A few years ago, I saw a video by a Harvard professor on competences
for adapting to a changing world. Frankly, it was embarrassing. It was
the biggest load of pseudo-intellectual garbage I’d ever heard.
Still, the world is changing. It’s becoming a more complex place. I
guess that’s always been the case, but the rate of change appears to be
accelerating. Given that’s the case, then what are the real capabilities
will people need to distinguish themselves--to become the leaders, the
innovators, the success stories of a new age?
Fortunately, as a veteran of the high-tech industry, I’ve known and
worked with some of the most capable and accomplished folks around. Here
are five competences that not only set them apart, but are becoming
more and more important all the time. No, they’re not new-age business
school jargon. Some aren’t even new. But what’s important is that they
work.
1. Drown out the noise.
We live and work in a world that’s so overloaded with information,
communication, and gadgets that fighting that irresistible and constant
tug to text, tweet, and check our email is becoming harder and harder
all the time. That trend is not likely to change anytime soon.
Ability to focus and prioritize has always been critical to success
in just about any field, but these days, managing distraction and not
succumbing to its addictive qualities has become remarkably challenging
for even the most disciplined among us.
Make no mistake. If you can’t focus, you can’t get things done. And if you can’t get things done, somebody else will.
2. Recognize the bullsh*t.
When you question assumptions, claims, and viewpoints instead of just
accepting them as gospel, as in "I saw it on the internet so it must be
true," that's called critical thinking. It’s fundamental for smart
decision-making. And that, in turn, is key to being successful at just
about anything.
The concept dates back thousands of years to Socrates and Buddha's
teachings. If you question conventional wisdom, challenge the status
quo, and avoid collectivism and groupthink, you’re in good company.
They’re all facets of the same concept.
Here’s the thing. There’s so much garbage out there in the cloud, in
social media, in blogs, on TV, in self-help books -- you name it -- that
your ability to question what’s real and what isn’t, to reason
logically and not generalize from a single data point, is more critical
today than ever before.
And, in time, the world is only going to become more and more complex and, that’s right, full of stuff.
3. Be more than an avatar.
It’s ironic that, with all the hoopla over personal branding,
self-expression, and the “Me” generation, I find that people are
becoming more and more like internet avatars every day. In other words,
there’s a tendency to hide behind our own social media creations. To
become sound bites personified.
More than ever, we need a sense of humility and self-awareness to
remind us that we're flesh and blood humans. That we’re not always the
insanely great business leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, partners,
parents, whatever, that we hold ourselves out to be.
Not only that, but the sheer volume of noise and time we waste on
mindless distraction makes it that much harder to stay in touch with
ourselves, to be quiet and reflect on what’s going on inside, to
understand what our emotions are trying to tell us.
And don’t even get me started on political correctness, that
insidious worldwide trend that dumbs us all down to the lowest common
denominator so no single individual is ever left out or made to feel
uncomfortable or, God forbid, offended.
In a world of indistinguishable lemmings, where everyone tries to be
different and, in so doing, ends up behaving exactly like everyone else,
those who are genuine and self-aware will have a big advantage.
4. Truly connect with people.
Communication has always been the means by which great leaders
achieve great things. But these days, communication occurs in sound
bites, status updates, text messages, and tweets of 140 characters or
less. More and more, communication is one-to-many, not one-to-one.
The problem with that is it’s mostly superficial and nobody’s got
time to pay attention to even a tiny fraction of all the gigabytes being
blasted at them every day.
As for all the online social networking we do, none of it’s even
fractionally effective when compared with a simple real-time discussion
or meeting.
Sure, the ability to write and speak effectively is perhaps more
important today than ever before. But if you have that unique ability to
listen and really hear what people are saying, to empathize, to really
relate and truly connect with folks, then chances are you’ll be writing
tomorrow’s success stories.
5. Get things done.
The idea that successful executives, entrepreneurs, and business
leaders are typically driven by high aspirations is nothing but a
popular myth. Most of those people didn't get to where they are by
walking around with their heads in the clouds. They got there by putting
one foot in front of the other and getting stuff done.
If they’re not motivated by grandiose dreams, then what does drive
successful people? It’s usually one of three things: their job and a
strong sense of personal responsibility, out of necessity to put food on
the table and a roof over their family’s heads, or to bring a product
to market they think is cool and that people might actually want or
need.
Regardless of the reason, they get people working toward a common
goal. They deliver the goods. They get the job done. They satisfy the
needs of their customers. And in so doing, they take care of their
families and stakeholders. That’s how things work in the real world.
These days we have more rhetoric, debate, analysis, studies, theories
and research than ever before. We have more grandiose ideals than ever
before. We have more rules and regulations than ever before. The
challenge to get things done has never been greater and the need for
leaders with that capability has never been more imperative.
That’s what I think you and your children will need to adapt to a changing world. Now, what do you think?
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/5-leadership-skills-you-must-have.html
12/27/12
9 Daily Habits That Will Make You Happier
These minor changes in your daily routine will make a major difference in your life and career.
Happiness is the only true measure of personal success. Making other people happy is the highest expression of success, but it's almost impossible to make others happy if you're not happy yourself.
With that in mind, here are nine small changes that you can make to your daily routine that, if you're like most people, will immediately increase the amount of happiness in your life:
1. Start each day with expectation.
If there's any big truth about life, it's that it usually lives up to (or down to) your expectations. Therefore, when you rise from bed, make your first thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what? You're probably right.
2. Take time to plan and prioritize.
The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. Rather than obsess about it, pick one thing that, if you get it done today, will move you closer to your highest goal and purpose in life. Then do that first.
3. Give a gift to everyone you meet.
I'm not talking about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod. And never pass beggars without leaving them something. Peace of mind is worth the spare change.
4. Deflect partisan conversations.
Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out by saying something like: "Thinking about that stuff makes my head hurt."
5. Assume people have good intentions.
Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation.
6. Eat high quality food slowly.
Sometimes we can't avoid scarfing something quick to keep us up and running. Even so, at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.
7. Let go of your results.
The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control. Once you've taken action, there's usually nothing more you can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen.
8. Turn off "background" TV.
Many households leave their TVs on as "background noise" while they're doing other things. The entire point of broadcast TV is to make you dissatisfied with your life so that you'll buy more stuff. Why subliminally program yourself to be a mindless consumer?
9. End each day with gratitude.
Just before you go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge as a million dollar deal. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/9-daily-habits-that-will-make-you-happier.html
Happiness is the only true measure of personal success. Making other people happy is the highest expression of success, but it's almost impossible to make others happy if you're not happy yourself.
With that in mind, here are nine small changes that you can make to your daily routine that, if you're like most people, will immediately increase the amount of happiness in your life:
1. Start each day with expectation.
If there's any big truth about life, it's that it usually lives up to (or down to) your expectations. Therefore, when you rise from bed, make your first thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what? You're probably right.
2. Take time to plan and prioritize.
The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. Rather than obsess about it, pick one thing that, if you get it done today, will move you closer to your highest goal and purpose in life. Then do that first.
3. Give a gift to everyone you meet.
I'm not talking about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod. And never pass beggars without leaving them something. Peace of mind is worth the spare change.
4. Deflect partisan conversations.
Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out by saying something like: "Thinking about that stuff makes my head hurt."
5. Assume people have good intentions.
Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation.
6. Eat high quality food slowly.
Sometimes we can't avoid scarfing something quick to keep us up and running. Even so, at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.
7. Let go of your results.
The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control. Once you've taken action, there's usually nothing more you can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen.
8. Turn off "background" TV.
Many households leave their TVs on as "background noise" while they're doing other things. The entire point of broadcast TV is to make you dissatisfied with your life so that you'll buy more stuff. Why subliminally program yourself to be a mindless consumer?
9. End each day with gratitude.
Just before you go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge as a million dollar deal. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/9-daily-habits-that-will-make-you-happier.html
Success Means Learning to Let Go
When most people think about success, they think about adding things
to their life: more money, more prestige, a nicer car, a bigger house.
The problem with that way of thinking is that it ignores the fact that
your ability to succeed is directly proportional to your ability to let
go of things. Let me explain.
Because you are a human being, you have the potential to do and to be many different things. However, though it's true you can do anything, you can't do everything. Every life decision that you make is not just saying yes to the future you want to create but also no to the many other futures that you might have otherwise created.
If you're going to be truly successful at pursuing that future, you can't waste time and energy mooning about what might have been if you had made a different decision. You'll only achieve your goal if you truly let go of those other desires and possible directions.
The ability to let go is especially essential for managers. It's a truism that the most effective managers delegate as much as possible. By contrast, people who micromanage are always a burden on themselves and the people around them.
Success as a manager therefore means letting go of responsibility and authority. Mitchell Kertzman, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, once told me:
Similarly, Lew Platt, arguably HP's most successful CEO, once
characterized the job of the CEO as "managing the white spaces on the
organizational chart."
Business pundits are forever touting the importance of being flexible and nimble. What that really means, though, is that you, and your organization, must be willing and able to let go of behaviors that were successful in the past and are no longer working.
The same is true throughout life, which is actually a process of shedding the burdens and misconceptions of youth. As St. Paul so memorably put it:
This is not a philosophy of loss or grief but of the greater success
you can achieve that can come only if you truly learn to let go. At the
risk of going from the profound to the trivial, I would like to
illustrate this point with an experience of my own.
A few months back, I was in a state of incredible frustration. Every part of my business seemed to be stalled, with the solution out of my control. While I was in this state, I called a friend of mine, the movie producer/sales executive David Rotman. (I wrote about him in a prior post.)
He listened to me complain for a few minutes and then said: "Geoff, take a piece of paper and a Sharpie and write the following words in big letters: 'I love letting go.' Now hang that paper by your computer screen."
"That's your advice?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied.
I did as he asked, and I'm looking at that piece of paper even as I write this post. Do you want to know what that piece of paper did for me? Plenty. Because it was in my face every time I sat down to work, it reminded me that it's crazy to obsess about things over which I have no control.
It was hard, but I finally managed to let go of the things that were driving me crazy. And guess what? I began to see that some of the goals I was so worried about meant a lot less to me today than in the past. As a result, I started putting more energy into my writing and into my creative thinking.
What happened? Well, I can't give you the details just yet, but some incredibly positive things happened, none of which would have taken place if I hadn't followed David's advice, if I hadn't let go of my conception of how things were supposed to be.
I'm not holding myself up as some kind of role model, because, to be honest, I struggle with this stuff every day. However, I do know one thing for certain. Whatever success I might achieve in the future will be the direct result not just of letting go but of learning to love the entire process.
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/success-means-learning-to-let-go.html
Because you are a human being, you have the potential to do and to be many different things. However, though it's true you can do anything, you can't do everything. Every life decision that you make is not just saying yes to the future you want to create but also no to the many other futures that you might have otherwise created.
If you're going to be truly successful at pursuing that future, you can't waste time and energy mooning about what might have been if you had made a different decision. You'll only achieve your goal if you truly let go of those other desires and possible directions.
The ability to let go is especially essential for managers. It's a truism that the most effective managers delegate as much as possible. By contrast, people who micromanage are always a burden on themselves and the people around them.
Success as a manager therefore means letting go of responsibility and authority. Mitchell Kertzman, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, once told me:
When I started [my first] company, it
was a one-man business. There was a time when I did every job in this
company. I wrote the programs, I sent out the bills, I did the
accounting, I answered the phone, I made the coffee. As the company has
grown, I do fewer and fewer of those jobs. And that's just as well,
because I was certainly less competent at them than most of the people
who are doing them now. I'm the reverse of the Peter Principle in the
sense that I've finally risen to my level of competence, which is that I
don't do anything very well and now what I do extremely well is
nothing.
Business pundits are forever touting the importance of being flexible and nimble. What that really means, though, is that you, and your organization, must be willing and able to let go of behaviors that were successful in the past and are no longer working.
The same is true throughout life, which is actually a process of shedding the burdens and misconceptions of youth. As St. Paul so memorably put it:
When I was a child, I spoke as a
child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a
man, I put away childish things.
A few months back, I was in a state of incredible frustration. Every part of my business seemed to be stalled, with the solution out of my control. While I was in this state, I called a friend of mine, the movie producer/sales executive David Rotman. (I wrote about him in a prior post.)
He listened to me complain for a few minutes and then said: "Geoff, take a piece of paper and a Sharpie and write the following words in big letters: 'I love letting go.' Now hang that paper by your computer screen."
"That's your advice?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied.
I did as he asked, and I'm looking at that piece of paper even as I write this post. Do you want to know what that piece of paper did for me? Plenty. Because it was in my face every time I sat down to work, it reminded me that it's crazy to obsess about things over which I have no control.
It was hard, but I finally managed to let go of the things that were driving me crazy. And guess what? I began to see that some of the goals I was so worried about meant a lot less to me today than in the past. As a result, I started putting more energy into my writing and into my creative thinking.
What happened? Well, I can't give you the details just yet, but some incredibly positive things happened, none of which would have taken place if I hadn't followed David's advice, if I hadn't let go of my conception of how things were supposed to be.
I'm not holding myself up as some kind of role model, because, to be honest, I struggle with this stuff every day. However, I do know one thing for certain. Whatever success I might achieve in the future will be the direct result not just of letting go but of learning to love the entire process.
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/success-means-learning-to-let-go.html
12/26/12
6 Habits of Remarkably Likeable People
They're charming. They're genuine. And they can make an entire room full of people smile.
When you meet someone, after, "What do you do?" you're out of things to say. You suck at small talk, and those first five minutes are tough because you're a little shy and a little insecure.
But you want to make a good impression. You want people to genuinely like you.
Here's how remarkably likeable people do it:
They lose the power pose.
I know: Your parents taught you to stand tall, square your shoulders, stride purposefully forward, drop your voice a couple of registers, and shake hands with a firm grip.
It's great to display nonverbal self-confidence, but go too far and it seems like you're trying to establish your importance. That makes the "meeting" seem like it's more about you than it is the other person--and no one likes that.
No matter how big a deal you are you pale in comparison to say, oh, Nelson Mandela. So take a cue from him. Watch how he greets Bill Clinton, no slouch at this either.
Clinton takes a step forward (avoiding the "you must come to me" power move); Mandela steps forward with a smile and bends slightly forward as if, ever so slightly, to bow (a clear sign of deference and respect in nearly every culture); Clinton does the same. What you have are two important people who put aside all sense of self-importance or status. They're genuine.
Next time you meet someone, relax, step forward, tilt your head towards them slightly, smile, and show that you're the one who is honored by the introduction--not them.
We all like people who like us. If I show you I'm genuinely happy to meet you, you'll instantly start to like me. (And you'll show that you do, which will help calm my nerves and let me be myself.)
They embrace the power of touch.
Nonsexual touch can be very powerful. (Yes, I'm aware that sexual touch can be powerful too.) Touch can influence behavior, increase the chances of compliance, make the person doing the touching seem more attractive and friendly.
Go easy, of course: Pat the other person lightly on the upper arm or shoulder. Make it casual and nonthreatening.
