Friday, August 20, 2010

AN OPEN LETTER FROM MICHAEL PALAZZO

When you conduct a Google search on our firm, you will find many good results. They speak for themselves: the police and fire chiefs I am helping and the future leaders I am training.

You will also find negative statements about me. That’s not surprising for someone who has been in business for more than 15 years. Today, a dissatisfied person can vent their frustration by posting something on an Internet site regardless of whether it is accurate and complete.

The negative comments stem from an unfortunate end to my business in North Carolina. For 12 years, I owned and managed Michael Palazzo Productions LLC. For the first 10 years, the company enjoyed steady revenues and satisfied customers. In the last two years, a slowing economy forced some clients to cut back spending; some never paid their bills. Revenues plunged and by the time I shut down the company in 2008, I had lost $100,000 personally.

Some people blamed me for the company’s demise. They posted disparaging remarks about me. Those words are not pleasant to read, but it would be dishonest of me to pretend they do not exist. After you read them, you should know two things:

1. I tried to resolve every legitimate complaint.

2. Michael Palazzo is making a comeback. 


That comeback starts with Leadership Advisors, which commenced business operations in 2009. As a sole practitioner, I am operating on a modest budget that fits these economically challenging times. My goal: to work strategically with organizations to incorporate relevant leadership training, and a well- defined plan of succession as Baby Boomers continue to transition into retirement.

Over the next 12 months, I will be facilitating 30 leadership workshops across the United States. I am donating time to a few, select organizations that – because of the same tough economic conditions that ruined my business – cannot afford my services. I am deeply aware of their financial challenges and want to help them move forward as I also move forward again.

My business is better today than it was yesterday, and tomorrow it will be even better. People are recognizing that they need to prepare their organizations for an enormous generational change in leaders. I hope that you’re also getting ready, and that together we can create an exciting future.

If you have any questions or would like to speak with me personally I can be reached directly at 561-935-9700 ext 202.

Best Regards,


Michael Palazzo
Mananging Princple Leadership Advisors, LLC

The Whole Truth


Dear Friends -

I welcome you to this inaugural edition of my on-line blog. Over the coming months, I will be adding commentaries and blog posts on a series of subjects which, for many, may seem radical. I would like to begin by explaining my purpose in this new direction. 

For many years, I lived my life for myself, my needs, my desires and what best suited and served me. I was, like many people self centered and primarily focused and concerned with what was best for me. Having experienced a catastrophic failure in my business, I received a wake up call on many levels. As a result of poor choices, lack of vision, and an inability to submit to the will of God in my life, I was confronted with man I did not like. The face looking back at me in the mirror was not honorable. My character and competency were clearly incongruent with one another. The time for change was upon me, and thanks to the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus, I was awaked and given an opportunity to make a major course correction.

In late 2008 my life began to unravel and the process of change began. Almost 2 years have passed since that time, and many exciting changes have to happened. So much so, that I almost do not recognize it myself.

In late 2000, I launched a training company to offer leadership development conferences to public safety professionals on a national basis. Life has been exciting and although I enjoyed a limited amount of prosperity, looking back, I can now see that my life was not aligned with the perfect will of God. I was not walking consistent with the purpose of what I was designed for.

For many years I was unwilling to purge myself of the sins of my past. My "thinking" was to cloak myself in a new persona, and the mistakes I made would remain hidden, not realizing that being in the public eye would require that my character must be above reproach. I was unwilling to reveal my past in fear of what people would think of me. Sadly, my unwillingness to be authentic, created a negative paradigm and a quantum leap in the wrong direction.

Self awareness is a wonderful actualization, unfortunately, we cannot make a second first impression. With that said, rather than trying to compensate for past mistakes, I have chosen to live authentically. In doing so, I am writing my biography titled, "My Life - Gods Way"

Moving forward, I have made vastly different choices, and in doing so, I rest easy in knowing that the man I have become today, is the result of my willingness to submit to the will of Jesus. I express these aspects of who I am, not to impress people, but to impress upon anyone who takes the time to know me, that I do not see myself as better than anyone. I see myself as a man who sits at the feet of God willing to become all that he desires me to be.

I am cognizant that people who do not understand my faith, may suggest that i am using God as a crutch, or worse yet, suggest that my decision to pursue the path I have, is an attempt to manifest a a false impression of who I am. To those I say this, test me, prove me out, and allow yourself to know me for who I have become. In the end, what others may say or think of me, is of little consequence, as I am a child of Christ and a citizen of Heaven, I serve one Master, and to him I remain accountable for my life. 

I hope that those who will be following my blogs on line at michaelpalazzo.net or here on FaceBook will become faithful readers of my work and posting.

For now,


Michael

Thursday, July 29, 2010

About Michael Palazzo

As Founder and CEO of Leadership Advisors, LLC, Michael Palazzo helps executives and managers sharpen their leadership skills in order to create winning organizations. His seminars and workshops focus on topics of great value to organizational leaders, such as: how to build collaboration, teamwork, and trust within the ranks; how to inspire others to share a common vision; and succession planning and creating synergy across the generational divide.

Michael is a seasoned leadership facilitator and business-owner who began his career serving in the U.S. Navy. Over the course of his career he has worked with organizations such as New York Telephone (now Verizon), U.S. West Communications, and Nextel. He is a longtime supporter of the law enforcement and public safety community, having trained thousands of Police and Fire personnel.

As a student of the world’s top leadership experts, Michael has accumulated the following credentials:
• Facilitator – The Seven Imperatives of Excellence
• The Leadership Challenge Workshop
• Facilitator – DISC Temperament Assessments
• Course Graduate, Dale Carnegie Training
• Course Graduate, Effective Presentation Skills, Zig Ziglar Training
• Course Graduate, Tom Hopkins Train the Trainer
• Course Graduate, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People/Great Leaders
• Course Graduate, Franklin Covey - Great Team, Great Results
• Graduate Student – Master Professional Certified Coach