Interview with The Renegade!

Do you have any plans to take your free web resources and make a workbook to complement the book? Not everyone has the internet or access when and where they need it.

Yes! We do. We’ve had many people ask us this. Your vote just increased the urgency on this issue! Thanks.

 Do you have any tips for those of us looking for a new job? How to look?

You need to project an image of professionalism, but I am sure you’ll do that. What matters even more is to have a resume that proves you have your GSD (Gets Stuff Done)—the most important credential you’ll ever earn. If you resume is full of achievements and the specific benefits of each to your past employers, then you’ll be identified as some who gets stuff done. People with a GSD get the best jobs, the best promotions, the best opportunities. EVERYONE wants a team member who delivers the goods! Follow the advice in Rule for Renegades to earn your GSD—see chapter 2.

Ms Comaford-Lynch: How did you come about naming your book as you did??
Thanks kindly for your answer.

Mary Glenn of McGraw-Hill came up with the name. She was scouring the web site of my company, www.MightyVentures.com, and she realized that I was already giving a speech called “Rules for Renegades.” She proposed we name the book as such, which made a ton of sense! 

Remember, renegades are not rebels. Renegades are people with a degree of passion and commitment that exceeds the norm. Renegades want to achieve great things, and realize they’ll need to navigate the worlds of power, finance, society so they need to know the rules! These are the NEW rules… the rules for renegades.

What instincts do you rely on when hiring the people who surround you in business; and how important do you view those instincts/people in the scheme of one's success?

Instincts are important, but a structured interview process is even more so! If you aren’t super careful your instincts can be fooled, especially if you are tired and really want to hire someone to reduce your work load. So be circumspect when you hire, and make sure you have a back up plan so you don’t get desperate and make a hasty decision. It’s key to pay attention to your first impression, and then to find out who the person is. First impressions don’t always come across well if the person is nervous.

Do you regard yourself a desirable employer? If so, why; and if not, why not?

Yes! I am a terrific employer because I am very fair and generously reward people who take initiative and are highly accountable. That said, I expect a lot, as I have the ability to see people’s potential. The tricky part is when you see their potential but they don’t want to actualize it. Then you have a disconnect. So very few people are appropriate to work with me—my standards are really high and I expect people to step up to them. When they do I pay them more than they’ll ever get elsewhere.

Renegades or not, what 5 cities do you feel are currently the most promising for young woman in the US today. I have a 16 year old Granddaughter, who was just admitted to the National Honor society, and I would like also, what do you think are the best and most affordable colleges for young woman. She should be getting $2000 from the Honor society, but college is still a little hard to afford, especially if it's on of the more expensive ones. My Granddaughter is an artist, who has already sold some of her works here in Maryland. (She's very renegade, but then 16 year olds are often very their "own" way.)

Congratulations to your granddaughter! What a terrific honor! I like Seattle, Portland, Tucson, Chicago, Boise. The housing is relatively inexpensive and the people are wonderful. They all have terrific universities too—not sure how expensive they are, but the main point is that your granddaughter needs to get her GSD (Gets Stuff Done) and renew this credential regularly. By following the advice in Rules for Renegades and downloading the forms on www.RulesForRenegades.com she’ll be on her way to a fabulous career!

Do you feel that a woman such as myself (56, mildly over-educated, former educator) is equipped to deal with the possibility of a breakout in the financial venue? I have a negative slant against me: non-confrontational, no real business skills, slight physical handicap due to a wreck and post-surgical mini-stroke. I am craft-minded and have done things like knitting, crocheting and calligraphy to sewing, cross-stitch and needlepoint but none of those lend themselves to mass production and profitability. Any possibilities come to mind? I am considering a virtual assistant attempt but am not sure if I have what I need to do that.

If you mean is it likely that you could enjoy a financial gain, then YES, of course you can create this. I’d like to know what feeds your soul, what sort of work you find is most satisfying. Anyone who enjoys supporting others, being detail-oriented, completing tasks and has a pleasant phone manner and good computer skills can succeed as a VA. A virtual assistant role suits many people, and there are a ton of terrific ways to find jobs. Check out AssistantMatch.com, WorkaholicsForHire.com, TeamDoubleClick.com. Do your crafts for fun, and sell them at local craft fairs. Do the VA work to bring in money and provide you with ample freedom and flexibility.

How does the term "renegade" relate to your own idea that it "fits" it to this book. What caused you to use that term? Do you feel women must display this attitude, and this type of "presence" to be taken seriously in the business world?

As I mention above, renegades are people with a degree of passion and commitment that exceeds the norm. Renegades want to achieve great things, and realize they’ll need to navigate the worlds of power, finance, society so they need to know the rules! These are the NEW rules… the rules for renegades. I believe people who are renegades enjoy greater success and happier lives—because they have additional tools and know-how others don’t. I also think women need to work much harder establishing and maintaining credibility, delivering results, boosting their reputation than men do. But heck, this will change for future generations. So get out there and deliver the goods and stand out in a crowd.

There have been so many books and articles on making yourself successful. What sets your book apart from all the others?

I readily admit my failures in Rules for Renegades. I want to save my readers the pain I’ve experienced, plus I also want them to benefit from my experiences. In addition, I don’t want them to lose touch with their hearts, which happens soooo often in the quest for the Almighty Dollar. My book demystifies success, is human, approachable, and shows others that they can experience it too.

I'm with Mother Toad: if your book was in a stack of similar books, why should I choose to read yours instead of the others?

See above! If you want the real scoop on the ups and downs of success, to glimpse behind the scenes into what REALLY happens in the halls of power, and to read a book with heart, compassion, humor, honesty and solid business advice, Rules for Renegades has it all. No kidding.

How can I find a meaningful job with a company looking for someone long term. This is a horrible area to be looking for a "real" job right now.