Check out Clinton's right-hand-shakes-hands-left-hand-touches-Mandela's-forearm-a-second-later handshake in the link above and tell me, combined with his posture and smile, that it doesn't come across as genuine and sincere.
Think the same won't work for you? Try this: The next time you walk up behind a person you know, touch them lightly on the shoulder as you go by. I guarantee you'll feel like a more genuine greeting was exchanged.
Touch breaks down natural barriers and decreases the real and perceived distance between you and the other person--a key component in liking and in being liked.
They whip out their social jiu-jitsu.
You meet someone. You talk for 15 minutes. You walk away thinking, "Wow, we just had a great conversation. She is awesome."
Then, when you think about it later, you realize you didn't learn a thing about the other person.
Remarkably likeable people are masters at Social Jiu-Jitsu, the ancient art of getting you to talk about yourself without you ever knowing it happened. SJJ masters are fascinated by every step you took in creating a particularly clever pivot table, by every decision you made when you transformed a 200-slide PowerPoint into a TED Talk-worthy presentation, if you do say so yourself...
SJJ masters use their interest, their politeness, and their social graces to cast an immediate spell on you.
And you like them for it.
Social jiu-jitsu is easy. Just ask the right questions. Stay open-ended and allow room for description and introspection. Ask how, or why, or who.
As soon as you learn a little about someone, ask how they did it. Or why they did it. Or what they liked about it, or what they learned from it, or what you should do if you're in a similar situation.
No one gets too much recognition. Asking the right questions implicitly shows you respect another person's opinion--and, by extension, the person.
We all like people who respect us, if only because it shows they display great judgment.
(Kidding. Sort of.)
They whip out something genuine.
Everyone is better than you at something. (Yes, that's true even for you.) Let them be better than you.
Too many people when they first meet engage in some form of penis-measuring contest. Crude reference but one that instantly calls to mind a time you saw two alpha male master-of-the business-universe types whip out their figurative rulers. (Not literally, of course. I hope you haven't seen that.)
Don't try to win the "getting to know someone" competition. Try to lose. Be complimentary. Be impressed. Admit a failing or a weakness.
You don't have to disclose your darkest secrets. If the other person says, "We just purchased a larger facility," say, "That's awesome. I have to admit I'm jealous. We've wanted to move for a couple years but haven't been able to put together the financing. How did you pull it off?"
Don't be afraid to show a little vulnerability. People may be (momentarily) impressed by the artificial, but people sincerely like the genuine.
Be the real you. People will like the real you.
They ask for nothing.
You know the moment: You're having a great conversation, you're finding things in common... and then bam! Someone plays the networking card.
And everything about your interaction changes.
Put away the hard-charging, goal-oriented, always-on kinda persona. If you have to ask for something, find a way to help the other person, then ask if you can.
Remarkably likeable people focus on what they can do for you--not for themselves.
They "close" genuinely.
"Nice to meet you," you say, nodding once as you part. That's the standard move, one that is instantly forgettable.
Instead go back to the beginning. Shake hands again. Use your free hand to gently touch the other person's forearm or shoulder. Say, "I am really glad I met you." Or say, "You know, I really enjoyed talking with you." Smile: Not that insincere salesperson smile that goes with, "Have a nice day!" but a genuine, appreciative smile.
Making a great first impression is important, but so is making a great last impression.
And they accept it isn't easy.
All this sounds simple, right? It is. But it's not easy, especially if you're shy. The standard, power pose, "Hello, how are you, good to meet you, good seeing you," shuffle feels a lot safer.
But it won't make people like you.
So accept it's hard. Accept that being a little more deferential, a little more genuine, a little more complimentary and a little more vulnerable means putting yourself out there. Accept that at first it will feel risky.
But don't worry: When you help people feel a little better about themselves--which is reason enough--they'll like you for it.
And you'll like yourself a little more, too.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/6-habits-of-remarkably-likeable-people.html
When you meet someone, after, "What do you do?" you're out of things to say. You suck at small talk, and those first five minutes are tough because you're a little shy and a little insecure.
But you want to make a good impression. You want people to genuinely like you.
Here's how remarkably likeable people do it:
They lose the power pose.
I know: Your parents taught you to stand tall, square your shoulders, stride purposefully forward, drop your voice a couple of registers, and shake hands with a firm grip.
It's great to display nonverbal self-confidence, but go too far and it seems like you're trying to establish your importance. That makes the "meeting" seem like it's more about you than it is the other person--and no one likes that.
No matter how big a deal you are you pale in comparison to say, oh, Nelson Mandela. So take a cue from him. Watch how he greets Bill Clinton, no slouch at this either.
Clinton takes a step forward (avoiding the "you must come to me" power move); Mandela steps forward with a smile and bends slightly forward as if, ever so slightly, to bow (a clear sign of deference and respect in nearly every culture); Clinton does the same. What you have are two important people who put aside all sense of self-importance or status. They're genuine.
Next time you meet someone, relax, step forward, tilt your head towards them slightly, smile, and show that you're the one who is honored by the introduction--not them.
We all like people who like us. If I show you I'm genuinely happy to meet you, you'll instantly start to like me. (And you'll show that you do, which will help calm my nerves and let me be myself.)
They embrace the power of touch.
Nonsexual touch can be very powerful. (Yes, I'm aware that sexual touch can be powerful too.) Touch can influence behavior, increase the chances of compliance, make the person doing the touching seem more attractive and friendly.
Go easy, of course: Pat the other person lightly on the upper arm or shoulder. Make it casual and nonthreatening.
Check out Clinton's right-hand-shakes-hands-left-hand-touches-Mandela's-forearm-a-second-later handshake in the link above and tell me, combined with his posture and smile, that it doesn't come across as genuine and sincere.
Think the same won't work for you? Try this: The next time you walk up behind a person you know, touch them lightly on the shoulder as you go by. I guarantee you'll feel like a more genuine greeting was exchanged.
Touch breaks down natural barriers and decreases the real and perceived distance between you and the other person--a key component in liking and in being liked.
They whip out their social jiu-jitsu.
You meet someone. You talk for 15 minutes. You walk away thinking, "Wow, we just had a great conversation. She is awesome."
Then, when you think about it later, you realize you didn't learn a thing about the other person.
Remarkably likeable people are masters at Social Jiu-Jitsu, the ancient art of getting you to talk about yourself without you ever knowing it happened. SJJ masters are fascinated by every step you took in creating a particularly clever pivot table, by every decision you made when you transformed a 200-slide PowerPoint into a TED Talk-worthy presentation, if you do say so yourself...
SJJ masters use their interest, their politeness, and their social graces to cast an immediate spell on you.
And you like them for it.
Social jiu-jitsu is easy. Just ask the right questions. Stay open-ended and allow room for description and introspection. Ask how, or why, or who.
As soon as you learn a little about someone, ask how they did it. Or why they did it. Or what they liked about it, or what they learned from it, or what you should do if you're in a similar situation.
No one gets too much recognition. Asking the right questions implicitly shows you respect another person's opinion--and, by extension, the person.
We all like people who respect us, if only because it shows they display great judgment.
(Kidding. Sort of.)
They whip out something genuine.
Everyone is better than you at something. (Yes, that's true even for you.) Let them be better than you.
Too many people when they first meet engage in some form of penis-measuring contest. Crude reference but one that instantly calls to mind a time you saw two alpha male master-of-the business-universe types whip out their figurative rulers. (Not literally, of course. I hope you haven't seen that.)
Don't try to win the "getting to know someone" competition. Try to lose. Be complimentary. Be impressed. Admit a failing or a weakness.
You don't have to disclose your darkest secrets. If the other person says, "We just purchased a larger facility," say, "That's awesome. I have to admit I'm jealous. We've wanted to move for a couple years but haven't been able to put together the financing. How did you pull it off?"
Don't be afraid to show a little vulnerability. People may be (momentarily) impressed by the artificial, but people sincerely like the genuine.
Be the real you. People will like the real you.
They ask for nothing.
You know the moment: You're having a great conversation, you're finding things in common... and then bam! Someone plays the networking card.
And everything about your interaction changes.
Put away the hard-charging, goal-oriented, always-on kinda persona. If you have to ask for something, find a way to help the other person, then ask if you can.
Remarkably likeable people focus on what they can do for you--not for themselves.
They "close" genuinely.
"Nice to meet you," you say, nodding once as you part. That's the standard move, one that is instantly forgettable.
Instead go back to the beginning. Shake hands again. Use your free hand to gently touch the other person's forearm or shoulder. Say, "I am really glad I met you." Or say, "You know, I really enjoyed talking with you." Smile: Not that insincere salesperson smile that goes with, "Have a nice day!" but a genuine, appreciative smile.
Making a great first impression is important, but so is making a great last impression.
And they accept it isn't easy.
All this sounds simple, right? It is. But it's not easy, especially if you're shy. The standard, power pose, "Hello, how are you, good to meet you, good seeing you," shuffle feels a lot safer.
But it won't make people like you.
So accept it's hard. Accept that being a little more deferential, a little more genuine, a little more complimentary and a little more vulnerable means putting yourself out there. Accept that at first it will feel risky.
But don't worry: When you help people feel a little better about themselves--which is reason enough--they'll like you for it.
And you'll like yourself a little more, too.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/6-habits-of-remarkably-likeable-people.html
Easiest Way to Win Friends and Influence People
Charm is good and cleverness never hurts. But there's one very simple
thing you can do to create instant rapport with someone else.
It probably says more about me than I like, but I don't like to be touched, except of course by loved ones. I rarely initiate casual touching.
Reach to shake hands? Sure. Full hug, bro' hug, shoulder patting, back slapping good times? Um, no.
That may be why I didn't realize how powerful nonsexual touch can be. (I'm aware sexual touch can be powerful, thanks.) Touch can influence behavior, increase the chances of compliance, make the person doing the touching seem more attractive and friendly, and can even you help make a sale.
Here are a few examples of the effects of nonsexual touch from PsyBlog. When touched, people are:
Show your sincere appreciation or genuine interest not just with words, but with actions as well--taking care to ensure the person you touch doesn't mind, of course.
And start hugging your mother more often. She deserves it.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/easiest-way-to-win-friends-and-influence-people-mon.html
It probably says more about me than I like, but I don't like to be touched, except of course by loved ones. I rarely initiate casual touching.
Reach to shake hands? Sure. Full hug, bro' hug, shoulder patting, back slapping good times? Um, no.
That may be why I didn't realize how powerful nonsexual touch can be. (I'm aware sexual touch can be powerful, thanks.) Touch can influence behavior, increase the chances of compliance, make the person doing the touching seem more attractive and friendly, and can even you help make a sale.
Here are a few examples of the effects of nonsexual touch from PsyBlog. When touched, people are:
- More likely to comply. 81% of participants agreed to sign a petition if touched, while only 55% agreed when not touched.
- Even more likely to comply when touched twice. Researchers asked strangers to fill out a questionnaire; people who were touched twice were more likely to agree than those only touched once. (Shockingly, results were highest when females touched males.)
- More likely to provide help. 90% of strangers who were touched lightly on the arm helped the experimenter pick up dropped items. If not touched, only 63% helped.
- More likely to tip generously. Waitresses who touch customers are more likely to receive a bigger tip. (This from a 1984 study before the non gender-specific "server.")
- Able to perceive unspoken emotions. Participants in a study tried to convey 12 different emotions by touching another blindfolded participant on the forearm. The rate of accuracy for perceiving emotions like fear, anger, gratitude, sympathy, love, and disgust ranged from 43% to 83%--without a word being spoken.
- More likely to (maybe) buy a car. Researchers approached random men shopping for used cars. Half were touched for one second and the other half were not touched. Those who were touched later rated the "toucher" as more friendly, honest, and sincere. Would creating that perception help a salesperson make more sales? Probably so, since so people tend to buy from people they like.
Show your sincere appreciation or genuine interest not just with words, but with actions as well--taking care to ensure the person you touch doesn't mind, of course.
And start hugging your mother more often. She deserves it.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/easiest-way-to-win-friends-and-influence-people-mon.html
Want to Win? Be Smart and Clever
Millions of people are smart. To truly excel, you need to kick it up a notch.
We've all seen smart people lose to clever people. I know I have. (Not that I'm smart. Work with me for a bit.)
Years ago I raced motorcycles. I was a decent rider in a slightly-above-average-fish in a small pond kind of way. I won my share of races. But there was one rider I could never beat.
Objectively you would think I was better: I had better equipment, tended to set better lap times, and was bold in an, "I've broken some bones and since I didn't get my collarbone fixed right one shoulder hangs a little lower than the other but hey everybody knows chicks dig guys with lots of scars" kind of way (note to younger self: No they don't). Yet he still beat me four races in a row.
I was a smart and experienced rider. He was just as smart--but he was also clever.
Sparing you (and my ego) too much detail, here's what happened:
First race: I rode a textbook ride. On the last lap he out-braked me and passed where I was strongest, killed my drive off that turn, and used a couple lapped riders to scrape me off my line in the next turn.
He won. Lessons learned: 1) Sometimes you are weakest where you think you are strongest, and 2) Throwing your helmet greatly reduces its cosmetic appeal.
Next race: He took the lead early and I let him go, thinking he would wear down his tires on an unusually abrasive track. Textbook, conventional wisdom call--but he took advantage of clear sailing to ride perfect lines.
He won by .012 seconds. Lessons learned: 1) Conventional wisdom usually produces conventional results, and 2) Tossing a few insulting gestures at a slower rider before he takes off his helmet to reveal a small, teardrop tattoo below his eye shows a serious disregard for personal safety. (True story.)
Next race: I jumped out to a fast start and clicked off extremely consistent lap times... until I worked too hard in too many corners to pass too many lapped riders and made my back tire look like it ran into a cheese grater with an attitude.
He knew the track and the competition better than I did and purposely hung back to avoid lapping erratic riders too soon.
He won (two words I'm tired of writing.) Lessons learned: 1) Your biggest competition is sometimes not the competition you imagine, and 2) You can love your tires but they will never love you back.
Fourth race: He was totally inside my head. All I remember is finishing second. Lesson learned: Sometimes the best memories are the memories you manage to forget.
Biggest lesson learned? Clever often beats smart.
The Difference Between Smart & Clever
For the sake of argument let's define smart as educated, trained, experienced, and seasoned. Smart people can evaluate a situation and determine the right thing to do.
Clever takes smart a step farther, adding insight and a dash of the unexpected. Clever people evaluate a situation, determine the smart thing to do, and then go a step farther to determine an often-surprising way to capitalize on an opportunity.
In business terms, smart is the guy down the hall with the MBA who analyzes and optimizes your supply chain because you asked him to. Clever is the gal on the shop floor who shows how productivity can be increased by 15% simply by sequencing jobs differently. (Another true story.)
The key to making clever decisions and finding clever strategies is to view problems from a different perspective. Necessity is the mother of cleverness, so creating a little artificial necessity automatically stimulates cleverness.
Here are five easy ways:
1. Think of the worst that could happen.
What if you lose your biggest customer? What if you lose your job? What if your industry tanks?
