Linda McHenry

Category: Mentoring & Coaching

  • 2 Cyber Security Tips for Keeping Safe Online

    2 Cyber Security Tips for Keeping Safe Online

    For the past dozen years or so, I’ve been writing insurance continuing education (CE) courses about cyber security and keeping safe online. Yes, I designed these courses for insurance licensees but they contain information that’s beneficial and essential for everyone to know.

    There are WAY more than 2 tips available. I’m just limiting myself today. You can bet I’ll be providing more in the future.

    TIP 1: Avoid Current Scams

    Right now, aside from ransomware, two of the biggest cyber security scams everyone is vulnerable to are Quick Response (QR) codes and CAPTCHA verificiation. Both were designed to keep us safe; however bad actors exploit them to take advantage of us.

    Basically, a quick response (QR) code is a form of barcode that stores retrievable data for digital devices to read. If you want the long explanation, AVAST explains it here.

    Are QR codes safe? Most sources say yes, however, bad actors do exploit them. A few years ago, they scammed the City of Austin, Texas and its residents. The bad guys replaced official QR codes on parking meters and defrauded both the city and those who parked. How? Their phony QR codes directed payments to a phony site, where the bad actors stole confidential personal and payment information. As a result, parkers were also fined for illegal parking.

    Here’s a recent article in PCWorld that tells you how to avoid these scams, which are on the rise.

    photo by jensenartofficial on Pixabay

    CAPTCHA is an acronym for technology that allows a website to detect the difference between a human visitor and a software program called a “bot”. You’ve used this tech before. You see 9 images and have to click on all of those with buses, or bicycles, or cars. Other tests require you to type a word or answer a question after having to think about or review an image. IBM explains CAPTCHA here.

    Although most sources say CAPTCHA is viewed as a great security device, it’s not always convenient or as secure as some would like. In addition, there are an increasing number of of phony CAPTCHA scams out there, as Guardio reports.

    photo by https://pixabay.com/users/simon-3/

    Tip 2: understand what makes you vulnerable

    We all believe we’re practicing safe cyber security. None of us expects to fall prey to cybercriminals or their scams. However, certain characteristics can actually make us MORE vulnerable to cybercrime than the average person. The MOST vulnerable people exhibit more than one of the following characteristics:

    • Use a WEAK password
    • Use the same password for most (or all) of their accounts
    • Work from home

    Here’s a list of the major things you want to do to keep safe in the cyber world. They’re also great tools for practicing good cyber security:

    Password

    Use a strong password: one with 16-20 characters. It should also contain a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. It should NOT contain:

    • Personal information (like your DOB, address, zip code, last four of Social Security #, etc.)
    • Consecutive numbers or letters (123 or abc)
    • Repated numbers or letters (333, 3030, or zzz)
    • Information others can easily guess (the names of your spouse, kids, or grandkids; your pets names; your favorite sports team, author, or TV show, etc.)

    password manager

    Use a password manager. Here’s a link that explains what a password manager is, how it works, and a few ratings. Sure, there’s a learning curve, but it’s worth it. Also, keep in mind that different password managers offer different features. You can choose one that’s as basic or feature-rich as you’d like.

    multi-factor authentication (mfa)

    Make sure you use multi-factor authentication (MFA), also called 2-factor authentication. Basic account logins require you to provide a user ID and password. (Ironically, the user ID is required to be your email address, which anyone can obtain! How secure is THAT?) Of course, because you know your user ID and password , other people can know them, too. This is where MFA comes in: it requires a third piece of information. This info is either something YOU HAVE or something YOU ARE. The something you have is your smartphone and an authenticator app or text messaging app that receives codes. You’re only able to login to your account after providing your user ID and password IF you also provide the code sent to your phone’s authenticator or messaging app. Of course, another method of authentication is biometrics: thumbprints, facial recognition, retina scans, etc.

    virtual private network (VPN)

