lance cashion: remote control

Debate 101: Defense vs Deflection (in American Politics)

Today I'm going to discuss some debate basics.  You wish to make a statement (going on the offensive). 

Example: I believe PPACA (Obamacare) is a bad piece of legislation or Kathleen Sebebius is trying to intimidate private insurers.

First, we DO NOT attack the person.  We attack behavior, outcomes, actions, philosophy, and ideas.  There is a proper logical way to debate that garners respect and causes people to think, and an improper way that is negative, hurtful and makes you (and your cause) look foolish.  Many times, when you make statements that attack or question laws, ideals or philosophy, instead of getting a robust defense from your opponent, you are met with a deflection.  Often times, this goes unnoticed and you end up going down the road of defending a non-sequitur.  Meanwhile, your opponent has gone on the offensive.  I would like to point out that this is a tactic widely used by the Left (Liberals).  You must recognize it as a 'tactic'. Once you recognize it, you can call it out and defeat it. (simply)  Do this gently, as most who use this tactic don't realize it's a tactic (albeit easliy defeated).  Plus, by respecting your opponent, you keep your friendship in tact or build a new relationship.  I've won great friends though respectful debate.  I may not agree with them, but who wants to be surrounded by people you agree with all the time?  Boring!  Let's talk about deflection and keep in mind it is NOT a defense in debate.  Here's what it looks like...

Example:

YOU: I believe PPACA (Obamacare) is a bad piece of legislation and here is why (provide evidence to support your statement)

Opponent (reply): Tell me what Bush actually accomplished in 8 years? (Defelction)

See what happened? Let's unpack it;

Your opponent accomplishes two goals by deflecting (if you fall for it);

1. Your opponent avoids making a defense based on your initial statement or assertion. 

2. Your opponent places the burden on you to defend a position you did not take in the first place. 

It's called a deflection.  It draws the focus away from your original statement where your opponent is unable or unwilling to make a defense.

There are ways to avoid this.  First, before you make an assertion/statement, make sure you have evidence to support it.  Second, check your pulse. Make sure you are not emoting (this will backfire).  Third, if the opposition is going to engage, they must defend. Don't get sucked in by a question (the opponent must defend or choose not to engage).  Finally, when your opponent engages in the discussion, make sure you keep the focus on your original statement (provide evidence or re-state your position).

You must be aware at all times.  Logic wins in the end.  Think things through and when things get heated (emotional), call it out and re-focus on your original statement. Keep an eye out for emotionally charged words and statements like (racist, you hate puppies and kittens, etc).  When I see these tactics deployed, I know I have my opponent on an 8 count.  Their defeat is immanent.

Observation, logic and tact are not passive.  You must actively employ them in discussion.  Don't get thrown off course with a awry statement or deflection.

Be gentle in delivery. 

Do you debate?

Thanks

Lance Cashion

Defeat 'Them' on Nov 2nd

 

Entitlements: Can America avoid bondage?

Read the statement below

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.

Great nations rise and fall. The people go from bondage to spiritual truth, to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back again to bondage”. -Alexander Tytler

I submit that the American voters must elect representatives who will dismantle the huge, unsustainable entitlement programs that have entrenched themselves.

This is not a Macro-movement. It begins in American homes around the country. It begins with a decision to aggressively engage the American election process. This is a modern American Revolution.

What are you waiting for?

Thanks

Lance

Buy a Bumper Sticker

two kinds of people

My conclusion; There are 2 kinds of people in the world.  Those who create and those who destroy.  A creative can buy into destruction, but can a destroyer buy into creation? 

I know creative people who follow destructive ideas.

I don't know any destructive people who follow creative ideas.

What are you?

Have you taken the ideas that you hold dear to their logical end?

 

Lance Cashion

Healthcare Reform Logic: Bureaucracy 2.0

Ok, I admit it.  I did not break for lunch a few days ago because I got into a political battle on my Facebook Wall.  I could not help myself.  Like I told a friend this week;  Aside from traditional media, social media is one of the only ways for folks (like me) to broadcast a message and have it get heard.  Of course the exchange was related to Healthcare Reform legislation.  I am completely against this monstrosity of a bill (for the record).  This is basically continuation of my previous post on Healthcare Reform Logic.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We DON’T have a Healthcare problem in America.  We have a Bureaucracy problem!  

