

I came here expecting to gain knowledge and tools to help myself in the workplace and my personal life. I did not expect to learn so much. I loved it. The speaker did a fantastic job. He has boosted my motivation to get a start or finish some things I’ve wanted to do. Julie

The seminar surpassed my expectations. I was able to re-evaluate my current situation and make a life-changing decision. Absolutely wonderful! Whitney

1/28/2011 Bismarck, ND

Interesting and inspiring – great presentation.

Wish I’d taken this two decades ago!! Great speaker, great seminar. Greg

1/27/2011 Fargo, ND

This was one of the best seminars I’ve ever attended. Aaron

11/10/2010 Grand Junction, CO

Best presenter I’ve ever seen. Carla

11/9/2010 Colorado Springs, CO

I think this is the best presenter I’ve enjoyed learning from. Katrina

11/5/2010 Bloomington, MN

Loved David!! Loved his comedy and upbeat attitude!! Shelley

David DeFord was great. One of the best seminar leaders I have encountered. Spence

11/3/2010 Eau Claire, WI

Very good speaker. Wish I would have had this seminar years ago. Kathleen

Attended Supervisor Leadership Series years ago. It was 14 full days. I learned more from yours in six hours than those days.

David is an awesome trainer. He gets people involved. We laugh a lot, but also learn a lot. Donna

Great, great class! Clayton

10/22/10 Springfield, MO

Fantastic seminar! Related to the audience and was interactive. Beth

David genuinely cares for people and it shows. Kevin

David DeFord is awesome! I’d love to come to another of his seminars. Kathy

The best I’ve been to. Joffrey

10/8/10 Troy

This seminar exceeded my expectations. I feel energized to be a better leader/supervisor. So many fresh ideas! Sherri

David DeFord was dynamic and interesting. He made the topic come alive.

10/7/10 Ann Arbor

I loved the instructor. He made it fun. He was engaging, energetic, and funny!

David has excellent background and was able to use examples from his past. Made me feel very comfortable asking questions. Susan

Great speaker, entertaining and knowledgeable. Karen

David DeFord was informative, personable, funny, direct, and gave great life experience stories. Sabrina

Speaker was not too loud or crazy—just right. It was comfortable. Kelly

10/6/10 Grand Rapids

Great! David DeFord was educational, entertaining, and experienced.

9/15/10 Omaha

This seminar was outstanding!

The instructor made the class very lively and enjoyable. Fantastic instructor!

9/13/10 Grand Island, NE

The seminar leader made the information we learned fun & a really enjoyable day. Carol

Mr. DeFord was a great presenter. Appreciated the question and answer sessions that allowed us to give examples and provide input. Gaylene

I really enjoyed the seminar. You make great light on a subject that can be really boring (grammar). You also kept my attention all day, which is really hard to do. Thank you. I wouldn’t change anything. Jennifer

David was very exciting and comfortable as a presenter. This can be a boring subject but he makes you want to learn and listen. Jody

David kept my attention—a miracle. All my grammar and punctuation questions were answered. Wendy

8/27/10 Springfield, MO

David has a great personality for sharing info and leading discussions. He obviously enjoys what he does, and enjoys the students, making for a pleasant day. Tom

I was very impressed with the level of interaction provided. I definitely got what I had expected from the session.

Leader was very easy to listen to. Able to get participants to share. Good seminar. Vaunda

8/26/10 Columbia, MO

David was an exceptional instructor keeping me and others in tune with the knowledge and purpose of our leadership. Teri

8/25/10 St. Charles, MO

I came in today with no prior knowledge because I fell into a management position. Because of David I feel like I finally have some knowledge I can use and a plan to put into action. Thank you for a very productive, informative day. Rebecca

Great seminar! David was great and very knowledgeable! I would definitely attend a class taught by him again. Monica

8/20/10 Omaha

I was very surprised at how personable the leader was. He was very engaging. His stories were great—very interesting, some funny, but all relatable to the material. It’s not something I learned and will forget tomorrow—I’ll always remember it. Melissa

David has great stories he applies to lessons—makes it very enjoyable. Pam

Very well spoken and liked the leader very much. Allan

David was outstanding! I am very lucky to have had him as an instructor. Deborah

8/18 Des Moines

The best seminar I have ever attended due to the content, presentation, and group involvement. Tom

David was very professional and sincere when presenting the seminar, and an excellent listener. Very enthusiastic in what he teaches. Penny

Mr. DeFord is very impressive and I will use his training to better myself at work and at home. Paula

I really enjoy David. I’ve been to several seminars with him as speaker. He keeps on track, adds humor, and makes me want to take more of the ones he leads. Joan

8/11/10 Sioux Falls

David was open and friendly—a terrific facilitator. Donna

Seminar leader is one of the most interesting people I have ever hear speak. Thank you! Brittany

David was very knowledgeable and explained things so everyone could understand. I’m taking some good ideas back to work with me. Renee

4/22/10

This seminar was perfect. Tabiola, Glenwood Springs, CO

David was excellent. I would suggest to anyone in a supervisor position to attend his seminar. Lindsay, Glenwood Springs, CO

I have attended dozens seminars like this for many years, but this one was by far the best I’ve ever attended. Mary, Glenwood Springs, CO