The answers could indicate a great change in overall strategy or uncover unexpected opportunities.
2. Pretend you're out of money.
Solid cash flow is great, but a steady stream of revenue can also hide opportunities to save money or optimize processes. If you ran out of money, what would you do?
Think through as many scenarios as possible, then implement the best ideas.
3. Pretend you can't follow the rules.
Every business has rules, both written and unwritten. As individuals we all follow external and self-imposed rules. But what would you do if you couldn't follow company or personal guidelines to solve a problem? What if you couldn't ask your boss for permission? What if you couldn't ask your partner for help? What if your policy manual suddenly went missing?
Tap your inner Captain Kidd, play pirate, and mentally break a few rules. You will probably find that some of the "rules" you follow aren't rules at all; they're just conventional wisdom in disguise.
4. Pretend you only have five minutes to solve a problem.
Speed is also the mother of cleverness. Pick a problem and give yourself five minutes to reach a decision. Pretend, say, you only have five minutes to decide what type of business to start. If you had to decide right now what would you choose?
Most of us play out too many "What if?" scenarios for our own good. Often a snap decision is the right decision because it cuts through the clutter.
5. Pretend perfect is achievable.
This is my favorite. Most of us tend to view improvement from a percentage-gain perspective: Increase productivity by 5%, reduce cost by 4%. We look for incremental gains rather than perfection. That's what we're trained to do.
But what if you aimed for perfect? What would be required in order to achieve perfection?
A machine operator and I took this approach with surprising results. While discussing an upcoming budget cycle, I didn't ask him the tried and true, "Do you have any ideas for how we can raise productivity by 3% next year?" Instead, I asked, "What if you had to make sure your machine never went down? What would we need to do?"
Over the course of an hour he listed every conceivable reason his equipment jammed, timed out, shut down because of mechanical and electrical failures. We figured out concrete ways to avoid every item on the list. Then we implemented those ideas.
Was it easy? Heck no. We changed a number of processes, put one employee on a different lunch schedule so he could perform preventive maintenance while the line was idle, increased usage of a number of component parts... the list goes on and on.
We never hit perfection, but in three months productivity was up 32% and the ROI on cost added to the process was over 800%.
Smart? Sure. Clever too.
Anyone can be smart. Take your business to the next level by adding clever to your skill set.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/why-you-need-to-be-smart-and-clever.html
We've all seen smart people lose to clever people. I know I have. (Not that I'm smart. Work with me for a bit.)
Years ago I raced motorcycles. I was a decent rider in a slightly-above-average-fish in a small pond kind of way. I won my share of races. But there was one rider I could never beat.
Objectively you would think I was better: I had better equipment, tended to set better lap times, and was bold in an, "I've broken some bones and since I didn't get my collarbone fixed right one shoulder hangs a little lower than the other but hey everybody knows chicks dig guys with lots of scars" kind of way (note to younger self: No they don't). Yet he still beat me four races in a row.
I was a smart and experienced rider. He was just as smart--but he was also clever.
Sparing you (and my ego) too much detail, here's what happened:
First race: I rode a textbook ride. On the last lap he out-braked me and passed where I was strongest, killed my drive off that turn, and used a couple lapped riders to scrape me off my line in the next turn.
He won. Lessons learned: 1) Sometimes you are weakest where you think you are strongest, and 2) Throwing your helmet greatly reduces its cosmetic appeal.
Next race: He took the lead early and I let him go, thinking he would wear down his tires on an unusually abrasive track. Textbook, conventional wisdom call--but he took advantage of clear sailing to ride perfect lines.
He won by .012 seconds. Lessons learned: 1) Conventional wisdom usually produces conventional results, and 2) Tossing a few insulting gestures at a slower rider before he takes off his helmet to reveal a small, teardrop tattoo below his eye shows a serious disregard for personal safety. (True story.)
Next race: I jumped out to a fast start and clicked off extremely consistent lap times... until I worked too hard in too many corners to pass too many lapped riders and made my back tire look like it ran into a cheese grater with an attitude.
He knew the track and the competition better than I did and purposely hung back to avoid lapping erratic riders too soon.
He won (two words I'm tired of writing.) Lessons learned: 1) Your biggest competition is sometimes not the competition you imagine, and 2) You can love your tires but they will never love you back.
Fourth race: He was totally inside my head. All I remember is finishing second. Lesson learned: Sometimes the best memories are the memories you manage to forget.
Biggest lesson learned? Clever often beats smart.
The Difference Between Smart & Clever
For the sake of argument let's define smart as educated, trained, experienced, and seasoned. Smart people can evaluate a situation and determine the right thing to do.
Clever takes smart a step farther, adding insight and a dash of the unexpected. Clever people evaluate a situation, determine the smart thing to do, and then go a step farther to determine an often-surprising way to capitalize on an opportunity.
In business terms, smart is the guy down the hall with the MBA who analyzes and optimizes your supply chain because you asked him to. Clever is the gal on the shop floor who shows how productivity can be increased by 15% simply by sequencing jobs differently. (Another true story.)
The key to making clever decisions and finding clever strategies is to view problems from a different perspective. Necessity is the mother of cleverness, so creating a little artificial necessity automatically stimulates cleverness.
Here are five easy ways:
1. Think of the worst that could happen.
What if you lose your biggest customer? What if you lose your job? What if your industry tanks?
The answers could indicate a great change in overall strategy or uncover unexpected opportunities.
2. Pretend you're out of money.
Solid cash flow is great, but a steady stream of revenue can also hide opportunities to save money or optimize processes. If you ran out of money, what would you do?
Think through as many scenarios as possible, then implement the best ideas.
3. Pretend you can't follow the rules.
Every business has rules, both written and unwritten. As individuals we all follow external and self-imposed rules. But what would you do if you couldn't follow company or personal guidelines to solve a problem? What if you couldn't ask your boss for permission? What if you couldn't ask your partner for help? What if your policy manual suddenly went missing?
Tap your inner Captain Kidd, play pirate, and mentally break a few rules. You will probably find that some of the "rules" you follow aren't rules at all; they're just conventional wisdom in disguise.
4. Pretend you only have five minutes to solve a problem.
Speed is also the mother of cleverness. Pick a problem and give yourself five minutes to reach a decision. Pretend, say, you only have five minutes to decide what type of business to start. If you had to decide right now what would you choose?
Most of us play out too many "What if?" scenarios for our own good. Often a snap decision is the right decision because it cuts through the clutter.
5. Pretend perfect is achievable.
This is my favorite. Most of us tend to view improvement from a percentage-gain perspective: Increase productivity by 5%, reduce cost by 4%. We look for incremental gains rather than perfection. That's what we're trained to do.
But what if you aimed for perfect? What would be required in order to achieve perfection?
A machine operator and I took this approach with surprising results. While discussing an upcoming budget cycle, I didn't ask him the tried and true, "Do you have any ideas for how we can raise productivity by 3% next year?" Instead, I asked, "What if you had to make sure your machine never went down? What would we need to do?"
Over the course of an hour he listed every conceivable reason his equipment jammed, timed out, shut down because of mechanical and electrical failures. We figured out concrete ways to avoid every item on the list. Then we implemented those ideas.
Was it easy? Heck no. We changed a number of processes, put one employee on a different lunch schedule so he could perform preventive maintenance while the line was idle, increased usage of a number of component parts... the list goes on and on.
We never hit perfection, but in three months productivity was up 32% and the ROI on cost added to the process was over 800%.
Smart? Sure. Clever too.
Anyone can be smart. Take your business to the next level by adding clever to your skill set.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/why-you-need-to-be-smart-and-clever.html
12/11/12
3 Ways To Keep Your Best Customers
In my last column, we discussed three types of customers, categorized
by the type and strength of the attachment they have to your company.
The biggest category, the “brain” customers, are the most analytical
folks, and the ones you need to pay the most attention to.
What you need to do is simple. Accomplishing it is not. You need to have a conversation with your ‘brain’ customers that will address their concerns. Then you need to provide them with the “strokes,” or incentives, that will convince them to stay.
This is tricky. These customers don’t want to feel as if you’ve convinced them to do a certain thing. They want to make their own decisions. So your ‘conversation’ has to be conducted passively rather than actively. It’s not as if you can simply send someone a coupon in the mail. If you’re in an industry where it’s relatively easy to make comparisons between brands, and where customers don’t have strong attachments, your job just got a lot harder.
There are three large buckets of benefits that you can manage to try to reach and convince these customers. I call them:
1. Where’s the beef?
To borrow from Clay Christensen, the question here is how well does the product or service do its job? You’ll be judged on two metrics: the price/value equation (is it worth it?) and the cost of alternative solutions (where else can I find it?). You should do whatever you can, as quickly and as often as possible, to bolster and improve the customer’s perceptions in these two areas.
2. Where’s the heat?
The more “heat” or, more accurately, the more friction that is built into your systems and processes, the more likely that there will be direct and negative customer reactions. Anything that takes too much time, requires repetition, or seems to serve only your interests is a risk to your business. Customers buy for their reasons, not ours. Radio Shack has a pretty strong and flexible automatic return policy, but if you want a cash refund, you need to give them your phone number. That’s good for them, because it helps prevent internal fraud. But for a lot of customers, it seems like gross overreaching and defeats the whole salutary basis of the general policy. The customer doesn’t work for us.
Sometimes, businesses don’t even really understand the “job” that the customer wants done. Inadvertently, they make things harder or more expensive than they need to be. Customer loyalty punch cards are a well-intentioned retention device, but they were often more frustrating than rewarding to customers. How many half-punched cards can we jam in our wallets? Encouraging customers to consolidate their spending with you and return often is the holy grail, but only if the process is as painless as possible.
3. Who’s your Mama?
At the end of the day, everything in business is about relationships. The greater the connection and relationship that you can build with each and every customer, the longer you’ll keep them. Save me time or money, or make me more productive, and it’s going to take a very substantial and persuasive argument to make me walk away. Nine times out of 10, price alone won’t do it. The impression of “belonging”; being a coveted or top-tier customer; or receiving special perks can all improve your connection with the customer.
The best customers are those that “never come up for air” to look at competitors. That’s because you’ve satisfied their past needs and their present requirements, and you’ve anticipated their future desires.
http://www.inc.com/howard-tullman/three-ways-to-keep-your-best-customers.html
What you need to do is simple. Accomplishing it is not. You need to have a conversation with your ‘brain’ customers that will address their concerns. Then you need to provide them with the “strokes,” or incentives, that will convince them to stay.
This is tricky. These customers don’t want to feel as if you’ve convinced them to do a certain thing. They want to make their own decisions. So your ‘conversation’ has to be conducted passively rather than actively. It’s not as if you can simply send someone a coupon in the mail. If you’re in an industry where it’s relatively easy to make comparisons between brands, and where customers don’t have strong attachments, your job just got a lot harder.
There are three large buckets of benefits that you can manage to try to reach and convince these customers. I call them:
1. Where’s the beef?
To borrow from Clay Christensen, the question here is how well does the product or service do its job? You’ll be judged on two metrics: the price/value equation (is it worth it?) and the cost of alternative solutions (where else can I find it?). You should do whatever you can, as quickly and as often as possible, to bolster and improve the customer’s perceptions in these two areas.
2. Where’s the heat?
The more “heat” or, more accurately, the more friction that is built into your systems and processes, the more likely that there will be direct and negative customer reactions. Anything that takes too much time, requires repetition, or seems to serve only your interests is a risk to your business. Customers buy for their reasons, not ours. Radio Shack has a pretty strong and flexible automatic return policy, but if you want a cash refund, you need to give them your phone number. That’s good for them, because it helps prevent internal fraud. But for a lot of customers, it seems like gross overreaching and defeats the whole salutary basis of the general policy. The customer doesn’t work for us.
Sometimes, businesses don’t even really understand the “job” that the customer wants done. Inadvertently, they make things harder or more expensive than they need to be. Customer loyalty punch cards are a well-intentioned retention device, but they were often more frustrating than rewarding to customers. How many half-punched cards can we jam in our wallets? Encouraging customers to consolidate their spending with you and return often is the holy grail, but only if the process is as painless as possible.
3. Who’s your Mama?
At the end of the day, everything in business is about relationships. The greater the connection and relationship that you can build with each and every customer, the longer you’ll keep them. Save me time or money, or make me more productive, and it’s going to take a very substantial and persuasive argument to make me walk away. Nine times out of 10, price alone won’t do it. The impression of “belonging”; being a coveted or top-tier customer; or receiving special perks can all improve your connection with the customer.
The best customers are those that “never come up for air” to look at competitors. That’s because you’ve satisfied their past needs and their present requirements, and you’ve anticipated their future desires.
http://www.inc.com/howard-tullman/three-ways-to-keep-your-best-customers.html
4 Tips to Take Your Company to the Next Level
You've built a pretty good company. You're finally turning a modest
profit. But now you seem to be stuck in a holding pattern. Have you
reached your capacity or is there a way to take things to the next
level?
That was the question facing Jacquie Berglund, founder and CEO of Finnegan's Inc. She'd started out in 2000 with a grand idea: create a local brand of beer and ale, and donate 100% of the profits to charity. "We do what Newman's Own does," she explains. The company was modestly profitable by its third year, and had donated a total of $150,000 to various charities by 2009. But that year, for the first time, revenues fell compared to the past. Berglund wondered if this was it or if there was a way to go from good to great.
Fortunately, one of Berglund's college friends was Buffie Blesi, a business coach and a franchise owner with AdviCoach, which provides counseling to small businesses. Berglund began meeting regularly with Blesi, and the two worked out a strategy to take a plateaued company to the next level:
1. Set specific long-term goals.
"We're creating a strategic plan that centers around her mission and then how to scale it," Blesi says. "What does she want to accomplish in two to five years? Next year? She sets quarterly goals and if there are obstacles, we spend time working through them."
Finnegan's revenues had hovered between $500,000 and $650,000 annually. Working with Blesi, Berglund set a long-term goal to increase that number to $1 million and to meet increasing goals for profits (and thus giving) as well. In 2011, the company gave away $45,000 and it's setting future goals at $100,000 per year and more. As of 2012, Finnegan's is Minnesota's fifth largest beer company.
2. Find a simple mission.
One problem for the business was not how much money it was donating, but how it was donating that money. "We were giving to dozens and dozens of very innovative programs that were working on poverty," Berglund says. But at the company's 10th anniversary celebration, as she tried to describe the difference Finnegan's had made, she found it was difficult to articulate. The company needed a more focused strategy.
Now, Finnegan's donates all its profits to a program that purchases produce from local farms and delivers it to food pantries. There are multiple advantages to this approach. It provides fresh fruit and vegetables to people who can't easily get them while supporting small farms in a tough economy. Also, Finnegan's can target its donations to specific locations, and can thus give back to the communities where its beer is sold, strengthening the connection between drinker and recipient. It's easy to track specific metrics--every $1 donated equals two pounds of produce--and that helps Finnegan's set financial goals.
Finally, because "turning beer into food" is an attractive proposition, Finnegan's is now able to form partnerships, for instance with a local pizza company that makes a donation for every large pie sold on a Monday, or a local liquor store that sells Finnegan's at cost. Some farms, too, are matching Finnegan's donation with additional donated food.