    Always use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) if you’re on public WiFi. You should also use it on any network where you’re not sure of the level of security. A VPN camouflages the IP address of your device, its physical location, and encrypts the data you send and receive. Here’s a great article on PCMag that explains what a VPN is, how it works, and offers reviews of companies that provide them. I use two VPNs. One is a basic VPN with my antivirus software (that’s on all my devices). The other is a robust VPN purchased for an annual cost of about $70; I use this one when I travel.

    security updates

    Make sure you update your computer and ALL devices routinely AND when the updates are available. Did you know that you can schedule these updates so they occur when you prefer them to, rather than whenever your computer chooses to install them? Here are two articles that explain how to do this: one from PCMag and another from Tom’s Guide.

    one additional tip

    If you’re going to conduct online research about anything related to cyber security, I have a recommendation. Do NOT visit sites that have a vested interest in or bias about the subject at hand. In other words, don’t ask Microsoft or Apple who makes the best computers. Don’t ask McAfee or Norton who designed the best antivirus software. Also, don’t visit news outlets, as they often sell ads to tech companies and have a vested interest in them.

    I’ve found the following online resources to be helpful and largely objective when looking for tips, advice, etc.:

    As always, share your questions and thoughts.

  • 4 Tips for Marketing Yourself … Successfully

    4 Tips for Marketing Yourself … Successfully

    Everyone wants to be successful–that’s why marketing yourself is so important. We also want to make money, be recognized and liked, and sell a lot of whatever it is we’re selling–even if it’s just our good reputation.

    Unfortunately, some of us jump right into marketing without doing our homework. That can lead us to achieve results that are 180 degrees from where we want them to be. Here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years as an insurance agent, public speaker, and professional writer.

    Tip #1: Know and Understand What Marketing Yourself Is … and Is Not

    Marketing is selling and promoting products and services in a market. It’s a process that includes a number of different functions, including but not limited to conducting research, networking, and advertising.

    Social media has made the advertising piece of the puzzle [seemingly] easy. We post on our Facebook timelines, Twitter feeds, and Instagram stories frequently because doing so is easy and fast. Some people, though, overdo it.

    I know that. And so do you.

    Remember, social media is only a very small piece of the marketing pie. If you turn people off with the first bite, they’re not coming back for seconds.

    Example: I’ll bet you’ve hidden people for 30 days from your own Facebook timeline or unfollowed people because they’re constantly bombarding you with their messages. Messages that don’t change–unless you’re counting the modifications to the color scheme or swapping of images in the Canva design. Ever wonder how many people have hidden YOU from their timelines for 30 days?

    Tip #2: It’s all about Your Audience

    Take it from me, people don’t want to be sold. They want to buy. They don’t want to be told what’s good, they want to figure it out for themselves. They especially want to matter to the person who attempts to persuade them what’s good and why they should buy it.

    When you’re marketing yourself, your mission isn’t selling. Your mission is appealing to your audience. It’s matchmaking. Specifically, matching your product or service to an audience member who needs or wants what you’re offering.

    Don’t advertise how great your insurance product is or what a satisfying read your book is. Why? Because that’s what everyone else is doing. Everyone else is talking and people are sick of hearing blah, blah, blah.

    Conduct your research, figure out who wants what you’re selling, and then show those people they matter to you, you care about them, and whatever it is you do will benefit them. Behave in a way that SHOWS them you care. Words are cheap. Actions speak louder. (Pardon the cliches, but they’re true!)

    Sales and marketing is NOT about you. Sales and marketing is about them. And until you put your audience first, you’re going to lose more of those potential clients/customers than you’ll gain.

    Tip #3: Read Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”

    I read this book at least once a year.

    Why? you might be wondering. That book was written in the 1930s and is outdated, you might be thinking.

    Wrong!

    People are the same now as they were then. They might dress differently and have more electronic devices now, but inside they have the same needs and yearnings. Carnegie says there are six ways we can make people like us instantly–and he explains what they are in his book.

    One of those ways is to Always make the other person feel important.

