As it turns out, there’s no simple way to stop those mailings. Coupons, phone directories, miscellaneous offers for stuff you don’t want – there’s no way it can easily stop.

Thankfully, a new movement is afoot to put an end to this. Citizens for Mail Choice has started a petition to ask the U.S. Postal Service to offer opt out options for those of us who take one look a something addressed to “Current Resident” and toss it unopened into the recycling bin.

Sign the petition today and hopefully we’ll soon put an end to all junk mail, once and for all.

These attributes are important for any successful individual or organization and they’re especially important if you’re flying for the Blue Angels.

Today, we’re speaking with John Foley, who served as a Marine jet fighter instructor pilot, flew in the movie “Top Gun” and thrilled audiences worldwide as the lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels. In addition to speaking at more than 100 events each year, John also leads his own company and a foundation. He is the founder and president of John Foley, Inc., which provides business performance training to Fortune 500 corporations, professional associations, sports teams and educational organizations around the world. His Glad To Be Here® Foundation funds charitable works across the globe.

We asked him about leadership, giving back, and what his big dream for the world is.

CPC: You’re a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels turned keynote speaker and business consultant. How has what you learned in the cockpit prepared you for how you help people now?
Foley: There are so many similarities. The biggest one that first comes to mind is trust. You learn how to trust in your team members, in the people who support you, and trust in yourself. It is a critical aspect in flying fighter jets to the absolute limit and to being a part of a high performing organization like the Blue Angels.

Trust transfers directly into all relationships, specifically in the business world and to all industries.

I always like to say that “What I learned most from being with the Blue Angels had nothing to do with flying itself, I learned that the process of engaging at this high level, when my very life depended on successful communication, accurate information, trust and follow-through, is the same process leaders and successful individuals use to achieve excellence.”

The way I look at it now is with the Diamond Performance Framework (DPF®) that I developed after leaving the Blue Angels with the lessons above. The DPF® is a methodology that builds on the lessons I learned from the Blue Angels and translates into a repeatable process that can be adopted easily by organizations and individuals to continually improve performance.

CPC: Why do companies need to make sure their leaders are high performing? How does this apply to leaders in the charitable sectors?
Foley: The reason it’s so important that leaders embrace change and lead by example is because they can affect so many people, especially using the concepts above. If you can affect a leader, then they will affect, hundreds, thousands, or millions of people. You want to get to people that can have the greatest impact. They are not always the leaders you may envision though. They can be parents, who are shaping our future generations.

Also, every organization needs a purpose larger than itself, especially as products and services are fragmented and employees do not always directly see or feel the importance they have on the end product or service. Having a purpose larger than self reminds people that what they do does matter and can impact millions of lives. Leaders need to be able to inspire and instill this at the essence of company culture.

As far as the charitable side, the beautiful part gets back to the purpose larger than self. That is something we should all have. All the goodwill that’s being done in this world, it’s very important to support that, but it’s still a business. You have to run it in a disciplined way. Charitable organizations accept people’s money and thus have a huge personal accountability factor. These are other people’s gifts and the organizations must have all the more reason to be smart and efficient with these resources.

Most non-profits have these beautiful mindsets and can typically use more process. Passion and process are both required and key parts in becoming a high performer. The DPF is meant to help individuals and teams cultivate and sustain a culture of excellence with both passion and process.

CPC: Can you tell us more about your foundation, the Glad To Be Here Foundation?
Foley: Honestly, it was something that I had wanted to do for years, should do, could do, and I just wasn’t doing it. I was telling myself I would do it when I would make tons of money, I would be able to donate a lot of money. Then one day I just decided to go with it and start with future income.

I have never looked back. Now the process is that we always donate 10% and have created a foundation. I have realized every company we work with also has similar aspirations, so we give half of the 10% to the charity of the client’s choice. The foundation is meant to remind myself and team that we have a purpose larger than self, where what we receive always depends on what we give.

The Glad To Be Here Foundation is a charity that supports other charities that are doing good. We want to help those that need help. Deep down you always know its better to give than to receive. It feels good to help people. I never feel like I am losing by giving, in fact i feel like I am gaining by giving.

