The Power of WHO! FEATURED IN SPORTS TRAVEL MAGAZINE

Since 1997, SportsTravel Magazine has served the sports-related travel and event industry. It is the only publication written and designed to serve the people who organize and manage sporting events of all types at all levels.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

You’ve Got Who! Perhaps you’ve gotten the phone call yourself recently. Someone you know has lost his or her job and is calling to ask if you know of anyone who’s hiring or if they can use you as a reference. With the current state of the economy and the massive layoffs that have resulted, that type of scenario has become all too commonplace. According to Bob Beaudine’s new book, “The Power of WHO,” the first place to start with a job hunt of any other of your life’s goals is with those people you know the best.Beaudine owns one of the nation’s preeminent executive search firms specializing in the sports and entertainment industries, Eastman & Beaudine, and served as a presenter at TEAMS 2007 in Louisville. As an executive recruiter, he hears from thousands of people every year who are unhappy in their jobs or are looking for work. In “The Power of WHO,” Beaudine says that too often people focus on the “what” (what they want) at the expense of the “who” (the friends or friends of friends who can help them accomplish their goals). Beaudine suggests that the first step for anyone looking to change careers or pursue other major goals should be t make a list not of everyone you know but a dozen of your best friends. From that list, select your three closest friends and your one best friend. These 12 make up your inner circle. But having an inner circle and constructing a list of your 12 closest friends will itself not lead to your dream job or the attainment of your goals if those people are not aware of what it is you’re pursing.

Beaudine writes that most people never get what they want for three reasons:

1. They don’t ask. No one can help if they don’t know what you want.

2. When they do ask, they ask the wrong people. For some reason, people are uncomfortable asking their “who” for help. As a result, they’ll ask almost anyone except their friends, who are the only ones with a motive to help.

3. When they do ask for help, they ask too vaguely. Even if I’m motivated to help a friend, I can’t do it when I don’t know what he or she wants.

In “The Power of WHO,” Beaudine also suggests the use of what he calls the “100-40 Strategy” In this case, you should make a longer list of your friends (100 maximum) and a list of 40 things you want to accomplish (or if you’re hunting for a job, 40 places you would love to work). As Beaudine notes, the exact numbers are less important than the concept of putting your goals in writing so that your wider circle of friends can help you attain them. With each of your 100 friends becoming your proponent in their own circle of friends, you will now have the potential to connect with up to 10,000 people who can help you achieve your dreams.Beaudine also points out the importance of reaching out and reconnecting with your “community of friends.” But he is quick to note that for “The Power of WHO” to work, you must offer assistance at least as often as you ask for it. Not only will his approach produce results for your business or career, Beaudine says, “More importantly, you will grow closer to the people who should matter the most to you—your friends.” For more information or to order “The Power of WHO,” please visit the Media Zone at www.SportsTravelMagazine.com . As Beaudine notes, staying in touch with your network of friends is critical to achieving the success you’re hoping for. One way to do that is through industry conferences, such as the TEAMS Conference & Expo. For sports-industry veterans, TEAMS 2009, October 13-17 in New Orleans, is an opportunity to reconnect and revitalize your existing relationships. For sports-industry newcomers, it’s the perfect place to add your community of friends. For more information, see the ad on page 25, visit www.TEAMSconference.com or call us toll-free at (877) 577-3700.

Tim SchneiderPublisher and Editor