Shawn Morrow

I believe that it is in the toughest of times that true leaders emerge. Given the current environment that we are faced with our industry is in need of leaders more than ever. John Maxwell has identified 10 attributes that a great leader posseses and lives by in a challenging climate. ( From "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell)

Positiveness: The ability to work with and see people and situations in a positive way.

Servanthood: The willingness to submit, play team ball, and follow the leader.

Growth Potential: A hunger for personal growth and development; the ability to keep growing as the job expands.

Follow Through: The determination to get the job done completely and with consistency.

Loyalty: The willingness to always put the leader and the organization above personal desires.

Resiliency: The ability to bounce back when problems arise.

Integrity: Trustworthiness and solid character; consistent words and walk

"Big Picture" Mind Set:The ability to see the whole organization and all of its needs.

Discipline: The willingness to do what is required regardless of personal mood.

Gratitude: An attitude of thankfulness that becomes a way of life.

“Effort is Admirable, Achievement is Essential” by Mike Staver, CSP, professional speaker and coach This is what I heard the Fortune 500 CEO, John Chambers of CISCO Systems, say just before I went on to speak. I could have just stood up and said, “Well, that just about sums it up folks. Thanks for coming!” I didn’t, of course, but he did pretty much say it all in that small sentence. I am so, so tired of our culture getting softer and softer around achievement. It is fair to say that the pendulum has swung far too far in the “well, at least they are trying” direction! ‘Trying’ doesn’t get it done. Every kid on the team DOES NOT deserve a trophy because they tried or just showed up. That’s just not the way the world works. May I suggest that we get back to achievement as a primary indicator of success? Granted, achievement can be defined in many ways, but just trying is not enough. ‘At least you made the effort’ is not a compliment. ‘It’s the thought that counts’ is weakness. To what extent do you sometimes hide behind the ‘at least I tried’ excuse? How often do we feel bad when everyone doesn’t feel good? It’s normal and necessary to fail; to miss the mark; to fall short. It’s what teaches us and allows our minds to stretch. Get back to feeling the strain and stretch that real achievement requires! Aggressively shed the need and desire to feel comfortable and get about achieving. Here’s how: 1. Get clear about what achievement looks like. 2. Set a measurable goal around it so when the time comes you have clarity around the achievement. 3. Set the target at an uncomfortable reach/distance. Make yourself feel the stretch. 4. Surround yourself with people that drive you and cradle you. 5. Develop intolerance for simply making the effort. 6. Go crazy celebrating when achievement is realized!

AUSTIN, TEXAS (December 21, 2009) — Keller Williams Realty joined the ranks of the top franchises in the world last week, when the company was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine. During the same week, the company was also voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report. “The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is a respected source for the real estate industry and beyond, as is Entrepreneur magazine, and we are excited to see our agents honored in this way for all of their hard work,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Keller Williams Realty. “We certainly wouldn’t have been included on either list without the dedication and resolve of our agents.” According to the ranking in Entrepreneur magazine, the most important criteria to determine the top franchises included financial strength and stability, as well as growth rate and size of the franchise system. The magazine also looked at the number of years the company has been in business and the length of time it’s been franchising, in addition to start-up costs and financial data. Additionally, Keller Williams Realty made an impressive showing on the overall list, placing higher than any other real estate franchise. The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is published by Stefan Swanepoel, a real estate industry speaker and insider. The survey was crafted to determine the Most Recognizable Brand for Real Estate Franchises for his report out in February 2010. The survey included votes cast by 11,000 plus real estate agents, who cast 390,000 votes to select the top 10. Earlier in the year,Keller Williams Realty also received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms from J.D. Power and Associates for the second year in a row. “We are extremely proud that our associates and company are being recognized for our strength and stability during this time in our industry,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO, Keller Williams Realty. “We attribute our success to being in business with phenomenal people and to our core business models, which have allowed our franchises to thrive during any market

This story appeares courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Sands shifts to Bethlehem casino

The slots parlor at the ex-steel plant will be the sole U.S. gambling site bearing the famed name.

Associated Press

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The $800 million slots parlor to be built on the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant will be named the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, reviving the Sands name for American gamblers.

Bethlehem's casino will be the only one in the United States using the Sands name. There is one in China and another under construction in Singapore.

"This is a great opportunity to reintroduce the brand in the United States for gaming," casino president Robert DeSalvio said Friday. "All in one, we get a wonderful city, a great brand, and a good locational identifier."

The famed Sands casino in Las Vegas, which opened in 1950 and was frequented by Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., was torn down to build the Venetian. The Sands in Atlantic City was demolished last summer.

The name of the Bethlehem casino, which DeSalvio said had been tested with 18 focus groups and in an online survey, made Mayor John Callahan happy.

"We absolutely love it," he said. "It calls out Bethlehem as a destination. From our standpoint, that's exciting."

Tony Hanna, the city's director of community and economic development, also liked it.

"Any time anybody markets a product and uses the name Bethlehem - for years it was Bethlehem Steel - it, I think, certainly gives the city more recognition around the country and around the world," Hanna said.

But Esther Lee, a member of the anti-casino group Citizens for a Better Bethlehem, was displeased.

"We used to be known as the Christmas City. I don't like the sound of this at all," Lee said. "This will transform how we are viewed, and ultimately who we are."

Visit Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem Website

Below is an article published by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation

Lehigh Valley Climbs To No. 30 On Forbes "Best" List

LEHIGH VALLEY, PA - March 27, 2008 - The Lehigh Valley jumped to 30th place on the annual list of "Best Places For Business and Careers" published this week by Forbes magazine, making it the only metropolitan region in Pennsylvania and one of only two in the Northeastern United States ranked among the top 50 on the list.

The Allentown Metropolitan Statistical Region, which includes Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey, got high marks for "Costs of Doing Business" and "Job Growth" and slightly lower in the "Educational Attainment" categories reviewed by the magazine and its economic research firm, Economy.com of West Chester, PA.

The only metro region in the Northeast to rank above Allentown was Mercer County, New Jersey, which ranked 21st among the Top 200 Metropolitan Regions reviewed by the magazine and its research partner.

Forbes writer Kurt Badenhausen said "Costs of Doing Business" and "Educational Attainment" are among the more heavily weighted categories considered in the rankings. He added that net population migration and income growth are also key.

"There is something to be said for showing up in the Top 50 as a Northeastern city," Badenhausen said, noting that business costs and net migration are most often cited as drawbacks for those regions.

Badenhausen said the Allentown region's impressive climb over the past two years was also noted by the researchers. Allentown was No. 43 last year and No. 79 in 2006.

Other factors considered in the rankings are Costs of Living, Crime Rate, Culture and Leisure opportunities and number of Colleges.

Harrisburg ranked 53rd in this year's list, Scranton was 81, Pittsburgh 83 and York was listed at No. 99.

"The Lehigh Valley's progressive gains in our national ranking and leadership position in the Forbes list reflects the growing recognition of our region as a preferred location to live, work, play and build a business," said Bob Wendt, Director of Research for the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation. "It also reflects the strength of our community partners in the private and public sectors, who work collaboratively to create a welcoming business environment and quality of place to attract a capable and qualified workforce."

For more information or to view the Forbes story and the full list, go to: http://www.forbes.com/2008/03/19/best-career-cities-biz-bestplaces08-cx_kb_0319placeintro.html