3. Get a simple message.
Now that Finnegan's had focused its mission, it was time for an equally focused message that would get the idea across quickly to the drinking public. "We connected with an ad agency and they created a visual that allows everyone to get it," Blesi says. The new Finnegan's graphic incorporates a shamrock with a halo floating above it and the slogan, "Here's to doing good."
4. Don't go it alone.
In order to meet its goals, Berglund knew Finnegan's would have to scale. Since the company uses a contract brewer, scaling production was no problem, but sales and administration presented more of a challenge.
"I was the sole employee until 2009," Berglund says. "I had bootstrapped and didn't have investment capital, and I was afraid to take the leap of hiring anyone else." Instead, she relied on the help of a network of volunteers. "With volunteers, we could only get to a certain level," she says now. "They were donating their time when they had time. We weren't optimized for growth."
That was the question facing Jacquie Berglund, founder and CEO of Finnegan's Inc. She'd started out in 2000 with a grand idea: create a local brand of beer and ale, and donate 100% of the profits to charity. "We do what Newman's Own does," she explains. The company was modestly profitable by its third year, and had donated a total of $150,000 to various charities by 2009. But that year, for the first time, revenues fell compared to the past. Berglund wondered if this was it or if there was a way to go from good to great.
Fortunately, one of Berglund's college friends was Buffie Blesi, a business coach and a franchise owner with AdviCoach, which provides counseling to small businesses. Berglund began meeting regularly with Blesi, and the two worked out a strategy to take a plateaued company to the next level:
1. Set specific long-term goals.
"We're creating a strategic plan that centers around her mission and then how to scale it," Blesi says. "What does she want to accomplish in two to five years? Next year? She sets quarterly goals and if there are obstacles, we spend time working through them."
Finnegan's revenues had hovered between $500,000 and $650,000 annually. Working with Blesi, Berglund set a long-term goal to increase that number to $1 million and to meet increasing goals for profits (and thus giving) as well. In 2011, the company gave away $45,000 and it's setting future goals at $100,000 per year and more. As of 2012, Finnegan's is Minnesota's fifth largest beer company.
2. Find a simple mission.
One problem for the business was not how much money it was donating, but how it was donating that money. "We were giving to dozens and dozens of very innovative programs that were working on poverty," Berglund says. But at the company's 10th anniversary celebration, as she tried to describe the difference Finnegan's had made, she found it was difficult to articulate. The company needed a more focused strategy.
Now, Finnegan's donates all its profits to a program that purchases produce from local farms and delivers it to food pantries. There are multiple advantages to this approach. It provides fresh fruit and vegetables to people who can't easily get them while supporting small farms in a tough economy. Also, Finnegan's can target its donations to specific locations, and can thus give back to the communities where its beer is sold, strengthening the connection between drinker and recipient. It's easy to track specific metrics--every $1 donated equals two pounds of produce--and that helps Finnegan's set financial goals.
Finally, because "turning beer into food" is an attractive proposition, Finnegan's is now able to form partnerships, for instance with a local pizza company that makes a donation for every large pie sold on a Monday, or a local liquor store that sells Finnegan's at cost. Some farms, too, are matching Finnegan's donation with additional donated food.
3. Get a simple message.
Now that Finnegan's had focused its mission, it was time for an equally focused message that would get the idea across quickly to the drinking public. "We connected with an ad agency and they created a visual that allows everyone to get it," Blesi says. The new Finnegan's graphic incorporates a shamrock with a halo floating above it and the slogan, "Here's to doing good."
4. Don't go it alone.
In order to meet its goals, Berglund knew Finnegan's would have to scale. Since the company uses a contract brewer, scaling production was no problem, but sales and administration presented more of a challenge.
"I was the sole employee until 2009," Berglund says. "I had bootstrapped and didn't have investment capital, and I was afraid to take the leap of hiring anyone else." Instead, she relied on the help of a network of volunteers. "With volunteers, we could only get to a certain level," she says now. "They were donating their time when they had time. We weren't optimized for growth."
So Blesi helped Berglund work through her fear of hiring by
calculating how much additional revenue a salesperson could bring in.
Today, the company has two sales representatives, a sales coordinator,
and a volunteer coordinator who works with its volunteers. Berglund
plans to hire two more sales reps in 2013.
Growing beyond a one-person company has not only helped Finnegan's reach donation goals, it's good for the company's long-term prospects as well. "Because Jacquie now has a team doing a lot of the work she used to do, visiting distributors and going door-to-door at restaurants and liquor stores--she can spend her time developing those relationships in the community," Blesi says. "That helps build beer sales."
http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/how-to-your-company-to-the-next-level-4-tips.html
Growing beyond a one-person company has not only helped Finnegan's reach donation goals, it's good for the company's long-term prospects as well. "Because Jacquie now has a team doing a lot of the work she used to do, visiting distributors and going door-to-door at restaurants and liquor stores--she can spend her time developing those relationships in the community," Blesi says. "That helps build beer sales."
http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/how-to-your-company-to-the-next-level-4-tips.html
Why Shorter is Sweeter
Today I spent considerable time helping my VP craft two very
important emails: one for a client and one for our payroll company. As I
talked, she typed and we realized we both had a lot we wanted to say.
And suddenly, there were just far too many words.
We stopped and deleted -- and then deleted some more. Important communication doesn’t require a thud factor. More is not more. Of course there are times when more words are necessary for diplomacy or clarification, but in this always-on digital age, “more” often dilutes or complicates your message.
Get to the point. Now. My husband used to be the worst at leaving voice messages. He told his boss what he wanted to say. Then he told his boss what he meant by that. And then he summarized for his boss what he’d just said. All in one long, excruciating voice message. “He got it!” I yelled from across the living room one evening, having heard the message he was recording. In a voicemail, just state your name, quickly explain your reason for calling and give the person a call-to-action. Do they need to call you back or is this just an FYI? Let them know. Think, should you text the message instead?
Three is a magic number. Early in my career I worked for a company called 3Com. Everything they did was in threes. Now when I feel the need to explain something complex, my 3Com days remind me to narrow everything down to the three most important points. Usually, once the top three points are listed, I realize the other info is extraneous or redundant anyway. Magic!
Use bullets. Giant blocks of text in any document require unbelievable concentration from the reader -- and few readers have time, patience or concentration to slog through dense text unless absolutely necessary. They want to scan for what they need to know, and bullets are my favorite way to communicate info quickly. Tell the reader up front what the message is about and outline your points with bullets consisting of concise phrases, not complete sentences. Finally, close with a call-to-action -- whatever it is you want the reader to do next.
Keep meetings focused. We’ve all suffered through endless meetings in which someone talks and talks and very little gets communicated. Make sure everyone is clear about the meeting goals and keep the time under 30 minutes to maintain a sense of urgency and focus. Some people hold daily ‘Scrum’ status update meetings -- 15-minute power sessions -- during which everyone stands. Also, consider whether laptops, tablets and smartphones should be allowed or banned during meetings. If allowed, people tend to tune out the speaker and read their email -- killing productivity and prolonging the meeting.
As Socrates once memorably said, "How many are the things I can do without!" Being brief in your communications requires you to stop and think about what to say and how to communicate the most important things. By getting to the point, quickly and clearly, you can make less do more.
http://www.inc.com/rene-siegel/brevity-is-the-soul-of-clarity.html
And suddenly, there were just far too many words.
We stopped and deleted -- and then deleted some more. Important communication doesn’t require a thud factor. More is not more. Of course there are times when more words are necessary for diplomacy or clarification, but in this always-on digital age, “more” often dilutes or complicates your message.
Get to the point. Now. My husband used to be the worst at leaving voice messages. He told his boss what he wanted to say. Then he told his boss what he meant by that. And then he summarized for his boss what he’d just said. All in one long, excruciating voice message. “He got it!” I yelled from across the living room one evening, having heard the message he was recording. In a voicemail, just state your name, quickly explain your reason for calling and give the person a call-to-action. Do they need to call you back or is this just an FYI? Let them know. Think, should you text the message instead?
Three is a magic number. Early in my career I worked for a company called 3Com. Everything they did was in threes. Now when I feel the need to explain something complex, my 3Com days remind me to narrow everything down to the three most important points. Usually, once the top three points are listed, I realize the other info is extraneous or redundant anyway. Magic!
Use bullets. Giant blocks of text in any document require unbelievable concentration from the reader -- and few readers have time, patience or concentration to slog through dense text unless absolutely necessary. They want to scan for what they need to know, and bullets are my favorite way to communicate info quickly. Tell the reader up front what the message is about and outline your points with bullets consisting of concise phrases, not complete sentences. Finally, close with a call-to-action -- whatever it is you want the reader to do next.
Keep meetings focused. We’ve all suffered through endless meetings in which someone talks and talks and very little gets communicated. Make sure everyone is clear about the meeting goals and keep the time under 30 minutes to maintain a sense of urgency and focus. Some people hold daily ‘Scrum’ status update meetings -- 15-minute power sessions -- during which everyone stands. Also, consider whether laptops, tablets and smartphones should be allowed or banned during meetings. If allowed, people tend to tune out the speaker and read their email -- killing productivity and prolonging the meeting.
As Socrates once memorably said, "How many are the things I can do without!" Being brief in your communications requires you to stop and think about what to say and how to communicate the most important things. By getting to the point, quickly and clearly, you can make less do more.
http://www.inc.com/rene-siegel/brevity-is-the-soul-of-clarity.html
Can You Manage and Lead?
As an academic I love dichotomies. They stretch the imagination, help us avoid subtlety, and enhance focused debate.
The problem with dichotomies, however fun, is that they are overt and sometimes misleading oversimplifications. But in the real world tidy constructs become messes, and dichotomies become continuums. The real question is: Where are you on the continuum?
And the answer is: It depends on the situation. You may be a transactional leader one day and a transformative leader the next. You may be internally directed one day and externally directed a week from Tuesday.
And then there is what I consider to be the ultimate knee-jerk dichotomy:
Are you a manager or a leader?
I understand how we in academia can afford this little luxury. It’s aesthetically pleasing and makes for a clean little world. What amazes me is that this particular dichotomy is often given quite a bit of credence out in the real world.
In reference to a particular open position, one HR director told me, “We’re looking for a leader.” On the same day, in the same organization, referring to the same position, another HR officer told me, “What we’re looking for is a manager.”
Many times I’ve heard chief learning officers talk about their organization’s training needs and use the distinction of not needing a “leadership training program” but instead needing a “managerial training program”-;or the inverse!
The confusion between “leadership” and “managerial” training programs becomes more apparent when dealing with high potential employees. High potentials clearly have the necessary technical skills and background in the business, but what do they need once they are given responsibility for others? Leadership skills or managerial skills?
They need both. They need to be leaders who can manage, and managers who can lead. The knee-jerk dichotomy has to end.
The ideal is for leaders and managers to be able to inspire others and implement ideas; innovate and create; and figure out how to manage the process of maneuvering from ideas to results.
The very notion that this knee-jerk dichotomy continues to have currency in a world that demands agile, flexible, and solution-based companies-;and in a world where these companies want to retain talent and stimulate commitment-;is perplexing.
This dichotomy between leading and managing is an indulgence in simplicity that we can no longer afford, especially when organizations are evaluating what core competencies they need their high potentials to develop as they move ahead.
The lesson is to train your managers to lead and your leaders to manage.
http://www.inc.com/sam-bacharach/are-you-a-leader-or-manager.html
The problem with dichotomies, however fun, is that they are overt and sometimes misleading oversimplifications. But in the real world tidy constructs become messes, and dichotomies become continuums. The real question is: Where are you on the continuum?
And the answer is: It depends on the situation. You may be a transactional leader one day and a transformative leader the next. You may be internally directed one day and externally directed a week from Tuesday.
And then there is what I consider to be the ultimate knee-jerk dichotomy:
Are you a manager or a leader?
I understand how we in academia can afford this little luxury. It’s aesthetically pleasing and makes for a clean little world. What amazes me is that this particular dichotomy is often given quite a bit of credence out in the real world.
In reference to a particular open position, one HR director told me, “We’re looking for a leader.” On the same day, in the same organization, referring to the same position, another HR officer told me, “What we’re looking for is a manager.”
Many times I’ve heard chief learning officers talk about their organization’s training needs and use the distinction of not needing a “leadership training program” but instead needing a “managerial training program”-;or the inverse!
The confusion between “leadership” and “managerial” training programs becomes more apparent when dealing with high potential employees. High potentials clearly have the necessary technical skills and background in the business, but what do they need once they are given responsibility for others? Leadership skills or managerial skills?
They need both. They need to be leaders who can manage, and managers who can lead. The knee-jerk dichotomy has to end.
The ideal is for leaders and managers to be able to inspire others and implement ideas; innovate and create; and figure out how to manage the process of maneuvering from ideas to results.
The very notion that this knee-jerk dichotomy continues to have currency in a world that demands agile, flexible, and solution-based companies-;and in a world where these companies want to retain talent and stimulate commitment-;is perplexing.
This dichotomy between leading and managing is an indulgence in simplicity that we can no longer afford, especially when organizations are evaluating what core competencies they need their high potentials to develop as they move ahead.
The lesson is to train your managers to lead and your leaders to manage.
http://www.inc.com/sam-bacharach/are-you-a-leader-or-manager.html
6 Things Really Productive People Do
People often ask me, amazed, how I manage to do so many things. Aside
from writing two columns every week, I speak regularly, travel, create
videos, manage my business, write books, consult with five companies,
network, socialize, cycle, run, read, cook, sleep six to seven hours a
night and have dates with my wife. Oh yeah, I watch a lot of television
while hanging out with my dog as well.
Okay, I know it sounds ridiculous. But accomplishing my preferred future requires this level of activity. I have the same 24 hours in a day that you do, but I have made specific choices that allow me to make the most of every day, and still feel happy and relaxed. Perhaps these tips will help you make the most of your time as well.
1. Pick Your Priorities
Make choices about the activities in your life. With most endeavors, you can either go deep or go wide. Focus on spending time that for you is fun and productive. If you like big families, have them, but recognize up front that kids require time and you'll have to choose a lifestyle that supports quality time with them, for you to feel satisfied. I chose the life of a consultant because I like to work with companies, but don't want the life of a big company CEO. My choices are based on the lifestyle I want.
2. Go For Efficiency
You don't do everything well. The things you do well usually give you greater joy and require less time. Don't take on something with a steep learning curve if you don't have the available bandwidth. Design your life to meet your wants, and recognize when to say no to opportunities that are outside the scope of your desires. Live your life by design, not default.
3. Integrate Your Activities
Many people go crazy trying to figure out how to spend time with friends, family, work, play, etc. Stop trying to balance time between them all. Find ways to enjoy them in a combined manner. Build your social life around people in your work environment. Find people in your company who share common interests and develop your career around the people and activities you love. If everything is out of synch to the point where you feel pulled and stressed, a change is likely imminent one way or another.