Why should we give control and responsibility of our Healthcare to the government bureaucracy, when they can’t effectively solve the problems with Medicare and Social Security?  Again, this is not about healthcare, it’s about expansion of bureaucracy. Remember, bureaucracy only serves itself. Expecting it to behave counter to its nature is foolish.  Now, we're going to add the IRS to the mix? 

A friend asked me this question:

“Why does the "bureaucracy" (an organization made up of Americans like me and you, left and right...) get all your ire, yet private companies, with their profit-motivations, get a pass? "Profit" should not even be in the healthcare equation?”

My answer (posed as questions):

“If "Profit" should not be in the Healthcare equation, how should physicians, facilities, nurses, patient processing centers, etc be compensated? Do you work?
Do you accept a wage?  Does the company you work for make a profit?” 

If you don’t like profits, stop working and consuming things that cost money…. You will starve.  Again, we have a disconnect in logic, comprehension and common senses within the population.

Three things in this regard:

1. They don’t get it 

2. They are in complete denial 

3. They reject reality believing that will make reality irrelevant. 

Expanding the IRS is to police the American people (in the form of taxes, fees, etc) in regard to their health insurance is not the answer. It is, in fact the problem.  Bureaucracy is the reality.

"The Federal Government has its function but expansion into private healthcare is not one of them. It is like filling a fully-functional swimming pool with cement because you found a small crack at the bottom. Filling your pool with cement will fix the crack but your pool is rendered useless. Removing the cement is virtually impossible without expending massive effort (and in the case of a Bureaucracy, it knows this)." (from my blog)

Do you want a solution to the health insurance crisis?  (“Healthcare” is a misnomer) Here it is in shorthand:

1. Decouple employment from health insurance (this ain't 1940): abolish group insurance
2. Full portability (w/ pre-ex eligibility period 90 days)
3. Instead of paying an employee's premium, Employers invest the money into their employee's Health Savings Account....
4. Full Takeover of pre-ex by insurance companies (this was agreed on last year by insurance companies)
5. Require all Americans to have a basic plan in place (credits for those who can't afford it).  Create guidelines for those who desire to “self insure”
6. The Gov't acts as a re-insurer or the insurer of last resort. (Claims over $500K)
7. $5000 annual max limits on HSA account contributions-no lifetime max
8. Allow health premiums to be paid out of HSA accounts for up to 1 year (if laid off or unemployed).

The above are SOLUTIONS. The government is not looking for solutions. They are looking to expand, like any bureaucracy.  It must be fought and defeated in all forms!  Bureaucracy kills the human spirit, creativity, personal growth and freedom!  If you have questions about health insurance or need a sounding board?  Shoot me an email.

Thanks

Lance Cashion

Entreleadership 1-Day event take away

I took my team leaders to Dave Ramsey's Entreleadership 1 day event in Dallas Thursday.  I was a bit apprehensive about their reactions to Dave and the material when I decided to invite them to join me at the event.  I ended up asking them to buy their own tickets.  This added more pressure but they now had a vested interest in getting their money's worth.  I believe in the material and Dave's delivery always get's the point across.

Nearly 48 hours later, I have had an opportunity to get feedback from each team member.  I found that each of them got something completely different from the lessons.  One of our top managers, who is in a leadership position said that the goal setting and section on business plan basics resonated with him.  In fact, we had a 20 minute discussion about how we all need to sit down and write our small business plans and KRAs (Key Results Area).  This also led to an important discussion about goal setting and the importance team members' personal budgets.  Our team is on commission, if we partner with them in their personal financial walk, we can help them avoid financial crisis that would affect their production.

During the live lesson, I noticed our head recruiter and director of marketing was making notes like a madman on the Delegation and Time Management sections.  We've since sat down to discuss strategy modifications going forward.  These are minor course corrections in the process we currently employ.  We both agree that some people need to "get off the bus". 

Another of our team who is one of our top managers and in-house team motivator is tweaking our current goal-setting process.  He noticed the significance that Dave placed on goal-setting while I was reminded that goal-setting is essential to winning. 

I believe our next leadership meeting will be extremely productive.

At the end of the day, Entreleadership 1 Day event is a solid product (as is the Master Series).  Similar to when the iphone was introduced, I promote great products that improve lives.  I like buying great products.  When I was a DJ, I sought out quality music and introduced it to the masses.  When I sell insurance, I make sure it is the highest quality and I make sure to sell it to as many people as possible.  When I build a team, only the best will do.  That is why I brought them to Entre 1 Day Event.  I care about improving their lives and that of my the folks in my organization. 