    Why do you think that is? Because feeling important to other people is believed to be the most primal urge in human nature.

    People won’t like you, trust you, buy from you, or pay any attention to you if they aren’t convinced you think they’re important. And don’t kid yourself, people’s instincts are often spot on when it comes to recognizing authenticity, or its lack.

    Tip #4: Be Generous

    Generosity is giving, and giving in a large way. It’s giving with kindness, for the pure joy of making the gift and not expecting or asking for anything in return. Generosity is unselfish and seeks to provide a benefit for someone else and not oneself.

    If, in your marketing, you focus on how you can benefit personally from speaking publicly, or sitting on a panel, or volunteering your time–you’re not really being generous. The focus on you offsets the generosity.

    Instead, if you realize that by being generous and freely offering your time, expertise, or advice without asking for a direct, one-on-one return, that generosity will communicate its true authenticity. Generosity also focuses on the other person.

    I’m not saying to give away the store for free. But I am suggesting you give away pieces of it, judiciously, knowing that by doing so you will (in the long run) benefit tremendously from that generosity. This is the best way to accomplish your goals.

    Conclusion about Marketing Yourself

    Do your research. Understand your audience. And provide what your audience wants–not what you decide your audience needs.

    For more information about marketing yourself and other similar subjects, check out How to Win Friends and Influence People, or any of the many books written by Jeffrey Gitomer, or my book, Taking the Mystery out of Business. You can also watch a recording of my live web class, Marketing Tips for Beginners, on my YouTube channel.

  • Helping Others Helps Yourself

    Helping Others Helps Yourself

    In today’s society, all kinds of crazy things are going on. Instead of isolating ourselves and waiting for Armageddon, we should be pulling together and taking advantage of every positive aspect of our existence. It troubles me that so many of us are unaware that reaching out and helping others helps yourself.

    Today, my job is to enlighten you about how this process can turn around your level of satisfaction and success. I’m focusing on writers and the writer’s life but my advice applies equally to writers, insurance professionals, and everyone else. View my examples as metaphors and then apply them to your own circumstances.

    Let Me Start by Pouring the Foundation:

    • Do unto others.
    • Pay it forward.
    • Help the less fortunate.
    • Volunteer.
    • Do no harm.

    We’ve all heard these and other catchphrases urging us to be a better person. And you know what? They all focus on other people instead of ourselves!

    Frankly, they turn a lot of people off. Why? Because a person’s first reaction is to think that if you’re working on yourself or your writing or anything else that relates to you, why go off-topic and switch the subject from Me to Someone Else?

    Let’s Adjust the Focus as we Begin Building the House:

    When a car drives into a tree, the crash is the direct cause of damage to the car. And the tree. And, more importantly, injury to the driver. The indirect cause of the damage and injury is the dog who ran into the road. Why? Because the dog prompted the driver to yank the wheel and barrel into the tree.

    Life is filled with both direct and indirect causes of loss … and benefits.

    In the publishing world, writers often view their successes based on:

    • How well they know their craft.
    • How accomplished they are at writing proposals, synopses, and queries.
    • How adept they are at gaining the [positive] attention of agents and editors.
    • How many books they sell.

    They sit at their desks, immersed in tunnel vision, only thinking about themselves: Their work in progress. Their editing. Their rewrites. Their deadlines. Their submissions. Their rejections. In short, all the steps they need to follow to achieve their own, personal goals.

    Focusing inward is essential when you’re a writer. The actual writing is, for most of us, a solitary undertaking. Even for those who work with critique partners, beta readers, and mentors, it doesn’t take a village when putting words on paper (or the computer screen).

    However, all goals require a path to follow, and all paths run in two directions–two opposite directions. If focusing inward is heading North, then focusing outward is South. If you’re North, then everyone else is South.

    Understanding the Value of a Sturdy Roof

    None of us enjoys a leaky roof. Drip … drip … drip … will drive you crazy in about thirty seconds. Not to mention the damage that can result from inattention over time.