4. Actively Manage Time-wasters
Social media, family, friends, employees, co-workers and general whiners all under certain circumstances can suck precious time from you if you let them. Budget your time for necessary activities. Make a choice to limit non-supportive interactions that don't energize you. As for social media, it can easily be a black hole for time and productivity. Use it appropriately and sparingly as a tool to support your endeavors and social needs, but lay off the Farmville.
5. Be an Active Learner
You would think learning takes more time from you, but actually there are always new tools and new ways of doing things that can save you time on mundane tasks freeing you up for your priorities. Always be looking for a new way to gain back an hour here or there. Just try it and dump it quick if it starts to drag on.
6. Lighten Up
No need to beat yourself up if you can't do all the things you want because you are handling other stuff that needs attention. It happens. The world won't come to an end in most cases just because you left a few things undone. Celebrate progress and keep refining toward a happy productive existence. This is why making lists and crossing off items is a staple in any productivity handbook. Every completion is a small victory that adds up in a big way.
http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/6-things-really-productive-people-do.html
Okay, I know it sounds ridiculous. But accomplishing my preferred future requires this level of activity. I have the same 24 hours in a day that you do, but I have made specific choices that allow me to make the most of every day, and still feel happy and relaxed. Perhaps these tips will help you make the most of your time as well.
1. Pick Your Priorities
Make choices about the activities in your life. With most endeavors, you can either go deep or go wide. Focus on spending time that for you is fun and productive. If you like big families, have them, but recognize up front that kids require time and you'll have to choose a lifestyle that supports quality time with them, for you to feel satisfied. I chose the life of a consultant because I like to work with companies, but don't want the life of a big company CEO. My choices are based on the lifestyle I want.
2. Go For Efficiency
You don't do everything well. The things you do well usually give you greater joy and require less time. Don't take on something with a steep learning curve if you don't have the available bandwidth. Design your life to meet your wants, and recognize when to say no to opportunities that are outside the scope of your desires. Live your life by design, not default.
3. Integrate Your Activities
Many people go crazy trying to figure out how to spend time with friends, family, work, play, etc. Stop trying to balance time between them all. Find ways to enjoy them in a combined manner. Build your social life around people in your work environment. Find people in your company who share common interests and develop your career around the people and activities you love. If everything is out of synch to the point where you feel pulled and stressed, a change is likely imminent one way or another.
4. Actively Manage Time-wasters
Social media, family, friends, employees, co-workers and general whiners all under certain circumstances can suck precious time from you if you let them. Budget your time for necessary activities. Make a choice to limit non-supportive interactions that don't energize you. As for social media, it can easily be a black hole for time and productivity. Use it appropriately and sparingly as a tool to support your endeavors and social needs, but lay off the Farmville.
5. Be an Active Learner
You would think learning takes more time from you, but actually there are always new tools and new ways of doing things that can save you time on mundane tasks freeing you up for your priorities. Always be looking for a new way to gain back an hour here or there. Just try it and dump it quick if it starts to drag on.
6. Lighten Up
No need to beat yourself up if you can't do all the things you want because you are handling other stuff that needs attention. It happens. The world won't come to an end in most cases just because you left a few things undone. Celebrate progress and keep refining toward a happy productive existence. This is why making lists and crossing off items is a staple in any productivity handbook. Every completion is a small victory that adds up in a big way.
http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/6-things-really-productive-people-do.html
5 Essential Skills of an Entrepreneur
Are entrepreneurs born, raised, or forged in the fires of tough business battles?
Like the more general nature vs. nurture debate, the question of the origins of entrepreneurialism will likely rage for years. But even if researchers can't claim to know exactly how to make an entrepreneur, the authors of a new study say they can at least weigh in on what defines the final product.
A team from Target Training International recently carried out an analysis that compared serial entrepreneurs with a control group, probing for which skills were essential to entrepreneurship. After combing through the data, "we were able to predict with over 90% accuracy people who would become serial entrepreneurs," Bill J. Bonnstetter recently claimed on the Harvard Business Review Blog Network.
So what are the fundamental traits of an entrepreneur? Target came up with five:
In attempting to lay out the skills needed to be an entrepreneur, Bonnstetter and his team join a long line of commentators who have proposed various qualities as "key" or "essential" for entrepreneurial success. Contenders include an ability to evolve, willingness to proceed despite a lack of resources, good old-fashioned discipline, and even intellectual humility (aka a willingness to look dumb).
http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/5-essential-skills-of-an-entrepreneur.html
Like the more general nature vs. nurture debate, the question of the origins of entrepreneurialism will likely rage for years. But even if researchers can't claim to know exactly how to make an entrepreneur, the authors of a new study say they can at least weigh in on what defines the final product.
A team from Target Training International recently carried out an analysis that compared serial entrepreneurs with a control group, probing for which skills were essential to entrepreneurship. After combing through the data, "we were able to predict with over 90% accuracy people who would become serial entrepreneurs," Bill J. Bonnstetter recently claimed on the Harvard Business Review Blog Network.
So what are the fundamental traits of an entrepreneur? Target came up with five:
Persuasion. "The quality serial entrepreneurs displayed above others was persuasion, or the ability to convince others to change the way they think, believe or behave," writes Bonnstetter.
Leadership. Bonnstetter explains: "In this study, good leaders were defined as having a compelling vision for the future, i.e., surveyors who highly ranked prompts such as: 'In the past, people have taken risks to support my vision, mission or goals,' or 'I have been criticized for being too competitive.'"
Personal Accountability. "People who are personally accountable look at obstacles as a part of the process and, rather than give up, they are energized by them."
Goal Orientation. The researchers defined this as "energetically focusing efforts on meeting a goal, mission, or objective."
Interpersonal Skills. These skills are "the glue that holds the other four skills together," Bonnstetter explains. "They include effectively communicating, building rapport, and relating well to all people, from all backgrounds and communication styles."Check out Bonnstetter's complete post for much more detail on these qualities and the study methodology.
In attempting to lay out the skills needed to be an entrepreneur, Bonnstetter and his team join a long line of commentators who have proposed various qualities as "key" or "essential" for entrepreneurial success. Contenders include an ability to evolve, willingness to proceed despite a lack of resources, good old-fashioned discipline, and even intellectual humility (aka a willingness to look dumb).
http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/5-essential-skills-of-an-entrepreneur.html
Top 5 Skills Every Leader Must Have
A few years ago, I saw a video by a Harvard professor on competences
for adapting to a changing world. Frankly, it was embarrassing. It was
the biggest load of pseudo-intellectual garbage I’d ever heard.
Still, the world is changing. It’s becoming a more complex place. I guess that’s always been the case, but the rate of change appears to be accelerating. Given that’s the case, then what are the real capabilities will people need to distinguish themselves--to become the leaders, the innovators, the success stories of a new age?
Fortunately, as a veteran of the high-tech industry, I’ve known and worked with some of the most capable and accomplished folks around. Here are five competences that not only set them apart, but are becoming more and more important all the time. No, they’re not new-age business school jargon. Some aren’t even new. But what’s important is that they work.
1. Drown out the noise.
We live and work in a world that’s so overloaded with information, communication, and gadgets that fighting that irresistible and constant tug to text, tweet, and check our email is becoming harder and harder all the time. That trend is not likely to change anytime soon.
Ability to focus and prioritize has always been critical to success in just about any field, but these days, managing distraction and not succumbing to its addictive qualities has become remarkably challenging for even the most disciplined among us.
Make no mistake. If you can’t focus, you can’t get things done. And if you can’t get things done, somebody else will.
2. Recognize the bullsh*t.
When you question assumptions, claims, and viewpoints instead of just accepting them as gospel, as in "I saw it on the internet so it must be true," that's called critical thinking. It’s fundamental for smart decision-making. And that, in turn, is key to being successful at just about anything.
The concept dates back thousands of years to Socrates and Buddha's teachings. If you question conventional wisdom, challenge the status quo, and avoid collectivism and groupthink, you’re in good company. They’re all facets of the same concept.
Here’s the thing. There’s so much garbage out there in the cloud, in social media, in blogs, on TV, in self-help books -- you name it -- that your ability to question what’s real and what isn’t, to reason logically and not generalize from a single data point, is more critical today than ever before.
And, in time, the world is only going to become more and more complex and, that’s right, full of stuff.
3. Be more than an avatar.
It’s ironic that, with all the hoopla over personal branding, self-expression, and the “Me” generation, I find that people are becoming more and more like internet avatars every day. In other words, there’s a tendency to hide behind our own social media creations. To become sound bites personified.
More than ever, we need a sense of humility and self-awareness to remind us that we're flesh and blood humans. That we’re not always the insanely great business leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, partners, parents, whatever, that we hold ourselves out to be.
Not only that, but the sheer volume of noise and time we waste on mindless distraction makes it that much harder to stay in touch with ourselves, to be quiet and reflect on what’s going on inside, to understand what our emotions are trying to tell us.
And don’t even get me started on political correctness, that insidious worldwide trend that dumbs us all down to the lowest common denominator so no single individual is ever left out or made to feel uncomfortable or, God forbid, offended.
In a world of indistinguishable lemmings, where everyone tries to be different and, in so doing, ends up behaving exactly like everyone else, those who are genuine and self-aware will have a big advantage.
4. Truly connect with people.
Communication has always been the means by which great leaders achieve great things. But these days, communication occurs in sound bites, status updates, text messages, and tweets of 140 characters or less. More and more, communication is one-to-many, not one-to-one.
The problem with that is it’s mostly superficial and nobody’s got time to pay attention to even a tiny fraction of all the gigabytes being blasted at them every day.
As for all the online social networking we do, none of it’s even fractionally effective when compared with a simple real-time discussion or meeting.
Sure, the ability to write and speak effectively is perhaps more important today than ever before. But if you have that unique ability to listen and really hear what people are saying, to empathize, to really relate and truly connect with folks, then chances are you’ll be writing tomorrow’s success stories.
5. Get things done.
The idea that successful executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders are typically driven by high aspirations is nothing but a popular myth. Most of those people didn't get to where they are by walking around with their heads in the clouds. They got there by putting one foot in front of the other and getting stuff done.
If they’re not motivated by grandiose dreams, then what does drive successful people? It’s usually one of three things: their job and a strong sense of personal responsibility, out of necessity to put food on the table and a roof over their family’s heads, or to bring a product to market they think is cool and that people might actually want or need.
Regardless of the reason, they get people working toward a common goal. They deliver the goods. They get the job done. They satisfy the needs of their customers. And in so doing, they take care of their families and stakeholders. That’s how things work in the real world.
These days we have more rhetoric, debate, analysis, studies, theories and research than ever before. We have more grandiose ideals than ever before. We have more rules and regulations than ever before. The challenge to get things done has never been greater and the need for leaders with that capability has never been more imperative.
That’s what I think you and your children will need to adapt to a changing world. Now, what do you think?
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/5-leadership-skills-you-must-have.html
Still, the world is changing. It’s becoming a more complex place. I guess that’s always been the case, but the rate of change appears to be accelerating. Given that’s the case, then what are the real capabilities will people need to distinguish themselves--to become the leaders, the innovators, the success stories of a new age?
Fortunately, as a veteran of the high-tech industry, I’ve known and worked with some of the most capable and accomplished folks around. Here are five competences that not only set them apart, but are becoming more and more important all the time. No, they’re not new-age business school jargon. Some aren’t even new. But what’s important is that they work.
1. Drown out the noise.
We live and work in a world that’s so overloaded with information, communication, and gadgets that fighting that irresistible and constant tug to text, tweet, and check our email is becoming harder and harder all the time. That trend is not likely to change anytime soon.
Ability to focus and prioritize has always been critical to success in just about any field, but these days, managing distraction and not succumbing to its addictive qualities has become remarkably challenging for even the most disciplined among us.
Make no mistake. If you can’t focus, you can’t get things done. And if you can’t get things done, somebody else will.
2. Recognize the bullsh*t.
When you question assumptions, claims, and viewpoints instead of just accepting them as gospel, as in "I saw it on the internet so it must be true," that's called critical thinking. It’s fundamental for smart decision-making. And that, in turn, is key to being successful at just about anything.
The concept dates back thousands of years to Socrates and Buddha's teachings. If you question conventional wisdom, challenge the status quo, and avoid collectivism and groupthink, you’re in good company. They’re all facets of the same concept.
Here’s the thing. There’s so much garbage out there in the cloud, in social media, in blogs, on TV, in self-help books -- you name it -- that your ability to question what’s real and what isn’t, to reason logically and not generalize from a single data point, is more critical today than ever before.
And, in time, the world is only going to become more and more complex and, that’s right, full of stuff.
3. Be more than an avatar.
It’s ironic that, with all the hoopla over personal branding, self-expression, and the “Me” generation, I find that people are becoming more and more like internet avatars every day. In other words, there’s a tendency to hide behind our own social media creations. To become sound bites personified.
More than ever, we need a sense of humility and self-awareness to remind us that we're flesh and blood humans. That we’re not always the insanely great business leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, partners, parents, whatever, that we hold ourselves out to be.
Not only that, but the sheer volume of noise and time we waste on mindless distraction makes it that much harder to stay in touch with ourselves, to be quiet and reflect on what’s going on inside, to understand what our emotions are trying to tell us.
And don’t even get me started on political correctness, that insidious worldwide trend that dumbs us all down to the lowest common denominator so no single individual is ever left out or made to feel uncomfortable or, God forbid, offended.
In a world of indistinguishable lemmings, where everyone tries to be different and, in so doing, ends up behaving exactly like everyone else, those who are genuine and self-aware will have a big advantage.
4. Truly connect with people.
Communication has always been the means by which great leaders achieve great things. But these days, communication occurs in sound bites, status updates, text messages, and tweets of 140 characters or less. More and more, communication is one-to-many, not one-to-one.
The problem with that is it’s mostly superficial and nobody’s got time to pay attention to even a tiny fraction of all the gigabytes being blasted at them every day.
As for all the online social networking we do, none of it’s even fractionally effective when compared with a simple real-time discussion or meeting.
Sure, the ability to write and speak effectively is perhaps more important today than ever before. But if you have that unique ability to listen and really hear what people are saying, to empathize, to really relate and truly connect with folks, then chances are you’ll be writing tomorrow’s success stories.
5. Get things done.
The idea that successful executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders are typically driven by high aspirations is nothing but a popular myth. Most of those people didn't get to where they are by walking around with their heads in the clouds. They got there by putting one foot in front of the other and getting stuff done.
If they’re not motivated by grandiose dreams, then what does drive successful people? It’s usually one of three things: their job and a strong sense of personal responsibility, out of necessity to put food on the table and a roof over their family’s heads, or to bring a product to market they think is cool and that people might actually want or need.
Regardless of the reason, they get people working toward a common goal. They deliver the goods. They get the job done. They satisfy the needs of their customers. And in so doing, they take care of their families and stakeholders. That’s how things work in the real world.
These days we have more rhetoric, debate, analysis, studies, theories and research than ever before. We have more grandiose ideals than ever before. We have more rules and regulations than ever before. The challenge to get things done has never been greater and the need for leaders with that capability has never been more imperative.
