You’ve cornered the market so to speak on ‘’approachability’’ why this focus and what is the real power of approachability? 

I picked that word because nobody else had. I needed something to differentiate my content. Plus I struggled with approachability, so I figured, what better way to teach myself something than to pretend I’m the world’s foremost expert at it.

 

Much of your work is focused on helping people become more approachable. If you were coaching someone who wanted to become more approachable, what would be the key tenets? 

Have a sense of when you’re draining other people. Listen loudly. Take notes on what people say and then reflect their reality back to them. Publish your vulnerable thoughts with the world and then ask people to reach out to you if they want to learn more. And when you attend events, try not to telegraph your neediness, no matter how lonely and starving for human connection you might be on the inside.

 

How can someone tell that they are not very approachable and what can leaders and managers in particular do to be genuinely accessible? 

Your staff will never tell you if you’re not approachable, they’ll just avoid you. And so, if it feels like there’s a distance between you and those you work with, try asking people what they need from you. It might be surprising.

 

You’ve taken what was initially an experiment of nametag wearing and turned it into a strong business. How does one transform an almost mundane idea into something big? 

Consistency. Lots of writing. Commitment. Caring is also helpful.

 

One of your books, has the sub title ‘’…..Disturbing questions to help you take action on what matters’’ What are some of these disturbing questions and what about them inspires action? 

The word disturb has the same root as the word emotion. And so, when I write, the goal is to elicit a feeling within the reader. I have several thousand disturbing questions in my database (www.questionjunkie.com) but a favorite of mine is, “What are you still pretending not to know?”

 

As a multifaceted businessperson- in consulting, publishing, film making etc what are some of your key daily routines and business tactics that keep you successful and what’s your definition of that success? 

Meditation, exercise, mental vomiting. Phone calls with trusted people with whom I share my deepest fears. Publishing something daily and asking people for money daily. And as far as my definition of success, I want to create a fulfilling career, that is engaging and inspiring to myself and others, that integrates all of my gifts, and provides me a sense of stability and freedom.

 

You believe execution is priceless. How does one increase the speed and volume of execution? 

The tools and means and resources for production are free, available and to everybody everywhere and easy to use. Which means the only obstacle to execution is permission. It’s mostly mental. If you’re not shipping at the level you want, if you’re procrastinating, ask yourself what feelings you’re running away from.

 

You probably don’t gaze into a crystal ball….but what are some things that people wanting to be successful are obsessed with that will not matter in the near future? 

I actually do gaze into a crystal ball. Walmart sells them for twenty bucks. And it tells me that people are obsessing over things that don’t matter on a daily basis. Like Facebook. It’s not a social network, it’s a punchline. Go make something.

 

You speak of ‘’Attitude is soil’’ and ‘’Action is the engine of credibility’’ Please explain? 

Attitude is the baseline that undergirds everything. If the soil is intact, everything that grows out of it will taste juicy and delicious and nutritious. As for action, it’s a take on a Shakespeare quotation, which is, “Action is eloquence.” Meaning, if you’re talking your idea into the ground, you lose. Go make something.

 

How do you see yourself evolving in order to do the kind of work you anticipate you’ll be doing in future?

In the last year I’ve completely transformed my relationship with joy. That’s been priceless and will enable me to do things that I can’t even imagine.

 

Scott’s profile

Scott Ginsberg has authored 27 books, produced his own online show on NametagTV.com and reached millions of readers worldwide on his award-winning blog. He has facilitated workshops with large organizations like Nestle, Monsanto, General Electric, Staples, Hyatt & Verizon, and also with a collection of startups and entrepreneurs. Scott has mentored hundreds of entrepreneurs, artists and professionals. He has been inducted into the hall of fame of ‘’Ripley’s Believe It Or Not’’. For 14 years, he has worn a nametag, a social experiment that has evolved into a world record, a cultural phenomenon, a profitable enterprise and a handful of careers.

 
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