4/23/10

Very friendly and captivating speaker. Cimmy, Grand Junction, CO

The seminar was very easy to follow. Lots of information given in a fun, positive environment. Thank you! Grand Junction, CO

One of the best. Thank you! Pat, Grand Junction, CO

David was fun and enjoyable to listen to. Made the day go by too quickly. David gave good information. Edward, Grand Junction, CO

5/11/10

David was a wonderful instructor—very personable and pleasant. Jennie, Chicago, IL

The seminar leader was excellent! If I could, I would take every class that David taught. Heather, Chicago, IL

The seminar leader – David DeFord – was very knowledgable and kept the interest of learning interesting. I would like to take other seminars he teaches. Chicago, IL

5/13/10

As I felt the seminar content would be good for me, I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did! David is a great speaker! Lori, Madison, WI

Great speaker! Michelle, Madison, WI

Leader was very engaging. I had planned to leave right after lunch, however I decided to come back. David kept me engaged! Kelly, Madison, WI

5/14/10

Well delivered. Made a somewhat boring topic very interesting. Thank you. Appleton, WI

5/17/10 Ann Arbor, MI

Great seminar. Mr. DeFord is an interesting teacher. Very nice man – used humor well.

Content great, leader unmatched.

Best seminar yet!

5/18/10 Grand Rapids, MI

Excellent seminar, wonderful instructor. Michele

Really enjoyed David’s demeanor and teaching style. Janet

5/19/10 Troy, MI

The seminar was useful and enjoyable. David is a great instructor. Max

Great seminar leader! Dan

Great seminar, excellent leader – easy to understand, well organized and kept my attention. Kristina

David is an excellent presenter. I would like to see him again for another class. Reda

David was wonderful. I’m glad I came to the seminar. He was very professional and interacted well with everyone. Jennifer

David is an outstanding leader and I will look for future seminars that he is instructing. Rob

David was a very good speaker and kept all of us very involved in what he was teaching. Christopher

5/25/2010 St. Cloud, MN

Very well presented—allowed a lot of group work and personal interaction. Molly

Leader was great, down to earth. Materials were right on. Dave

I thought David did an excellent job leading this seminar. He used his life experiences as well as the attendees’ experiences to get points across. I really enjoyed it. Great job!! Tim

5/26/10 Bloomington, MN

Exceeded expectations. David is very energetic, personable, and educational. Excellent leader. Leslie

6/2/2010 Green Bay, WI

David is a top-notch presenter! Sally

6/3/2010 Wausau, WI

The seminar was informative and fun! I would recommend it to peers and authority figures. Tracy

Warm, personable presenter! Aaron

Very interactive, not dry or boring. Good examples of implementing ideas.

7/16/10 Cedar Rapids

It was enjoyable and beneficial. I truly gained valuable knowledge and a repertoire of tools to use in future situations. Keara

David was great! Time flew by! Janie

Well-paced, good illustrations, great sense of humor to keep the group interested and involved. Heidi

Boss made me come, but I enjoyed it and was able to get several ideas. Suzette

 

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Tell Them What You Want Them to Do

Posted on July 5, 2011 by David DeFord

As a member of the varsity baseball team in my high school, I came to bat late in a tie game with a runner on second and one out. I knew that Coach Brannon would instruct me to bunt. I needed to sacrifice myself so the runner could advance from second to third.

Coach called me to his side and he confirmed my expectation. “DeFord, I want you to bunt. Don’t pop it up!”

If I launch it, the defenders can catch it and get a double play on the runner on second base. As I stood at the plate waiting for the pitch I repeated to myself, “Don’t pop it up, don’t pop it up.”

What did I do? I popped it up, of course. The pitcher caught the ball in the air, turned to second base and threw. Our runner was nearly to third base by then, much too late to return to second.

The pitcher overthrew the bag and the ball bounced deep into centerfield. Our runner ran home to break the tie and I was spared great embarrassment and much yelling.

As I reflect on the instructions from Coach Brannon, I see the value in positive instructions over negative ones. I don’t know if the outcome would have changed, but if he had told me to bunt it on the ground down the third base line I would have had a different visual upon which I could act.

It takes practice to consistently give positive rather than negative instructions, but it can change performance.

Tell them what you want them to do.

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You Get What You Expect

Posted on July 1, 2011 by David DeFord

Each of us has driven through a parking lot looking for an open spot. After just a minute or two you may allow our thoughts to turn to the negative. You think, “I’ll never find a spot!”

May I suggest an experiment. The next time you’re looking for a spot, force yourself to replace those defeated thoughts with ones more powerful. Think, “When I turn this corner I’ll find an open spot.”

See what happens. Three of my Lincoln, Nebraska seminar participants tried this experiment two weeks ago. In arriving at day one of my seminar, they drove around looking for a place for several minutes. In response to my suggestion they changed their thinking the next morning from hopeless thoughts to confident ones.

“I’m going to pull into the garage and I’ll find a spot right beside the elevator.”

They immediately found open spots beside the elevator. They had tested my teaching and had proven it to themselves.

Yes, you do get what you expect. You can attract opportunities, sales, the right people, and even parking spaces. I don’t know how it works, but I know it does.

Replace your defeated thoughts with confident, hopeful ones.

Try it and let me know how you do.

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