That’s what I think you and your children will need to adapt to a changing world. Now, what do you think?
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/5-leadership-skills-you-must-have.html
12/7/12
5 Surefire Ways to Piss Off Customers
We’ve all had customer service nightmares that never should have
happened. I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to expect that sort of
thing from big companies like AT&T and Best Buy. Don’t even get me
started on insurance and power companies.
What really gets me is when small businesses shoot themselves in the foot by screwing up in ways that have nothing to do with their core products or services. Let me be blunt about this. These days, customers have nearly limitless choices. If you think you can get away with subpar customer service, logistics or any other function that impacts your customer’s experience with your brand, think again.
What’s sad is that there’s just no excuse for it. E-commerce and automation solutions make it easy for small companies to operate like the pros. There are all sorts of choices for outsourcing noncore functions to professional firms that get things done like clockwork. And there’s never been a better time to hire good people at competitive wages who would kill for a decent job.
Is it any wonder that you can pick just about any market and find one company that consistently gets things done right while a nearly identical competitor can’t manage a single flawless transaction?
Since I know you don’t want to be in the latter category, here are five common pitfalls that every business should avoid like the plague.
1. Fail to deliver. With all the great logistics services available from the likes of UPS and FedEx, there’s simply no excuse for failing to deliver product to a customer as promised. And yet, it happens all the time. Either the tracking information is wrong, they deliver the wrong product, they show up on the wrong day, or they don’t show up at all.
2. Waste your customer’s precious time -- and test their patience. How much time do you spend on the phone or online just trying to figure out what’s gone wrong and get it taken care of? And you never seem to get a straight answer until you’ve asked to speak with whoever’s in charge or threatened to take your business elsewhere.
3. Create problems out of thin air. Let’s face it. Not all customers are fun to deal with. And since I have the attention span and patience of a two year-old, I could never deal with the general public. Still, you’d think companies could do better than having customer service people who are like crazed lunatics that went off their meds.
4. Ignore feedback (or make it hard to give it). In the age of Twitter, Facebook, and Yelp, you’d think companies would clue in to the fact that, if they don’t take feedback to heart or make it easy for customers to get in touch with them, they’re going to get eviscerated in a very public way, which is never a good thing. And yet, some companies make it nearly impossible for you to contact them directly.
5. Hamstring employees. The most important thing I learned in quality training back in the 80s was that 90 percent of all problems are management problems. If anything, the real number’s actually higher. So most of the problem situations we attribute to individuals on the front line are actually caused by bad management and flawed processes. Go figure.
Now, here’s an example of how one small business somehow managed to nail four of the five pitfalls--in a single transaction.
A winery uses a boutique next-day service for wine club deliveries. The service notified me that they’d be delivering on a Monday. Since it’s wine, they needed an adult signature. I was there. They weren’t. Three days later, they supposedly attempted delivery and said nobody was there. But I was there. All day.
I’ve probably gotten wine deliveries from a hundred wineries via UPS and FedEx over the past 20 years.
Never had a problem.
So, there’s a problem with this little delivery service, right? Not so fast. The wine club director wasn’t buying it. First, she made excuses for why the delivery never went out on Monday and then questioned the authenticity of my story, saying, “Why would a delivery service make something up?” Yup, she really said that.
Furthermore, she insisted I provide an alternative address where an adult would be around to sign for the delivery. I asked to speak with whoever’s in charge, and she said, “That’s me.” So I cancelled my club membership and sought a way to contact the winery owner, but there was none. So I posted on Yelp and called it a day.
For all I know, the owner is the problem and the seemingly shrill, agitated wine club director was caught between a dumb boss, a bad delivery service, and a customer. I doubt it, but you never know. In any case, that’s one winemaker whose product I can probably live without. Which is sad because, well, he made pretty good wine.
Don’t let that happen to your business.
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/5-screw-ups-that-can-kill-your-business.html
What really gets me is when small businesses shoot themselves in the foot by screwing up in ways that have nothing to do with their core products or services. Let me be blunt about this. These days, customers have nearly limitless choices. If you think you can get away with subpar customer service, logistics or any other function that impacts your customer’s experience with your brand, think again.
What’s sad is that there’s just no excuse for it. E-commerce and automation solutions make it easy for small companies to operate like the pros. There are all sorts of choices for outsourcing noncore functions to professional firms that get things done like clockwork. And there’s never been a better time to hire good people at competitive wages who would kill for a decent job.
Is it any wonder that you can pick just about any market and find one company that consistently gets things done right while a nearly identical competitor can’t manage a single flawless transaction?
Since I know you don’t want to be in the latter category, here are five common pitfalls that every business should avoid like the plague.
1. Fail to deliver. With all the great logistics services available from the likes of UPS and FedEx, there’s simply no excuse for failing to deliver product to a customer as promised. And yet, it happens all the time. Either the tracking information is wrong, they deliver the wrong product, they show up on the wrong day, or they don’t show up at all.
2. Waste your customer’s precious time -- and test their patience. How much time do you spend on the phone or online just trying to figure out what’s gone wrong and get it taken care of? And you never seem to get a straight answer until you’ve asked to speak with whoever’s in charge or threatened to take your business elsewhere.
3. Create problems out of thin air. Let’s face it. Not all customers are fun to deal with. And since I have the attention span and patience of a two year-old, I could never deal with the general public. Still, you’d think companies could do better than having customer service people who are like crazed lunatics that went off their meds.
4. Ignore feedback (or make it hard to give it). In the age of Twitter, Facebook, and Yelp, you’d think companies would clue in to the fact that, if they don’t take feedback to heart or make it easy for customers to get in touch with them, they’re going to get eviscerated in a very public way, which is never a good thing. And yet, some companies make it nearly impossible for you to contact them directly.
5. Hamstring employees. The most important thing I learned in quality training back in the 80s was that 90 percent of all problems are management problems. If anything, the real number’s actually higher. So most of the problem situations we attribute to individuals on the front line are actually caused by bad management and flawed processes. Go figure.
Now, here’s an example of how one small business somehow managed to nail four of the five pitfalls--in a single transaction.
A winery uses a boutique next-day service for wine club deliveries. The service notified me that they’d be delivering on a Monday. Since it’s wine, they needed an adult signature. I was there. They weren’t. Three days later, they supposedly attempted delivery and said nobody was there. But I was there. All day.
I’ve probably gotten wine deliveries from a hundred wineries via UPS and FedEx over the past 20 years.
Never had a problem.
So, there’s a problem with this little delivery service, right? Not so fast. The wine club director wasn’t buying it. First, she made excuses for why the delivery never went out on Monday and then questioned the authenticity of my story, saying, “Why would a delivery service make something up?” Yup, she really said that.
Furthermore, she insisted I provide an alternative address where an adult would be around to sign for the delivery. I asked to speak with whoever’s in charge, and she said, “That’s me.” So I cancelled my club membership and sought a way to contact the winery owner, but there was none. So I posted on Yelp and called it a day.
For all I know, the owner is the problem and the seemingly shrill, agitated wine club director was caught between a dumb boss, a bad delivery service, and a customer. I doubt it, but you never know. In any case, that’s one winemaker whose product I can probably live without. Which is sad because, well, he made pretty good wine.
Don’t let that happen to your business.
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/5-screw-ups-that-can-kill-your-business.html
12/6/12
7 Unusual Things Great Bosses Do
Where employees are concerned, great leaders don't take. Great leaders give--especially these seven things:
They give a glimpse of vulnerability.
To employees, you're often not a person. You're a boss. (Kind of like when you were in school and you saw a teacher at the grocery store; it was jarring and uncomfortable because teachers weren't people. They were teachers.)
That's why showing vulnerability is a humanizing way to break down the artificial barrier that typically separates bosses from employees. One easy way to break down that barrier is to ask for help.
But don't ask the wrong way. Don't puff out your chest, assume the power-position, and in your deepest voice intone, "Listen, John, I need your help." John knows you don't really need his help. You want him to do something.
Instead ask the right way. Imagine you've traveled to an unfamiliar place, you only know a few words of the language, and you're both lost and a little scared.
How would you ask for help? You would be humble. You would be real. You'd cringe a little and dip your head slightly and say, "Can you help me?" Asked that way, John would know you truly needed help. You've lowered your guard. You're vulnerable. And you're not afraid to show it.
By showing vulnerability, you lift the other person. You implicitly recognize her skills while extending trust.
And you set a great example: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
It's a sign of strength.
They give a nudge.
From the employee's point of view the best ideas are never your ideas. The best ideas are their ideas, and rightly so. So don't spell out what you want done. Leave room for initiative. Leave room for ownership.
When you describe what you want to be done, paint with a broad brush. Give employees room to take your ideas and make them their own.
They'll do more than you imagined possible--and they'll feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification that simply following instructions can never provide.
They give unexpected attention.
Everyone loves attention. Unfortunately you don't have unlimited time to devote to each employee.
So make the most of the time you do have. Don't just comment on the big stuff, the stuff you're supposed to focus on.
Notice a small detail. Praise a particular phrase she used to smooth the transition from customer conflict to problem resolution. Praise how he swung by another employee's desk to grab paperwork he could deliver on his way to another office. Pick something small, something positive, something helpful--something unexpected--to show you really pay attention.
Pick out details and employees know you're watching--in a good way--and not only will they work harder, more importantly they will feel better about themselves.
They give employees a break.
He messed up. Badly. Not only are you a little pissed, this is a teachable moment. You feel compelled to talk about it, possibly at length.
Don't. For a good employee, the lesson is already learned. Catch his eye, nod, let it go, and help him fix the problem.
Once in a while employees can all use a break. When they get one they never forget it. And they try really hard to show they deserved that break--and to make sure they never need another one.
They give a peek inside.
My boss was nearly yelling at a supplier who hadn't met a key timeline. It wasn't ugly but it was close. In the middle of their "discussion," when the supplier glanced away, he turned and winked at me.
My boss was signaling that his emotional display was partly for effect, that he had a plan in mind and that I was in on things. I was an insider. We were partners.
We were in it together.
It's easy, as an employee, not to feel like you and your boss are in it together. Make sure your employees do. Give them occasional peeks inside.
They give an undeserved compliment.
Compliments don't always have to be earned. Sometimes a compliment can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you see something in employees that they don't see--at least not yet--they often try hard to fulfill the belief you have in them.
That happened to me. I went out for wrestling in ninth grade and was nervous, scared, intimidated--pick any fearful adjective. It fit. A week or so into practices I heard the coach talking to one of the seniors. "That kid there," he said, referring to me, "will be a state champion by the time he's a senior."
He was wrong. It turned out I wasn't. But I immediately felt more confident, more self-assured, and incredibly motivated. Those feelings lasted for a long time.
He believed in me.
And I started to believe in myself.
They give a hat rack.
Employees who need something--whether it's a day off, a favor, a break, a chance--often come to you with hat in hand.
They're vulnerable because they need.
Take their hat and hang it up for them. You may not be able to provide what they want, but you can work through their issue with compassion and generosity and grace.
Never let an employee stand with hat in hand. It's one of the worst feelings possible--and one you can make instantly disappear.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-unusual-things-great-bosses-do.html
They give a glimpse of vulnerability.
To employees, you're often not a person. You're a boss. (Kind of like when you were in school and you saw a teacher at the grocery store; it was jarring and uncomfortable because teachers weren't people. They were teachers.)
That's why showing vulnerability is a humanizing way to break down the artificial barrier that typically separates bosses from employees. One easy way to break down that barrier is to ask for help.
But don't ask the wrong way. Don't puff out your chest, assume the power-position, and in your deepest voice intone, "Listen, John, I need your help." John knows you don't really need his help. You want him to do something.
Instead ask the right way. Imagine you've traveled to an unfamiliar place, you only know a few words of the language, and you're both lost and a little scared.
How would you ask for help? You would be humble. You would be real. You'd cringe a little and dip your head slightly and say, "Can you help me?" Asked that way, John would know you truly needed help. You've lowered your guard. You're vulnerable. And you're not afraid to show it.
By showing vulnerability, you lift the other person. You implicitly recognize her skills while extending trust.
And you set a great example: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
It's a sign of strength.
They give a nudge.
From the employee's point of view the best ideas are never your ideas. The best ideas are their ideas, and rightly so. So don't spell out what you want done. Leave room for initiative. Leave room for ownership.
When you describe what you want to be done, paint with a broad brush. Give employees room to take your ideas and make them their own.
They'll do more than you imagined possible--and they'll feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification that simply following instructions can never provide.
They give unexpected attention.
Everyone loves attention. Unfortunately you don't have unlimited time to devote to each employee.
So make the most of the time you do have. Don't just comment on the big stuff, the stuff you're supposed to focus on.
Notice a small detail. Praise a particular phrase she used to smooth the transition from customer conflict to problem resolution. Praise how he swung by another employee's desk to grab paperwork he could deliver on his way to another office. Pick something small, something positive, something helpful--something unexpected--to show you really pay attention.
Pick out details and employees know you're watching--in a good way--and not only will they work harder, more importantly they will feel better about themselves.
They give employees a break.
He messed up. Badly. Not only are you a little pissed, this is a teachable moment. You feel compelled to talk about it, possibly at length.
Don't. For a good employee, the lesson is already learned. Catch his eye, nod, let it go, and help him fix the problem.
Once in a while employees can all use a break. When they get one they never forget it. And they try really hard to show they deserved that break--and to make sure they never need another one.
They give a peek inside.
My boss was nearly yelling at a supplier who hadn't met a key timeline. It wasn't ugly but it was close. In the middle of their "discussion," when the supplier glanced away, he turned and winked at me.
My boss was signaling that his emotional display was partly for effect, that he had a plan in mind and that I was in on things. I was an insider. We were partners.
We were in it together.
It's easy, as an employee, not to feel like you and your boss are in it together. Make sure your employees do. Give them occasional peeks inside.
They give an undeserved compliment.
Compliments don't always have to be earned. Sometimes a compliment can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you see something in employees that they don't see--at least not yet--they often try hard to fulfill the belief you have in them.
That happened to me. I went out for wrestling in ninth grade and was nervous, scared, intimidated--pick any fearful adjective. It fit. A week or so into practices I heard the coach talking to one of the seniors. "That kid there," he said, referring to me, "will be a state champion by the time he's a senior."
He was wrong. It turned out I wasn't. But I immediately felt more confident, more self-assured, and incredibly motivated. Those feelings lasted for a long time.
He believed in me.
And I started to believe in myself.
They give a hat rack.
Employees who need something--whether it's a day off, a favor, a break, a chance--often come to you with hat in hand.
They're vulnerable because they need.
Take their hat and hang it up for them. You may not be able to provide what they want, but you can work through their issue with compassion and generosity and grace.
Never let an employee stand with hat in hand. It's one of the worst feelings possible--and one you can make instantly disappear.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-unusual-things-great-bosses-do.html
11/27/12
My thanksgiving is perpetual
I am grateful for what I am & have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite — only a sense of existence….O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it, for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment.
-Henry David Thoreau, letter to Harrison Gray Blake, 1856.
