Make Some Noise

Make Some Noise
CHAPTER
ONE
What Kind of Noise Are You Making?

Don't get too comfortable. Not yet. We've got places to go.

Before we can start discussing what it's going to take to make your business (and you) a dominator instead of an also-ran, you're going to need to get a quick, real-world read of where you stand right now and what you're up against. And I need to show you that the people most important to your professional life-like your customers, prospects, investors, fellow employees, everyone you need on your side-likely don't see you the way you hope or believe they do. So we're going to hit the road and take a short, virtual, eye-opening field trip.

The good news is, I promise this will be fun and way cooler than those god-awful excursions you remember from your school days, because-and this is the better news-rather than bouncing along in a yellow bus (see: grumpy driver, buzz-killing chaperones, irritating loudmouths, etc.) we'll be riding two-wheelers. As in motorcycles. As in see? I told you it'll be fun. And by the way, you won't be riding as my passenger; you'll be on your own bike.

Even if you've always sworn you'd never ride a motorcycle or believe yourself incapable of it, or you think your mother would kill you if she found out what we're up to, or even if you're the world's biggest wuss, please play along anyway and live a little. I guarantee nobody's going to get hurt and that you're going to get a huge kick out of your ride, remember it, and benefit from what it's about to teach you. The same goes for experienced riders. So come on. Let's go before someone chickens out.

The first part's supereasy. I want you to imagine, right now, that you're sitting on an awesome motorcycle. But there's a simple rule here: It can't be a Harley-Davidson. (I know. Bummer!) That shouldn't be a problem, though, because there are millions of great bikes out there. You're on one of them right now, so relax for a minute and soak it all

Ken Schmidt is widely known as one of the business world's most outspoken and provocative thought leaders. As the former director of communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, he played an active role in one of the most celebrated corporate turnarounds in history-and got paid to ride motorcycles. In 2015, he formed a highly successful partnership with a management psychologist to provide in-house training to help business leaders around the globe. He lives in Washington, DC.