    You absolutely MUST build a strong roof, nurture and care for it, and update it when necessary. Think of other people as the roof to your personal house. (Pssst: helping others helps yourself.)

    As writers, when we comply with requests from newbies who ask us for advice and insights, we spend X hours of our own precious time educating them without receiving a direct benefit. One perspective is: the newbie doesn’t have publishing contacts. Another way of looking at it is: the newbie doesn’t know as much as we do about craft. Still another viewpoint is: the newbie doesn’t have anything to impart that we really need. Yada yada yada.

    Another perspective is recognizing that each time we share what we know, we’re reinforcing it in our own minds. Each time we explain an element of our craft or the publishing industry, we’re reminding ourselves of something. Often, it’s something we may not have thought about for a while, something we can’t afford to forget. And each time we read or critique someone else’s work, we strengthen our own innate talents and perceptions. Helping others really does help yourself.

    The Artistry of Finish Work

    I don’t know Jane Friedman–I’ve never met her. I don’t know anyone else who knows her–but I’m familiar with her reputation in the publishing world. Between the information she provides on her website and the bazillions of online articles she’s penned and been the subject of, she embodies “helping others helps yourself.”

    Here’s one article on her website about using beta readers that proves my point. The article is written by another person, but it’s on Jane’s website. You can spend all day reading the resources Jane provides on her website without spending a dime. At the same time, you’ll enrich yourself immeasurably.

    My Personal Home

    When I moved to Montana from Massachusetts, the only person I knew in Big Sky Country was my realtor. Nine months later, my circle of acquaintances and friends had expanded. It included about a dozen neighbors and thirty co-workers at the insurance agency where I was employed.

    After I quit my job and established my second insurance agency, I followed my own advice about helping others to help myself. What did I do? I reached out to loan officers, car dealerships, the Chamber of Commerce, and local businesses, etc. I offered my time, knowledge, and expertise. Volunteering on the city’s DUI Task Force was way outside my comfort level; however, it wound up giving me tremendous satisfaction. And and community exposure. Using my sales and marketing experience, I approached the University of Montana’s School of Business Administration with an idea. The Director loved it and, together, we established a networking program that matched graduating college seniors with local businesses looking for interns and new employees. I performed other great and wonderful feats, but I’m guessing you get the picture…

    Decorating Help

    Now, I must admit, I did ask for one small thing in return for the time I offered without compensation. I asked my newfound friends and associates:

    “If you benefit from your interactions with me, would you be kind enough to share your opinion of me–and the fact that I own an insurance agency and am trying to build a new business?”

    That was it. That’s all it took. Sure, I worked hard. But other people–those I helped–worked with me and for me. They actually helped me grow my business and become a more satisfied, successful insurance professional.

    The Open House: Helping Others

    As a writer, I have always followed the same path. I’ve served on the board of several writer’s organizations. I’ve judged hundreds of entries in countless writer’s contests over the years. In one of the writer’s organizations of which I was a member, I created a program called Craft Chat. In each virtual monthly meeting, another published writer and I chatted with unpublished members. We answered their questions about the craft of writing served as a resource.

    They helped me by introducing me to new perspectives, sharing innovative ideas, and enforcing what I already knew,. They also taught me about subjects that never even blipped on my radar.

    Helping others helps yourself. Feel free to reach out to me anytime!

  • Do Lies Come in Different Colors?

    Do Lies Come in Different Colors?

    Today’s burning question is: Do lies come in different colors?

    I discussed this topic in a recent insurance ethics seminar I taught and I’m curious about your opinion. Some of my students indicated white lies are okay and other types of lies are not. What do YOU think?

    Why do we Lie?

    I didn’t know lies came in assorted colors so I asked my students, “What’s the difference between a white lie, a red lie, and a purple lie?”

    A white lie, my students said, is a lie that spares another person’s feelings or doesn’t hurt someone else. That got me thinking about other people’s feelings.