11/23/12
Make Results Matter More than Face Time
Every smart employer knows that results matter more than face
time. Judging employees chiefly on the number of hours they log in at
work is not only demoralizing but does little for company performance.
In fact, sixty-nine percent of employers report that supervisors at
their organizations are encouraged to assess employees' performance by
what they accomplish and not just by the hours they work.
This statistic — from the 2012 National Study of Employers conducted by Families and Work Institute (FWI) — indicates there is movement in the right direction. After all, it's obvious why employers encourage supervisors to focus on results. In this competitive, 24-7 economy stretches across the world's time zones, adhering to the notion that presence equals productivity is simply out of date.
But there are two problems: One, employees don't fully buy it. And two, many managers don't really know how to do it. About two in five workers think that if they focus on achieving results instead of punching the clock, their careers will suffer, according to FWI's Workplace Flexibility in the United States. Moreover, managers don't have the tools they need to accurately measure results.
So what can companies do to prove to skeptical employees that results really matter more than time worked and give managers the data they need? Here's what one company did.
Ryan, LLC - Getting rid of a sweatshop culture
Ryan, a global tax firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas, had a business problem. CEO G. Brint Ryan started the company in 1991, growing it from a two-person organization to a 1000-person one. He was proud of the business's track record, helping Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies solve complex tax problems. But in 2007, a disturbing trend developed. "We started experiencing a rapid loss of talent. And I'm not talking about just general talent — I'm talking about the stars," Ryan says.
He realized his firm had developed a "sweatshop reputation". People felt they were working long hours even if it wasn't necessary to get the job done. Ryan and his leadership team decided to experiment with re-focusing the company on results. He describes what they were aiming for:
Still he felt it was a bet they had to make. So they spent considerable time creating a system to support the new culture. The tool, called Success Measures, allows employees to easily track their own performance through an online dashboard that aggregates client service scores, revenues, leadership, core competencies and other firm-wide initiatives.
Each functional team has its own team page in the dashboard that displays the team's "scores" based on performance in key areas such as meeting financial goals and client service. Each employee's overall score in these key areas contributes to their team performance, similar to a baseball team's individual averages and statistics.
The employee's overall score is a weighted average of his or her scores in the areas of client service scores and financial goals (which account for 80% of the score), and firm-wide initiatives, leadership management and core competencies (20% of the score). Employees are only scored in categories that are relevant to their position.
This system worked. Since 2008, when the initial tool was introduced, voluntary turnover dropped from an average of 18.5% to less than 10%, compared with the industry average of 21%. At the same time, client service scores increased — 97% of clients rated them as good or excellent in the performance of their service.
"Probably the most remarkable statistic — the one that I think I would share if I had one thing to share with any CEO," says Ryan, "is this: in 2009, in arguably the worst economic conditions in my generation, we posted record profits and revenue. And then in 2010, we beat it again."
There are four things any company looking to change its culture of face time can learn from Ryan's experience:
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/make_results_matter_more_than.html
This statistic — from the 2012 National Study of Employers conducted by Families and Work Institute (FWI) — indicates there is movement in the right direction. After all, it's obvious why employers encourage supervisors to focus on results. In this competitive, 24-7 economy stretches across the world's time zones, adhering to the notion that presence equals productivity is simply out of date.
But there are two problems: One, employees don't fully buy it. And two, many managers don't really know how to do it. About two in five workers think that if they focus on achieving results instead of punching the clock, their careers will suffer, according to FWI's Workplace Flexibility in the United States. Moreover, managers don't have the tools they need to accurately measure results.
So what can companies do to prove to skeptical employees that results really matter more than time worked and give managers the data they need? Here's what one company did.
Ryan, LLC - Getting rid of a sweatshop culture
Ryan, a global tax firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas, had a business problem. CEO G. Brint Ryan started the company in 1991, growing it from a two-person organization to a 1000-person one. He was proud of the business's track record, helping Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies solve complex tax problems. But in 2007, a disturbing trend developed. "We started experiencing a rapid loss of talent. And I'm not talking about just general talent — I'm talking about the stars," Ryan says.
He realized his firm had developed a "sweatshop reputation". People felt they were working long hours even if it wasn't necessary to get the job done. Ryan and his leadership team decided to experiment with re-focusing the company on results. He describes what they were aiming for:
We wanted a results-based work environment where if you meet financial results and you meet client service scores, you can work whenever you want, wherever you want . . . work when you're most productive, when you're most engaged. And we'll change the culture so that what really matters are results.This was a radical change for the company. And required they rethink how they measure performance. Managers were skeptical. "The biggest concern was the fuzziness of flexibility. They simply didn't know how to manage teams when traditional boundaries were removed," says Delta Emerson, the company's executive vice president and chief of staff. Even Brint Ryan himself was concerned. He admits that he and his partners were "scared to death" the organization would fall apart.
Still he felt it was a bet they had to make. So they spent considerable time creating a system to support the new culture. The tool, called Success Measures, allows employees to easily track their own performance through an online dashboard that aggregates client service scores, revenues, leadership, core competencies and other firm-wide initiatives.
Each functional team has its own team page in the dashboard that displays the team's "scores" based on performance in key areas such as meeting financial goals and client service. Each employee's overall score in these key areas contributes to their team performance, similar to a baseball team's individual averages and statistics.
The employee's overall score is a weighted average of his or her scores in the areas of client service scores and financial goals (which account for 80% of the score), and firm-wide initiatives, leadership management and core competencies (20% of the score). Employees are only scored in categories that are relevant to their position.
This system worked. Since 2008, when the initial tool was introduced, voluntary turnover dropped from an average of 18.5% to less than 10%, compared with the industry average of 21%. At the same time, client service scores increased — 97% of clients rated them as good or excellent in the performance of their service.
"Probably the most remarkable statistic — the one that I think I would share if I had one thing to share with any CEO," says Ryan, "is this: in 2009, in arguably the worst economic conditions in my generation, we posted record profits and revenue. And then in 2010, we beat it again."
There are four things any company looking to change its culture of face time can learn from Ryan's experience:
- Base it on a real organizational need. In this case, it was the loss of top performers. Brint Ryan knew he had to do something to stop the turnover or the company would be in trouble.
- Create a way to measure individual and team performance. This is the crux of their success to date. As described above, instead of tracking hours spent at work, employees are held responsible for their performance.
- Don't adopt a results-focused initiative off the shelf. Although the company shopped around for programs that could plug and play, it settled on a customized approach, recognizing it needed something to fit its unique needs and culture.
- Fine-tune the process. In addition to employee surveys, Brint Ryan and Delta Emerson, hosted town hall meetings to hear directly from employees and gauge how the new system is working. After a town hall, leadership posted the problems employees raised on the company's intranet site along with action steps to resolve them.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/make_results_matter_more_than.html
11/21/12
26 Lessons from a 26 Year Old CEO
On April 25th I turned 26, and a few weeks later my web marketing
agency turned two. What started as a single person mini-business, has
turned into a 27 person global web marketing firm in just two short
years. I’ve been immensely grateful for the opportunities life has
presented me with. And, as I look forward to the future, it would only
be fair to look back as well.
Here are 26 lessons I have learned as a young entrepreneur and CEO:
Here are 26 lessons I have learned as a young entrepreneur and CEO:
- A written vision of what you want your company to look like in 3 years is important. The pen (or keyboard!) has power. It isn’t enough to envision your goals in your mind. You must have a blueprint on paper. Every decision you make, ask yourself: does this help me get closer to my vision?
- Learn to listen to your clients. When we started, we were only offering social media consulting services. But, clients quickly demanded more. We eventually ended up serving as their web marketing department. The marketplace will tell you what it needs. You have to listen, and then deliver.
- Half the job is keeping up. The pace of technology will only continue to quicken. It doesn’t matter what your industry is, you have to keep up in order to constantly leverage it for your business.
- Always think in terms of value — not price. Always judge based on the value something or someone brings to the table. Price is arbitrary.
- Only hire people who have fire. This is especially true if you are running a small to medium sized business. In a large corporation, there is room for many types of personalities and people. In a smaller business, passion is a must in every position. Hire people who are driven to do well and see your business succeed.
- If you must fire, be graceful and professional about it. This is hands down the worst part of being a CEO. It is tough to let people go, but for the greater good of the business, sometimes it must be done. It doesn’t matter if you are firing or being fired, don’t burn bridges.
- Learn to forgive. Things happen. People change. You can’t move forward in business — or in life — if you can’t forgive and move on.
- Cash flow is crucial. This is especially true in a recessionary economy, and if you are growing quickly. Work with clients to get payments upfront.
- Balance is overrated. Aim for joy. When work is fun, you don’t feel the need to take as many breaks. Balance in today’s world looks very different than it did just 20 years ago. Embrace it.
- Don’t underestimate the power of PR. The power of the press may now be in more than just the hands of journalists (umm…social media, anyone?). Learn to be a friend to the press.
- Treat your team well. People will follow a leader who treats them with respect. Learn to value your team’s input, and always reward them for a job well done.
- Focus is the most underrated skill that you must master. 90 percent of the time, what is on your computer screen is not resulting in a positive ROI. Learn to focus on what truly matters in your business. Then, do it consistently.
- Multitasking doesn’t mean greater productivity. Don’t put “good multitasker” on your resume. Numerous studies have shown that multitasking decreases brain power.
- Age isn’t just a number. Age does matter. Managing a Gen Y employee is different than managing a baby boomer.
- Appearances matter. I just interviewed an intern who showed up in an outfit more appropriate for an 8 a.m. class. I had to wonder how he would represent us in front of clients. Whether we like it or not, appearances matter. Dress appropriately.
- Learn to view situations objectively. Just because you would or wouldn’t do something, doesn’t mean others are the same way.
- Life is short, and very easy to take for granted. Sounds like something you’d read in a self-help book, but true nonetheless. Life is temporary, and the only thing that matters at the end of the day is how you treated those around you.
- Pets make the workplace better. I propose that every office should have a mascot. Ours is a little Maltese-Poodle mix named Snoopy. No day is a sad day.
- A support network is crucial. As much as you try, you can’t do it alone. Building a personal and professional support network is imperative.
- Give luck its due. Luck has played a huge part in my life. I don’t deny it. I am just grateful for it.
- Hard work is a given. Struggle doesn’t have to be. I’ve learned that there is always work that will need to be done. The task list is never complete. So, just enjoy it!
- It IS lonely at the top. And, yes, the view & the food are both amazing.
- Ignore the trolls. They like the power the anonymity of the internet gives them. Don’t pay them any attention.
- Be picky when choosing your friends. My friend list (and I don’t mean Facebook) is short. Surround yourself with people who inspire you.
- Karma exists in business and in life. The old adage says “what goes around, comes around.” The older I get, the more I see this being true. Think twice before you act.
- Being a CEO means being a CVO. CVO stands for Chief Value Officer. Always ask yourself: How can I create value for our clients? Our prospects? Our internal team? The answers will guide you to building a better company.
11/20/12
50 Unfortunate Truths About Investing
1. Saying “I’ll be greedy when others are fearful” is much easier than actually doing it.
2. The gulf between a great company and a great investment can be extraordinary.
3. Markets go through at least one big pullback every year, and one massive one every decade. Get used to it. It’s just what they do.
4. There is virtually no accountability in the financial pundit arena. People who have been wrong about everything for years still draw crowds.
5. As Erik Falkenstein says: “In expert tennis, 80% of the points are won, while in amateur tennis, 80% are lost. The same is true for wrestling, chess, and investing: Beginners should focus on avoiding mistakes, experts on making great moves.”
6. There are tens of thousands of professional money managers. Statistically, a handful of them have been successful by pure chance. Which ones? I don’t know, but I bet a few are famous.
7. On that note, some investors who we call “legendary” have barely, if at all, beaten an index fund over their careers. On Wall Street, big wealth isn’t indicative of big returns.
8. During recessions, elections, and Federal Reserve policy meetings, people become unshakably certain about things they know nothing about.
9. The more comfortable an investment feels, the more likely you are to be slaughtered.
10. Time-saving tip: Instead of trading penny stocks, just light your money on fire. Same for leveraged ETFs.
11. Not a single person in the world knows what the market will do in the short run. End of story.
12. The analyst who talks about his mistakes is the guy you want to listen to. Avoid the guy who doesn’t — his are much bigger.
13. You don’t understand a big bank’s balance sheet. The people running the place and their accountants don’t, either.
14. There will be seven to 10 recessions over the next 50 years. Don’t act surprised when they come.
15. Thirty years ago, there was one hour of market TV per day. Today there’s upwards of 18 hours. What changed isn’t the volume of news, but the volume of drivel.
16. Warren Buffett’s best returns were achieved when markets were much less competitive. It’s doubtful anyone will ever match his 50-year record.
17. Most of what is taught about investing in school is theoretical nonsense. There are very few rich professors.
18. The more someone is on TV, the less likely his or her predictions are to come true. (U.C. Berkeley psychologist Phil Tetlock has data on this).
19. Related: Trust no one who is on CNBC more than twice a week.
20. The market doesn’t care how much you paid for a stock. Or your house. Or what you think is a “fair” price.
21. The majority of market news is not only useless, but also harmful to your financial health.
22. Professional investors have better information and faster computers than you do. You will never beat them short-term trading. Don’t even try.
23. How much experience a money manager has doesn’t tell you much. You can underperform the market for an entire career. And many have.
24. The decline of trading costs is one of the worst things to happen to investors, as it made frequent trading possible. High transaction costs used to cause people to think hard before they acted.
25. Professional investing is one of the hardest careers to succeed at, but it has low barriers to entry and requires no credentials. That creates legions of “experts” who have no idea what they are doing. People forget this because it doesn’t apply to many other fields.
26. Most IPOs will burn you. People with more information than you have want to sell. Think about that.
27. When someone mentions charts, moving averages, head-and-shoulders patterns, or resistance levels, walk away.
28. The phrase “double-dip recession” was mentioned 10.8 million times in 2010 and 2011, according to Google. It never came. There were virtually no mentions of “financial collapse” in 2006 and 2007. It did come.
29. The real interest rate on 20-year Treasuries is negative, and investors are plowing money into them. Fear can be a much stronger force than arithmetic.
30. The book Where Are the Customers’ Yachts? was written in 1940, and most still haven’t figured out that financial advisors don’t have their best interest at heart.
31. The low-cost index fund is one of the most useful financial inventions in history. Boring but beautiful.
34. For most, finding ways to save more money is more important than finding great investments.
35. If you have credit card debt and are thinking about investing in anything, stop. You will never beat 30% annual interest.
36. A large portion of share buybacks are just offsetting shares issued to management as compensation. Managers still tout the buybacks as “returning money to shareholders.”
37. The odds that at least one well-known company is insolvent and hiding behind fraudulent accounting are high.
38. Twenty years from now the S&P 500 will look nothing like it does today. Companies die and new ones emerge.
39. Twelve years ago General Motors was on top of the world and Apple was laughed at. A similar shift will occur over the next decade, but no one knows to what companies.