CPC: Do you think more people and companies are looking to give back (like you are) by donating a portion or what they earn?
Foley: I am blown away how many companies are doing something similar. It’s so beautiful. 99% of the companies I speak to have charitable endeavors. There are a lot of different creative ways of giving, but I don’t see too many companies doing what I am doing in terms of donating revenue. The 10% is a challenging number; it’s a lot.

CPC: What is your big dream for the world?
Foley: I want to help others reach their hopes, dreams, whatever they are, and help them become what they want in life. Ghandi said it best, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Don’t set your sights too low. Become a Blue Angel, an astronaut, a doctor, a lawyer, an inventor, the one who discovers a cure, that’s the cool stuff. I wake up every morning trying to inspire others help reach their hopes and dreams. We are all in this together. 

To learn more about John, visit his website, follow him on Twitter, or keep up with him on Facebook.

This is a chance for all of us to concentrate on the realities that face over 400,000 young people. To learn more about this issue, visit the Foster Care Month website and look for ways to get involved.

And, be sure to keep up with the travels of our friends at One Simple Wish, currently in the middle of a whirlwind trip around the U.S. to grant wishes to youth in the foster care system.

Well, groups of people are now supporting small businesses with cash mobs. The short of it is that people decide to patronize a local small business during a concentrated period of time to buy stuff. It can be a huge boost to a small retailer and the shoppers get something cool in return. It’s a creative and communal way to support neighborly merchants. Some “victims” have reported being busy and popular all at once – much like during the holiday shopping season.

And, as a result, more people learn about a cool new spot in their hometown.

Here’s more of a rundown from Mother Nature Network. 

But it got us thinking…

Have you been a part of a cash mob? Would you want to?

Falling right after Mother’s Day, this day can serve as a nice reminder to mom (or every other woman) that keeping track of your personal health is a good move. Not only is it a good time to schedule a checkup, but it’s also a good time to take care of a preventative health visit.

Click here to take the checkup pledge and to see what screenings you need at which age.

Be sure to share this movement with your friends. Let’s all be healthy together!

Julie Clow understands this and her new book, The Work Revolution, details recent changes, what else is possible, and what you need to be on the lookout for. She adeptly helps you rethink the way you’re working now while offering a prescription for change that nearly any organization can use to make sure people work smarter, not just harder.

For example, she talks about why you need to focus on energy instead of schedules, strengths instead of job slots, and why grassroots change is better than top-down authority. All in all, this is a great manifesto for a better, happier, more productive workplace.

Best of all, we’re giving away a copy!

To enter, just answer in the comments section the question we ask at the bottom of the post. Or, do any of the following activities in the handy widget:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! And hurry – the contest ends this Friday!

This week’s question:

What’s the coolest job you ever had?

He returned home the next day and found all the other evidence that one might expect to find when your teenage daughter hosts a secret party.

Moral of the story? Your home energy monitor will help you save money, and maybe even teach your kiddo a good lesson.

Source: Mother Nature Network

While it’s a day to celebrate the history and majesty of trains, it is also a chance to think about mass and public transit. Trains were some of the first ways people moved in bulk to wherever it is they’d like to go.

So, if an event is planned in your neck of the woods tomorrow, then take a hard look at public transit options near you. You may be surprised at how easy it can be to share a ride.

This number is troubling for a few reasons:

1. It’s a big number.
2. It’s not even close to the total number of people living and suffering in slavery.

This is just the number being moved around the world. Once where they get where they’re going, things get much worse.

But, as with anything, we hope to provide an idea for what to do. Here’s how you can get started:

• Above all, if you see or suspect human trafficking, call the Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.
• Dive deeper into the issue using the fantastic tools that Not For Sale Campaign has available.
• Pick one of these 20 ways to fight human trafficking. (Or pick one of these 24 things.)

What other ideas do you have?

Let us know by leaving a comment!

So if you’re curious if an Energy Star appliance is right for you, then check out this Wise Bread article that offers a full rundown on the topic. While many tax credits for purchasing Energy Star appliances expired at the beginning of this year, they can still be a very smart purchase.

For example, here’s a calculator to tell if it’ll be worth it to replace your current fridge with a new, Energy Star one.

Read the Wise Bread piece for all the details on how else you can save. And if the math works out for you and the environment, then you may be in for a shopping trip this weekend.

Source: Wise Bread – How Much Money Will You Save With Energy Star Appliances?