All of this is happening in the wake of the Tiger Woods debacle, which happened to include an incriminating voicemail Tiger had left on his mistresses’ phone.

(A piece of advice: If you’re golfing legend Tiger Woods and you need to ask someone to change a voicemail message so your wife doesn’t find out about your affair, don’t leave that request in a voicemail. And definitely don’t start the message with “It’s me, Tiger.”)

Here are two different examples of wealthy, famous individuals who both have a lot to lose from the public knowing about their affairs. And what did they both do?

They handed someone they couldn’t trust a lever.

What’s a lever?
A lever “will lift, pry, or force an object to respond through the proper distribution of pressure,” according to the book, Games Criminals Play by Bud Allen and Diana Bosta. In the book, the authors outline how criminals manipulate people. For example, inmates create a setup against a corrections officer in order to gain leverage over that individual. It usually has to do with getting them to bend the rules slightly, like by sharing a cigarette with the inmate (which is against the rules within prison). They then threaten to report the guard for the infraction unless some other favor is done for the inmate. The situation can continue to escalate, leading to serious crimes like having the guard smuggle drugs or weapons into the prison.

If you’ve ever read a news story about a prison guard risking their job and their family by doing something serious like this and wondered why they would do it, this book outlines the process the probably led up to it.

Not Just For Corrections Officers
I’m assuming not too many readers of this blog work in a prison. But I share this book because I consider it recommended reading for everyone. It outlines some basic principles of human behavior and psychology, describing a sequence of events that can lead to people being manipulated and doing things they would have never imagined. And it usually starts by handing someone a “lever” that can be used against them.

And it’s not just celebrities that make these mistakes.

Obviously, whenever someone cheats on their partner, they are handing a great deal of power to the individual they cheat with. But it applies on a smaller level too. When you tell a co-worker you weren’t really sick when you called in the other day, you handed them a lever. When you engage in gossip about someone, you hand a lever to the person you’re sharing with. Most of the time the lever is never used. But by continually handing them out, you’re increasing the chances that it will be.

Don’t be manipulated.
Games Criminals Play describes various setups and how they are used to influence people’s behavior. A lot of colorful language is also used to describe the process, like lever, ducks, stings, and protectors (I won’t spoil it by explaining what each one means). There are also a few entertaining case studies that describe actual events and situations. It’s a great book and has a lot to share about making sure you aren’t being manipulated.

So the next time someone mentions the great work you’re doing and how it’s obvious your boss doesn’t appreciate you, ask yourself: Are they just looking for a lever?

There are various excuses as to why people haven’t included a photo. The most common seems to be that it could become a point of discrimination for a recruiter, as it reveals your ethnicity and approximate age. Since these would all be obviously revealed when they meet you in person, it shouldn’t be much of a concern.

There are many reasons to make sure you include an appropriate headshot with your profile. This could be a long list, so I’ll focus on just three reasons.

1. You will instantly stand out from the crowd.
LinkedIn includes the profile photo in all searches, messages, and job inquiries. About 40% of LinkedIn profiles don’t have a photo on their profile. So by adding one, your profile would already stand out above nearly half of all other users.

2. It adds personality and authenticity to your profile.
Giving users too much creative control over profiles can lead to disaster (MySpace, anyone?), so most popular social networking sites use a standardized look and feel for all user profiles. This means that your photo is the only opportunity you have to visually differentiate your profile from others. A photo-less profile looks cold and sterile. And though it sounds obvious, a photo shows that your profile represents a real person.

3. It creates a sense of visual recognition.
People react more openly to familiar faces than unknown ones. It is hardwired in our brains, a remnant from a time when recognizing faces was an important part of survival. When a recruiter, potential employer, or professional contact sees your photo on LinkedIn, their brain will consider you “familiar” when they meet you in person, causing them to drop their guard a bit.

LinkedIn considers adding a photo a requirement for your profile to be considered 100% complete. There is a reason for this: It makes your profile more effective.

If you don’t have one, go find a professional-looking headshot of yourself and update your profile now.

A lot of what I shared and had planned to share still applies, and there was one tenet of the BOTG philosophy that I still find myself repeating constantly. I thought it would be helpful to share it on this blog as well.

Troops are the Nation
It was a quote that came from Vietnam Veteran turned author, Colonel David (Hack) Hackworth, and appeared in his book Steel My Soldiers’ Hearts (I read many of his books, so I may be mixing this up). He was discussing that when troops are deployed on foreign soil, they not only have a job to do, but they are there representing their country. Their demeanor and the way they conduct themselves in front of the local population will do more to influence the opinion locals have of the troops’ nation than a politician’s words ever could. Regardless of what is said in speeches, or what the press and media report on, one personal interaction with a soldier will forever color someone’s viewpoint, whether it is a positive or negative experience.