Make a list of your ideal company. Have fun with this… list the values of the ideal company, what the co-workers are like, how you feel working there, what your job is. Then visualize your working in that ideal environment daily. As you do this, describe your ideal work environment to everyone you talk with. Friends, people in line at the grocery store, everyone. Ask them if they know a company like this. I’d look for more forward-thinking companies on Craig’s List (craigslist.org) and get out there interviewing. Attract this job—it does exist—you simply need to visualize and ask others to help you find it, while you get out there and look for it. Good luck!

I almost forgot, Why is your "road" better than others?

My path isn’t better than others. It’s simply a path that has worked for me, and tens of thousands of others. If you read the first chapter (for free, of course) on http://www.rulesforrenegades.com/inside.html you’ll know if my path could be of value to you.

My question would be: why should I buy your book?
What can you offer me that other books haven't already written about?

Per my comments above, I readily admit my failures in Rules for Renegades. I want to save my readers the pain I’ve experienced, plus I also want them to benefit from my learnings. In addition, I don’t want them to lose touch with their hearts, which happens soooo often in the quest for the Almighty Dollar. My book demystifies success, is human, approachable, and shows others that they can experience it too.

If you want the real scoop on the ups and downs of success, to glimpse behind the scenes into what REALLY happens in the halls of power, and to read a book with heart, compassion, humor, honesty and solid business advice, Rules for Renegades has it all. No kidding.

Also each book has 2 free passes to our Rules For Renegades Summit, which will be held June 6-7, 2008 in California. It’s going to be a life-changing seminar, full of learning, fun, amazing people.

Please ask Christine if she experienced any stumbling blocks because she was not a high school graduate?

Ohhhhh yesssss. It would’ve been much easier had I a high school diploma and a college degree. But it didn’t work out that way, so I had to work a lot harder, and crawl over a lot of stumbling blocks that I made into stepping stones.

My question relates to the interpersonal relationships with men; i.e., what kinds of problems, if any, have you experienced in gaining respect and acceptance from the men with whom you've worked...any "bad" tales to tell us...or "good" secrets that made a relationship better?

Powerful men respect powerful women. Sure, they may push you around a little in the beginning. But when you stand your ground then power shifts, and they acknowledge you as one of them. My mistake was to think I could get power by osmosis, which I talk about in Rule 5: Build Power, Don’t Borrow It. Many of us try to get power by association, which never lasts. Get your own power. Then it can’t be taken away. Also, I’ve had to constantly achieve and boost my credibility to be taken seriously by men. Now that I am older I don’t try so hard. And you know what? They feel that. And they realize that maybe I HAVE arrived after all. Sheesh—took them long enough to notice…

How important is "finding" mentors in the path towards success? Conversely, how important is it to become a mentor? As well, are there certain business of corporate environments where your rules are less effective, indicating the need to seek a position elsewhere. Thank you.

Mentors are key! We all need them! Being a mentor is key too. You need to give and receive to keep your energy flowing. I find the Rules for Renegades apply in all businesses, from startups to Fortune 1000 to government. But it’s important to follow them all, because if you have a GSD but don’t follow the New Laws of Leadership, you could become an insensitive jerk. That would be bad. Also it’s key to learn to love networking, and be terrific at it. This is how you’ll get mentors and help those that you mentor.

What things do employers dislike about an applicant?

I can only speak for myself, but I dislike resumes where people just list where they worked, not what they contributed. I want to see contribution, tangible achievement and what they meant for the employer. I want to see an employee who is exceptional. Life is too short to work with mediocrity—in either the employee or the employer.

In your book, you mention an instance with Bill Gates, how he had everything planned; his house, family, etc. You mentioned to him that the kids would not be normal, as his is not a normal life and he seemed disappointed and disconnected. At that point it seemed what you wanted is a normal life. Achieving millions yourself, how do you try to provide a normal life for your family, especially your stepson?

We do chores on weekends, make sure our son earns what he gets, and we hold him accountable. We expose him to the arts, to non-profit work, to the real world and what it takes to be happy—and how that doesn’t require money. As a result he is a very compassionate young man, and understands his calling—to be of service—and knows that we will support him in whatever he chooses to experience in life. But we won’t bankroll him. He has to earn his allowance and make his own way in the world. He can ask me any question and knows he’ll get the most honest answer I can offer. I am really proud of that young man he is becoming.

Christine, how do you handle those who buck you all the way when your individuality is prevalent? I have encountered that in several avenues of my life. When others finally realize that being a renegade can actually help a situation they fall into the plan but until then it is hard. What do you do to make this transition smoother?

Oh, my friend, I still deal with this. People sometimes fear those of us who are renegades, because they think we are threatening them. We aren’t. We’re simply being authentic. This is where you need to focus on expressing appreciation to others, learning to network, asking for advice/opinions instead of favors. When I am dealing with difficult people I go out of my way to make them feel comfortable and a little superior to me. Then over time they drop their fear, and often they become good friends. Beginnings are important. Study the networking chapter in Rules for Renegades, and the Leadership chapter too.  Be gentle—you don’t need to shove your individuality down their throats. They are likely terrified. See them as a little child or scared puppy and get to work winning their trust.

For those of us that want to enter a business through the front door, do you have any tips for a well written resume?

Yes! As I mentioned above, I want to see contribution, tangible achievement and what they meant for the employer.  For example, if you implemented a new system to optimize order processing, great! How much did this save your company/how much faster were orders processed/what was the bottom line benefit. If you launched a new product, what was it? Did you deliver it on time/on or under budget? How successful (in dollars and market acceptance) was the product? What role did you play in its success? I want to see an employee who is exceptional.

See what I mean? Go get ‘em!

For more of Christine's great advice, check out her other articles here!