You can read about my experience at Entreleadership Cancun (6 Day Event) here...

It's a culture thing.

Lance Cashion

Seth Godin makes a couple good points

Here are two posts by Seth Godin that I found interesting... they happen to be posted on consecutive days.  Enjoy!

Genius is misunderstood as a bolt of lightning

Genius is the act of solving a problem in a way no one has solved it before. It has nothing to do with winning a Nobel prize in physics or certain levels of schooling. It's about using human insight and initiative to find original solutions that matter.Genius is actually the eventual public recognition of dozens (or hundreds) of failed attempts at solving a problem. Sometimes we fail in public, often we fail in private, but people who are doing creative work are constantly failing.When the lizard brain kicks in and the resistance slows you down, the only correct response is to push back again and again and again with one failure after another. Sooner or later, the lizard will get bored and give up.

It's easier to teach compliance than initiative

Compliance is simple to measure, simple to test for and simple to teach. Punish non-compliance, reward obedience and repeat.Initiative is very difficult to teach to 28 students in a quiet classroom. It's difficult to brag about in a school board meeting. And it's a huge pain in the neck to do reliably.Schools like teaching compliance. They're pretty good at it.To top it off, until recently the customers of a school or training program (the companies that hire workers) were buying compliance by the bushel. Initiative was a red flag, not an asset.Of course, now that's all changed. The economy has rewritten the rules, and smart organizations seek out intelligent problem solvers. Everything is different now. Except the part about how much easier it is to teach compliance.

Genius is the act of solving a problem in a way no one has solved it before. It has nothing to do with winning a Nobel prize in physics or certain levels of schooling. It's about using human insight and initiative to find original solutions that matter.Genius is actually the eventual public recognition of dozens (or hundreds) of failed attempts at solving a problem. Sometimes we fail in public, often we fail in private, but people who are doing creative work are constantly failing.When the lizard brain kicks in and the resistance slows you down, the only correct response is to push back again and again and again with one failure after another. Sooner or later, the lizard will get bored and give up.

It's easier to teach compliance than initiative

Compliance is simple to measure, simple to test for and simple to teach. Punish non-compliance, reward obedience and repeat.Initiative is very difficult to teach to 28 students in a quiet classroom. It's difficult to brag about in a school board meeting. And it's a huge pain in the neck to do reliably.Schools like teaching compliance. They're pretty good at it.To top it off, until recently the customers of a school or training program (the companies that hire workers) were buying compliance by the bushel. Initiative was a red flag, not an asset.Of course, now that's all changed. The economy has rewritten the rules, and smart organizations seek out intelligent problem solvers. Everything is different now. Except the part about how much easier it is to teach compliance.

Compliance is simple to measure, simple to test for and simple to teach. Punish non-compliance, reward obedience and repeat.Initiative is very difficult to teach to 28 students in a quiet classroom. It's difficult to brag about in a school board meeting. And it's a huge pain in the neck to do reliably.Schools like teaching compliance. They're pretty good at it.To top it off, until recently the customers of a school or training program (the companies that hire workers) were buying compliance by the bushel. Initiative was a red flag, not an asset.Of course, now that's all changed. The economy has rewritten the rules, and smart organizations seek out intelligent problem solvers. Everything is different now. Except the part about how much easier it is to teach compliance.

Review: "Switch" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Switch hit book stores yesterday.  Let me begin by saying thanks to my friend Daniel Tardy over at Dave Ramsey's office for sending me an advance copy of the book. A very clever contest imo.  It's late and I'm tired... this post is a 40 minutes tardy for the deadline but it's been a long week. 

Switch goes down many paths and paints many pictures of Change.  We're not talking about change for the sake of change.  We're talking about change for the sake of good (improving health, increasing business, serving others, teaching, increasing efficiency, saving lives, etc).  The book lays out several examples of instigating and executing change successfully where change is needed but may appear difficult.  I noticed most of the examples used in the book were real-life stories where an underdog character or group made something happen that caused a positive event to occur.  These methods were simple, effective and were deployed by people who set out to solve a problem and/or make an improvement. Simplicity seems counter-intuitive but the authors provide some great narrative and examples to point out that big change does not need big planning or extensive research.  Being creative and recognizing what actually motivates people to abandon old behavior patterns and buy into something different that will improve the situation or environment is the thread that runs through the tapestry created in "Switch".  Focusing on bright spots, keeping well away from too many options that cause Decision Paralysis and other insights add a deeper psychological nuance to the book that I enjoyed and overlooked in my own attempts to make change happen.  