    How can we predict with any accuracy how another person truly feels? Why should we modify our opinions based on our perception of what another person’s feelings might be? Are we truly responsible for how another person feels and responds to the truth?

    Keep in mind that our opinion isn’t necessarily the truth–it’s our belief or perspective. In fact, our opinion often changes over time.

    Sometimes, when people ask us a question, they’re asking for an opinion, not a fact: Do I look fat in this dress?

    There’s no truthful answer to this question because no universal, factual response exists. I may think the dress suits you perfectly and Edna may disagree. If Edna decides to tell a white lie and say No, honey, you look great and save your feelings, she’s not telling HER truth.

    Later on in the evening, after you decided to go to a party wearing the dress Edna likes, what if someone else tells you the dress is too tight and you should have chosen something else to wear? Might Edna’s words still hurt when you realize she told a white lie? Might Edna have spared your feelings by telling HER truth in a mindful manner? Personally, honey, your red dress is the most flattering dress you own. If I were you, I’d wear that instead.

    At other times, when people ask us a question, they want a factual response. Why didn’t you answer the phone last night? There IS a truthful answer to this question. Maybe I didn’t hear the phone ring. If that’s the case, saying so would be a truthful response. But what if I didn’t hear the phone ring because the battery died, I turned the phone off when I got home to avoid your call, or I left it at home when I rented a motel room to fool around with your spouse?

    Not providing the entire truth might be misleading … and an outright lie.

    Do the Colors of Lies Matter?

    But when might it be a “white” lie? If the phone’s battery died and I chose not to charge it because I wanted silence, not providing that information might be considered a white lie. In the other two scenarios, not telling the truth is an outright lie. What color lie would it be? Red, purple, blue?

    Let’s face it, a lie is meant to deceive. When we lie, we distort the truth to protect ourselves, not to spare other people’s feelings.

    It’s easier to tell a white lie and say either “yes” or “no” than produce one or two complete sentences that convey how we truly feel … while also considering the other person’s feelings. It’s also easier to tell other types of lies to prevent the fallout from sharing the truth, whether it’s OUR truth or THE truth.

    In closing, let me share the universal meaning of some colors in the rainbow:

    • Red is the color of passion and energy. It’s also a sign of danger or warning.
    • Yellow is the color of happiness and optimism, however, it’s also a sign of cowardice.
    • Green is the color of nature, harmony, and health and is universally associated with envy.
    • Purple is the color of royalty, spirituality, and imagination. It’s also connected with immaturity and sensitivity.
    • White is the color of purity and innocence, yet it can be indicative of coldness, emptiness, or distance.

    When we lie, even when telling white lies, we do so primarily because of our OWN feelings. Feelings that usually represent the flip side of what is good and positive. So yes, I guess lies do come in different colors.

  • How to Earn Customer Loyalty

    How to Earn Customer Loyalty

    Regardless of what business you’re in–whether you write and sell insurance or novels–customers are only going to buy you and your product if you earn their loyalty. No one is automatically entitled to trust.

    How can you earn trust and loyalty?

    • Be authentic and sincere. If you’re a vegan selling Angus beef, that fundamental contradiction is apparent–if only in a funny feeling prospective customers sense.
    • Be open and honest. The popular word these days is “transparent.” And it’s appropriate. You don’t want people to lie to you, be deceptive, or withhold important information. So, don’t lie to, deceive, or withhold from others. The imbalance of treating people in a way you won’t tolerate being treated is going to topple you eventually.
    • Understand people. Do you know how your customers communicate? Would they prefer a phone call, a text, or an email? What do they believe? What do they want? What do they NEED? What do they consider important? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, how can you possibly give them what they want and need … or what they value?

    The most important things to remember about people are that they want you to:

    • View them as important
    • Care about them
    • Listen to them

    I talk about this subject in more detail in episode 14 of my podcast, Taking the Mystery out of Insurance. You can find it here.

    If you’d like to read more about the subject, check out Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends and Influence People or any of Jeffrey Gitomer’s sales books (gitomer.com).