40. Most would be better off if they stopped obsessing about Congress, the Federal Reserve, and the president and focused on their own financial mismanagement.
41. For many, a house is a large liability masquerading as a safe asset.
42. The president has much less influence over the economy than people think.
43. However much money you think you’ll need for retirement, double it. Now you’re closer to reality.
44. The next recession is never like the last one.
45. Remember what Buffett says about progress: “First come the innovators, then come the imitators, then come the idiots.”
46. And what Mark Twain says about truth: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while truth is putting on its shoes.”
47. And what Marty Whitman says about information: “Rarely do more than three or four variables really count. Everything else is noise.”
48. The bigger a merger is, the higher the odds it will be a flop. CEOs love empire-building by overpaying for companies.
49. Investments that offer little upside and big downside outnumber those with the opposite characteristics at least 10-to-1.
50. The most boring companies — toothpaste, food, bolts — can make some of the best long-term investments. The most innovative, some of the worst.
http://www.businessinsider.com/50-unfortunate-truths-about-investing-2012-11
2. The gulf between a great company and a great investment can be extraordinary.
3. Markets go through at least one big pullback every year, and one massive one every decade. Get used to it. It’s just what they do.
4. There is virtually no accountability in the financial pundit arena. People who have been wrong about everything for years still draw crowds.
5. As Erik Falkenstein says: “In expert tennis, 80% of the points are won, while in amateur tennis, 80% are lost. The same is true for wrestling, chess, and investing: Beginners should focus on avoiding mistakes, experts on making great moves.”
6. There are tens of thousands of professional money managers. Statistically, a handful of them have been successful by pure chance. Which ones? I don’t know, but I bet a few are famous.
7. On that note, some investors who we call “legendary” have barely, if at all, beaten an index fund over their careers. On Wall Street, big wealth isn’t indicative of big returns.
8. During recessions, elections, and Federal Reserve policy meetings, people become unshakably certain about things they know nothing about.
9. The more comfortable an investment feels, the more likely you are to be slaughtered.
10. Time-saving tip: Instead of trading penny stocks, just light your money on fire. Same for leveraged ETFs.
11. Not a single person in the world knows what the market will do in the short run. End of story.
12. The analyst who talks about his mistakes is the guy you want to listen to. Avoid the guy who doesn’t — his are much bigger.
13. You don’t understand a big bank’s balance sheet. The people running the place and their accountants don’t, either.
14. There will be seven to 10 recessions over the next 50 years. Don’t act surprised when they come.
15. Thirty years ago, there was one hour of market TV per day. Today there’s upwards of 18 hours. What changed isn’t the volume of news, but the volume of drivel.
16. Warren Buffett’s best returns were achieved when markets were much less competitive. It’s doubtful anyone will ever match his 50-year record.
17. Most of what is taught about investing in school is theoretical nonsense. There are very few rich professors.
18. The more someone is on TV, the less likely his or her predictions are to come true. (U.C. Berkeley psychologist Phil Tetlock has data on this).
19. Related: Trust no one who is on CNBC more than twice a week.
20. The market doesn’t care how much you paid for a stock. Or your house. Or what you think is a “fair” price.
21. The majority of market news is not only useless, but also harmful to your financial health.
22. Professional investors have better information and faster computers than you do. You will never beat them short-term trading. Don’t even try.
23. How much experience a money manager has doesn’t tell you much. You can underperform the market for an entire career. And many have.
24. The decline of trading costs is one of the worst things to happen to investors, as it made frequent trading possible. High transaction costs used to cause people to think hard before they acted.
25. Professional investing is one of the hardest careers to succeed at, but it has low barriers to entry and requires no credentials. That creates legions of “experts” who have no idea what they are doing. People forget this because it doesn’t apply to many other fields.
26. Most IPOs will burn you. People with more information than you have want to sell. Think about that.
27. When someone mentions charts, moving averages, head-and-shoulders patterns, or resistance levels, walk away.
28. The phrase “double-dip recession” was mentioned 10.8 million times in 2010 and 2011, according to Google. It never came. There were virtually no mentions of “financial collapse” in 2006 and 2007. It did come.
29. The real interest rate on 20-year Treasuries is negative, and investors are plowing money into them. Fear can be a much stronger force than arithmetic.
30. The book Where Are the Customers’ Yachts? was written in 1940, and most still haven’t figured out that financial advisors don’t have their best interest at heart.
31. The low-cost index fund is one of the most useful financial inventions in history. Boring but beautiful.
34. For most, finding ways to save more money is more important than finding great investments.
35. If you have credit card debt and are thinking about investing in anything, stop. You will never beat 30% annual interest.
36. A large portion of share buybacks are just offsetting shares issued to management as compensation. Managers still tout the buybacks as “returning money to shareholders.”
37. The odds that at least one well-known company is insolvent and hiding behind fraudulent accounting are high.
38. Twenty years from now the S&P 500 will look nothing like it does today. Companies die and new ones emerge.
39. Twelve years ago General Motors was on top of the world and Apple was laughed at. A similar shift will occur over the next decade, but no one knows to what companies.
40. Most would be better off if they stopped obsessing about Congress, the Federal Reserve, and the president and focused on their own financial mismanagement.
41. For many, a house is a large liability masquerading as a safe asset.
42. The president has much less influence over the economy than people think.
43. However much money you think you’ll need for retirement, double it. Now you’re closer to reality.
44. The next recession is never like the last one.
45. Remember what Buffett says about progress: “First come the innovators, then come the imitators, then come the idiots.”
46. And what Mark Twain says about truth: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while truth is putting on its shoes.”
47. And what Marty Whitman says about information: “Rarely do more than three or four variables really count. Everything else is noise.”
48. The bigger a merger is, the higher the odds it will be a flop. CEOs love empire-building by overpaying for companies.
49. Investments that offer little upside and big downside outnumber those with the opposite characteristics at least 10-to-1.
50. The most boring companies — toothpaste, food, bolts — can make some of the best long-term investments. The most innovative, some of the worst.
http://www.businessinsider.com/50-unfortunate-truths-about-investing-2012-11
10 ways to make your business more efficient
Takeaway: If your business isn’t taking off — or worse, if it’s going downhill — it’s time to look for inefficiencies that may be plaguing your systems and practices.
If your business isn’t running at top efficiency, you’re failing. In today’s world of instant access, social networking, and constant connection, working with inefficient systems and software could quickly lead to a series of micro-fractures that can bring your company to its knees. Though you may not see it happening at first, at some point the failure will become obvious.
To avoid this, your company must be working at peak efficiency. But when you’re already deeply embedded in your systems, software, and managerial practices, how can you retool your company for a more efficient environment? Here are 10 tips that can help.
1. Don’t expand too quickly
I’ve seen this happen many times. Businesses start seeing dollar signs and think that the bigger they get, the better their bottom line. Those dollar signs blind them to the fact that expanding too quickly means the proper systems and training can’t be put into place. When you’re small, your workflow is designed accordingly. If you expand too quickly, you can’t properly adjust workflow, the systems that support workflow, or the employees who must manage the workflow.
2. Don’t employ technology until it is thoroughly tested and understood
This is another issue I have not only witnessed but have fallen victim to. Companies are often seduced by the idea that a piece of software or hardware will make their workflow infinitely easier. A PR-pro can easily sway them with numbers and user quotes. But you can’t always tell whether that piece of software is well suited for your needs and staff. If you’re thinking about new tech, get a demo of it and test it before you buy it or insist your employees start using something that will, in the end, cause serious inefficiencies.
3. Don’t make technology decisions unless you have considered the users
I’ve been on both sides of this coin, and I know how frustrating this can be. There are users within your company who, in many ways, know how things work better than you. They’re in the thick of the workflow every day. Those people need efficient tools and systems in place if they have any chance of getting their jobs done. If you’re about to pull the trigger on a technology decision, make sure you have discussed this decision with those it affects.
4. Make communication a crucial component
One of the last aspects addressed within business is communication. When communication is poor, work is inefficient. Period. Communication could be as simple as an open door policy or as complex as a content management system designed to ensure every single piece of work is documented. Regardless of what you do, place the highest priority on communication. Make sure staff can easily communicate with their fellow workers. Make sure the company can communicate with clients. The second communication fails, efficiency fails.
5. Use secure and reliable technology
There are times I have been on the receiving end of technology that simply doesn’t work. When I work within an office, I make sure I can use a Linux box for the majority of my day because I’m far more efficient with that platform than any other. When you deploy technology, make sure it is secure and reliable. Having to work with unreliable software (or hardware) is one of the prime reasons people can’t get their work done. Viruses, malware, underpowered hardware… it all adds up.
6. Prepare for disaster
It doesn’t take a natural disaster to bring down your business. A break-in, dead server hardware, a disgruntled employee — many issues can cause a company disaster. Unless you have an effective means of dealing with disaster, you will be dead in the water until the ship is righted. And even after the ship is righted, it may take awhile to get workflow back up to speed. Make sure your disaster plan continues through getting hardware back up and running and getting users working productively again.
7. Don’t create redundant management tiers
Micromanaging is bad enough. But when you add redundant layers to management, you wind up with too many cooks in an already complicated kitchen. Those managers can often wind up in a war of egos, causing further roadblocks to efficiency. Make sure your chain of command isn’t clogged to the point of confusion and paralysis. If you expect efficiency from your staff, make sure the managers above them can also work in an efficient manner.
8. Don’t give your employees more work than they can handle
You know when an employee quits and you dump their work on another employee, thinking you’re going to save a dollar? That is one of the single worst roadblocks to efficiency you can put in play. Once employees reach a certain saturation with duties, their efficiency drops exponentially. If you don’t overload your employees, you should be able to expect efficient work from them.
9. Have a sufficient network pipe to handle your network load
How can your staff possibly work efficiently if you have insufficient or unreliable data pipes? With a constantly clogged pipe, your staff won’t be getting much done. As a remote engineer, I have experienced plenty of instances where a data pipe was either too slow to do my job or a network connection was dropped. This is one of those issues that’s simple to resolve: Just upgrade your pipe. Don’t let those things that are easily controlled caused problems.
10. If an employee has an idea for a more efficient way of handling a task, listen!
Sometimes, those whose job titles don’t start with the letter “C” might come up with a brilliant idea. Not only will you benefit from that great idea, but employee morale will get a nice bump from the understanding that you trust and respect your staff. Besides, those staff members are the ones who actually have to do the bulk of the work — they probably have some killer ideas on how to improve it.
Other tips?
Efficiency should be one of your top priorities if you want your business to thrive and grow. Without efficient systems in place, each phase of growth will only cause more issues, perpetuating the cycle of inefficiency. Take a close look at your company. If you can honestly say that everything was designed and built for the most efficient workflow, you’re already miles ahead of your competition. Have you experienced inefficient practices and environments with your own work? What suggestions would you add to this list?
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-ways-to-make-your-business-more-efficient/3499
1. Don’t expand too quickly
I’ve seen this happen many times. Businesses start seeing dollar signs and think that the bigger they get, the better their bottom line. Those dollar signs blind them to the fact that expanding too quickly means the proper systems and training can’t be put into place. When you’re small, your workflow is designed accordingly. If you expand too quickly, you can’t properly adjust workflow, the systems that support workflow, or the employees who must manage the workflow.
2. Don’t employ technology until it is thoroughly tested and understood
This is another issue I have not only witnessed but have fallen victim to. Companies are often seduced by the idea that a piece of software or hardware will make their workflow infinitely easier. A PR-pro can easily sway them with numbers and user quotes. But you can’t always tell whether that piece of software is well suited for your needs and staff. If you’re thinking about new tech, get a demo of it and test it before you buy it or insist your employees start using something that will, in the end, cause serious inefficiencies.
3. Don’t make technology decisions unless you have considered the users
I’ve been on both sides of this coin, and I know how frustrating this can be. There are users within your company who, in many ways, know how things work better than you. They’re in the thick of the workflow every day. Those people need efficient tools and systems in place if they have any chance of getting their jobs done. If you’re about to pull the trigger on a technology decision, make sure you have discussed this decision with those it affects.
4. Make communication a crucial component
One of the last aspects addressed within business is communication. When communication is poor, work is inefficient. Period. Communication could be as simple as an open door policy or as complex as a content management system designed to ensure every single piece of work is documented. Regardless of what you do, place the highest priority on communication. Make sure staff can easily communicate with their fellow workers. Make sure the company can communicate with clients. The second communication fails, efficiency fails.
5. Use secure and reliable technology
There are times I have been on the receiving end of technology that simply doesn’t work. When I work within an office, I make sure I can use a Linux box for the majority of my day because I’m far more efficient with that platform than any other. When you deploy technology, make sure it is secure and reliable. Having to work with unreliable software (or hardware) is one of the prime reasons people can’t get their work done. Viruses, malware, underpowered hardware… it all adds up.
6. Prepare for disaster
It doesn’t take a natural disaster to bring down your business. A break-in, dead server hardware, a disgruntled employee — many issues can cause a company disaster. Unless you have an effective means of dealing with disaster, you will be dead in the water until the ship is righted. And even after the ship is righted, it may take awhile to get workflow back up to speed. Make sure your disaster plan continues through getting hardware back up and running and getting users working productively again.
7. Don’t create redundant management tiers
Micromanaging is bad enough. But when you add redundant layers to management, you wind up with too many cooks in an already complicated kitchen. Those managers can often wind up in a war of egos, causing further roadblocks to efficiency. Make sure your chain of command isn’t clogged to the point of confusion and paralysis. If you expect efficiency from your staff, make sure the managers above them can also work in an efficient manner.
8. Don’t give your employees more work than they can handle
You know when an employee quits and you dump their work on another employee, thinking you’re going to save a dollar? That is one of the single worst roadblocks to efficiency you can put in play. Once employees reach a certain saturation with duties, their efficiency drops exponentially. If you don’t overload your employees, you should be able to expect efficient work from them.
9. Have a sufficient network pipe to handle your network load
How can your staff possibly work efficiently if you have insufficient or unreliable data pipes? With a constantly clogged pipe, your staff won’t be getting much done. As a remote engineer, I have experienced plenty of instances where a data pipe was either too slow to do my job or a network connection was dropped. This is one of those issues that’s simple to resolve: Just upgrade your pipe. Don’t let those things that are easily controlled caused problems.
10. If an employee has an idea for a more efficient way of handling a task, listen!
Sometimes, those whose job titles don’t start with the letter “C” might come up with a brilliant idea. Not only will you benefit from that great idea, but employee morale will get a nice bump from the understanding that you trust and respect your staff. Besides, those staff members are the ones who actually have to do the bulk of the work — they probably have some killer ideas on how to improve it.
Other tips?
Efficiency should be one of your top priorities if you want your business to thrive and grow. Without efficient systems in place, each phase of growth will only cause more issues, perpetuating the cycle of inefficiency. Take a close look at your company. If you can honestly say that everything was designed and built for the most efficient workflow, you’re already miles ahead of your competition. Have you experienced inefficient practices and environments with your own work? What suggestions would you add to this list?
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-ways-to-make-your-business-more-efficient/3499
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