The same applies to your customers. Whether they are dealing with a sales person, a customer service operator, or an employee working your trade show booth, the experience a customer has with a representative of your company will define their impression of your business forever.

To put it another way, Employees are the Brand.

No amount of advertising, or brand positioning documents, or CEO interviews will be as powerful as a personal interaction. When you put someone on the frontline and they are interacting with your customers, they are the most powerful piece of marketing you have. How that representative has been treated by your company, how informed they are about your product or service, and how they conduct themselves will all determine whether they provide the customer with a positive experience or a negative one.

Always make sure that the people on your frontline are representing your company in a positive light. And for an entrepreneur or small business, this usually means you. How you conduct yourself and the impression you leave on others will be the single biggest determining factor of whether or not you are successful.

While many businesses spend the time and money to craft the perfect message, too many aren’t thinking about their frontlines. Make sure the people you have on the front are delivering an experience that supports what it is you are trying to say.

I will leave the workings of the universe aside for a moment, and focus this discussion solely on the world of business and marketing. Whether you are dealing with professional colleagues or your customers directly, the decisions you make and the manner in which you conduct yourself can have a powerful impact on your success.

Spreading the love in your industry
A common piece of networking and job search advice is to connect with others and help them out when times are good, so that they are more willing to help should you need something down the road. Even if that day never comes, these good deeds will give you a reputation for helping others and for being a “good guy” (or gal). People appreciate when others look out for them and will go out of their way to find an opportunity to return the favor. It will also keep you on the top of their minds as new opportunities arise.

It’s important that you treat everyone with respect and do what you can to dole out favors and help out when you can. It is not always obvious who is in a position to reciprocate. Roles are always shifting and changing. That intern in your office may switch jobs and become your customer. The boss you have been working to align yourself with may decide to drop it all and spend his days sailing around the world. Treating everyone with a basic sense of respect will ensure you are always taken care of.

Caring about customers
Of course, this isn’t a new idea. In the classic film Miracle on 34th Street, we see Macy’s employee Kris Kringle send customers to the competition, Gimbel’s, when Macy’s doesn’t have a specific item in stock. Ultimately, this makes customers more loyal to Macy’s (and we all know how it ended for Gimbel’s.) This may be just a movie, but it makes an important point. When customers believe you care more about making them happy than just collecting their money, they will value your relationship with them. You will always be the first one they turn to when they need something.

You will also be banking that karma for a rainy day. Eventually, you will slip up. An order will vanish, or a product will fail to meet a customer’s expectations. A sense of goodwill towards you will cushion the blow and will likely provide an opportunity for you to make things right without harming the relationship and losing the customer.

It’s not easy to do this. It requires a lot of time and effort. But planting seeds of goodwill is an effective way to grow your business and your career. It is probably one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies you can employ.

So go out there and spread the love. You’ll be surprised how quickly it will come right back.

He walked away, then returned about a minute later, and made me promise to followup. He said that when he shares his contact information with someone at a tradeshow, he will often never hear from them again. And he isn’t the only person who has told me this. I have had many people share similar stories. Imagine, a potential customer who is interested in your product feeling they have to beg you to call them!

Over the years, I have also met many people at conferences or events that have made a point to introduce themselves to me and ask for my business card, only to never call or email later. I admit, I have also done the same thing at times.

Networking isn’t easy. Getting sales leads is even harder. It takes time, and usually money. After all, exhibiting at a tradeshow (even on a small budget) isn’t free. And tickets to a conference or event can be pricey. To spend all the time, effort, and capital to generate sales leads or network with others, only to fail in your follow-through is a massive waste of time for everyone involved.

How good is your follow-through? As good as it should be?

The problem is that most of us lack a process for following up. For example, when you are preparing for a tradeshow, your first instinct is to plan for the show itself, and focus on capturing leads from attendees. What to do afterwards doesn’t seem as pressing. However, you should be putting just as much thought (or more!) into planning your followup process before you even step foot in the show. That way, you will know exactly what needs to be done when you return.

Similarly, when you are at a networking event, you are in networking mode, meeting people and swapping info. But the next day, you have already switched gears. Without a firm followup plan in place, there is a good chance you will never reach out to the contacts you made and never forge the types of relationships that can help you later on.

Finish what you started
For networking, try this tip. Before you attend an event or conference, schedule a block of time in your calendar specifically for reaching out to people you met. Don’t plan it for the first day you are back in the office, as you are likely to be swamped. Plan it for 2 or 3 days later. Send a short but personal note, and add a specific detail or two, referencing the conversation you had. It will help them remember you, and will show you were paying attention (Another tip: when you talk to someone, pay attention!). If you are a LinkedIn user, consider sending them an invite to connect.

Follow-through should be the easiest part of forming new business relationships, but all too often it is overlooked. Whether you work for a company or are your own boss, perfecting your followup process will help your business, open new doors, and lead to more opportunities. And best of all, it’s usually free.