Justice In Action

During the 1980 presidential campaign, candidate Ronald Reagan vowed, if elected, to appoint the first woman to the United States Supreme Court. Six months after his inauguration, President Reagan kept his promise ? nominating a member of the Arizona Court of Appeals. The Senate soon confirmed her by a vote of 99-0.

Recently, Sandra Day O'Connor sent a short letter to the current Chief Executive announcing her retirement: "It has been a great privilege, indeed, to have served as a member of the court for 24 terms. I will leave it with enormous respect for the integrity of the court and its role under our constitutional structure."

President Reagan made history by appointing a woman to the Supreme Court. Justice O'Connor made her own history by casting the deciding vote on 136 cases, including some highly emotional issues. The willingness of both the president and the justice to take risks helped change the country.

Success Handler Action: Robert F. Kennedy said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly ever achieve greatly." As an entrepreneur, you took a leap of faith by starting your small business. If you've been at it for a while, are you still willing to take big risks, or do you often find yourself deadlocked on difficult decisions? After you finish reading this E-Newsletter, use these questions to determine if you're becoming more or less of a risk-taker:

~ Where are the innovative ideas in your industry, and are you ahead or behind the curve?

~ When was the last time you introduced a new product/service or bought new equipment?

~ Who do you turn to for guidance, and how often do you consult with them?

~ What is your reaction when you hear other business owners talk about their latest initiatives?

~ How often do you read magazines like "Fast Company" or visit leading-edge Websites?

One of the biggest reasons people take less risk as they get more successful is the fear of losing what they worked so hard to gain. When you had nothing, there was nothing to have taken away. However, if you're not continuing to pursue the edge in your small business ? "placing enough interesting, freakish, long shot, weirdo bets," in the words of management guru Tom Peters ? then you are creating a weakness that your competition can exploit.

Success Handler Action: With your team, discuss the opportunities awaiting you in the second half of the year. Seek their input on some of the decisions you've been avoiding because you're concerned about the risk. Also, encourage your team members to take their own risks, so they can grow. Here are five ways to help them start acting like risk-takers:

1. Explain the importance of change, and assure them it's normal to fear new approaches.

2. Coach team members on how to think like an entrepreneur and take ownership of their individual roles.

3. Give them more responsibility, grooming them as leaders.

4. Challenge them to look for new and better ways to do things.

5. Allow them to fail occasionally?and support them when they do.

Growing up on her grandfather's 200,000 acre cattle ranch in Arizona, Sandra Day O'Connor learned the importance of hard work and discipline. Upon graduating third in her class from Stanford law school in 1952, she couldn't get a job in Arizona, because no private firm would take the risk of hiring a woman. She credits these experiences as shaping her later judicial opinions.

Justice O'Connor said, "Slaying the dragon of delay is no sport for the short-winded." While you most likely will never serve on the Supreme Court, the people you serve every day in your small business are counting on you to keep moving forward and being innovative. Commit once again to being the entrepreneur you are, and start being the risk-taker you once were.

The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, (http://www.successhandler.com), and specializes in helping small business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he's been there ? as a small business owner, franchisee, franchisor, corporate leader and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.

whole house cleaning Deerfield ..

In The News:

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Justice In Action

Small Business