The Elephant and Rider analogy is used as the relational theme of struggle, cooperation and perseverance throughout the book (Our rational and emotional minds). I could relate to the stories used to illustrate what makes up change and how to make it happen when you may feel like you are up against an impenetrable wall of opposition.  It's the Elephant's directed strength and endurance that will transform that wall into a door.  But, its the Rider who must direct the initial process and map the "critical moves" to reach the goal.  Both must work in concert to achieve results.  Apart, they are ineffective.

I found "Switch" to be fascinating.  Although, there were a couple stories that seemed to drag a bit.  I learned applicable lessons.  From the psychology of initializing change to the after effects of change.  The end user experience, the lives transformed, the innovation, the improvement made by an individual human with one idea, one vision that made the world different in a good way.  Casting a vision that stirs emotions and conjures up "feelings" seem to be the best way the Rider can direct the Elephant's behavior.  Often the change I wanted dies a death of a thousand cuts by way of over-analysis, too much research and no gas left in the self-control tank. 

Reading "Switch" was a rewarding experience.  More reviews can be found on Daniel Tardy's Blog here...

Lance Cashion

Application: Decision Paralysis

True currency: the hand written 'Thank You'

I'll be the first to say, I love the convenience of email.  It's an easy and quick way to communicate.  It's a pretty lousy way to say "Thank You" to someone who really went out of their way to serve or help you.

The hand written "Thank You" note is an artifact of a time past when our grandparents would take the time to sit down and write something meaningful on a piece of paper and mail it to someone.  It takes discipline, humility and will-power (not much of that around today).

How powerful is the intentional action of writing the words "Dear Friend, Thank you so much for your help with this or that" in our current age?  Our culture is numb.

In my daily schedule, I set aside 15 minutes per day to write a heart felt expression of Thanks to 2 people.  They are never very long, just a sentence or two.  Emails have value, don't get me wrong.  But a hand written expression of Thanks is the gold standard of communication.  A currency that stands alone in a wash of communication forms.

When I receive a hand written "thank you", it communicates to me that this person thinks of me highly enough to expend their valuable time and energy write something meaningful, put it in an envelope and mail it.  This says something about their character.  At one point in my life, I did not send "thank yous" to anyone.  Now, I do.

Hand written communication is worth more than 100,000 emails or Facebook messages.

Endeavor to be better than you were yesterday, every day.  One day you will wake up a better person who your old self would envy. 

Try it, you'll feel different after writing a few thank yous.

Lance Cashion

Character Trumps Talent

What has happened in our culture?  What has happened to character?  Integrity and personal accountability have taken a back seat to winning at all costs and compromised values.  Has humanity sunk so low into selfish self-preservation that our true value as humans has been thrown away and replaced with short lived fame and materialism? 

“Selfishness, faithlessness, and deceit have no place in a person who wants to develop character”- unknown

Look in the mirror.  Are you a person of great Character?

Look around you.  Are the people you live with, work with and associate with people of good Character? 

Sure, talent is very valuable, but good Character is worth its weight in gold in the long run. 

Want to stand out in a sea of humanity?  Possess good character and you set yourself apart in the world around you.  You can be counted on and relied upon when the tempests come.

Lance Cashion

about remote control

What I do:

Health Insurance Expert & Licensed Agent (specializing in the individual market), Marketing Technology, Sales, Audio Production, Composition & Film Scoring, Professional DJ (retired).  I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

What I can do for you:

I provide sound advice, insight, support, product and service in any of the areas above.  I am adaptive, counter-intuitive and unconventional when necessary.

Remote Control  is an experiment in self, data, learning, sharing and spreading information.  Posting pieces of life, trials, music, politics, joy, visions and developing thoughts.  For some, this will be entertainment.  To others, a place to learn, perhaps grow.  I'm here to energize, provoke, antagonize and move to action.  Whatever your beliefs, I will force you to prove yourself and I must do the same. Words will become of landscape of ideas that will inspire you to think and act.

Feel free to contact me and thank you.

Lance Cashion