If you want to help your company make a difference, best-selling author Tim Sanders says that you have to become a Saver Soldier: A highly motivated individual who leverages work as a platform to help save the world. In his case, that meant abandoning the dog-eat-dog mentality he had inculcated over the years and adopting a relationship-based perspective. In Executive Excellence, he offers these Six Laws Of The Saver Soldier:

• The Law Of The Ledger: Even if you want to do good, you will need to succeed financially to maintain your credibility and support a thriving organization.
• The Law Of Interdependence: The strength of an individual depends on the strength of the greater community.
• The Law Of Abundance: There is always enough of whatever is needed to go around. Those who see life from the vantage point of abundance can find contentment and happiness rather than be dragged down by envy.
• The Law Of Reciprocity: People will give back what they are given. When you do the right thing for another person or your community, you will be repaid, through loyalty, useful feedback on improving your firm, or referrals.
• The Law Of The Long View: When making any decision, consider the long-term implications -- the chain reactions that result.
• The Law Of The Last Mile: If you don't finish what you start, you might as well not start at all. That means focusing on the last mile -- the final few action items required to turn an idea into reality.

In some cases, following the conventional wisdom is worthwhile. But in other cases, it can lead you astray. In MIT Sloan Management Review, David Corkindale, a professor of marketing at the University of South Australia's International Graduate School of Business, warns you to be wary of these shibboleths:

• To succeed in a market, a company needs to differentiate its product from those of its competitors: The humble but legendary Toyota Corolla didn't have anything unique about its features. But it became one of the most popular cars in the world. "What most customers want is not more differentiation but products and services that are simply better at providing the routine things they expect when they make a purchase," he writes.
• Marketing is all about hunting and capturing clients: These days, in the Internet Age, often the company is the prey, while the prospect does the hunting. With vacations, for example, many people hunt out -- and customize -- the vacation they want. Make sure those hunters can find you easily on the Internet.
• Loyal customers are the most valuable: This is true in some markets, but not in others. An analysis of the loyal buyers of an old-fashioned spirit drink, for example, found that many were older women who only bought a small bottle every other year around Christmas. Make sure your loyal customers are highly profitable.

Creative consultant Roger von Oech says his motto is "Look for the second right answer." Too often, he notes on MarketingProfs.com, we grasp at the first answer that comes our way.

But when looking for information, his motto reminds him to dig deeper, which pays dividends. When he is trying to be creative, the motto playfully reminds him to put the ideas in his head in unusual contexts to give them new meaning. When he is evaluating concepts, it urges him not to get stuck in the negative and not to fall in love with one approach. "And when I'm implementing ideas," he notes, "it reminds me that if one way doesn't work, a different one just might and to act accordingly."

If you make a carefully crafted presentation, the impact you are seeking can fall apart if you get derailed by a disruptive or negative questioner with their own agenda. On MorningstarAdvisor.com, investment advisor Helen Modly recommends a Jump 1, 2, 3 response.

Start by rephrasing the negative question more appropriately. Nod your head up and down subtly, which will imply the questioner agrees with you.

"Now, JUMP! Move your eye contact to someone on the opposite side of the room as you begin to deliver your response," she suggests. Then as you continue your answer, move eye contact again to someone near the original questioner. Then immediately take a question, if possible from the other side of the room from the original questioner, discouraging a rebuttal and a one-on-one conversation with that individual.

• Prospecting is not something you do aggressively only when business is slow, advises sales consultant Colleen Francis. Prospecting is your business -- you must be continually expanding the number of people you reach out to. (Source: EngageSelling.com)
• We have more on our minds than ever before, so our memory will inevitably fail us at times. Productivity consultant Jason Womack says it's important that you write more things down, taking notes of important moments of the day. But given how much information you take in each day, there's a second, vital step: Set aside time each day for reviewing those notes, to give them extra emphasis. (Source: Dumb Little Man blog)
• It still takes ten years to be a success, web or no web, counsels marketing guru Seth Godin. The frustrating part is that you see your tactics fail right away. But if you are patient and make the right tweaks, you can succeed in the long haul. (Source: Seth's Blog)
• Change initiatives usually begin with a major memo to staff or a meeting of all hands. But in addition to laying out the plans in clear terms, make sure you also let employees know how you intend to update them as events unfold. (Source: Harvard Management Update)
• If you're planning a conference, consultant Mack Collier advises inserting breaks of 15 minutes if not half an hour between speakers, so people have enough time to ask questions of the speakers or mingle with other participants. (Source: The Viral Garden blog)

6. Q&A with 8020Info:

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Question: What is the best time horizon for strategic planning?