I celebrated Joanna’s birthday this weekend with a night out for the two of us at our favorite place - the Gallery Hop. We had dinner at Lemongrass and walked around listening to all the street musicians and performances, but mostly talking… Which is what happens when you marry your best friend. Here is a shot from Sunday with her family at her parent’s house. Oh.. and you know how they say some people get better looking with age…. yeah, that was my thought exactly.
What would your leadership look like outside of an American market?
What if you were born into a third world country? There was no hope of a book deal. Your name will never be noticed. You won’t be able to host a conference. You won’t be invited to speak anywhere. You don’t have a boss.
You have a family and a trade.
How would your leadership change? Would you still write? Would you still make an effort to serve those around you? Why would you get up every morning? What would keep you awake at night dreaming?
We forget how motivating culture can be.
Culture isn’t bad. The United States has a great leadership culture. The question is just what’s at the heart of the matter. What’s at the core of why you do what you do?
This is my friend Duncan from Edinburgh, Scotland. He’s a director at The Bank of Scotland - which is like the third largest bank in the world!?!? (Duncan, correct me on that). I was just thinking about writing him to ask what his take was on all the financial crisis talk. Then I saw this up on his blog this morning.
It’s worth taking a look at and reading.. the whole thing. It helps to understand all that is going on and realize that this really is effecting a lot of people.
Accepting the status quo is a accepting a death sentence.
I could stop there.
It’s not insight that sets the leader apart, but the courage to act on that insight… that’s what separates leaders.
Leaders must seaparate from the pack to be positioned to lead.
Without courage all we have is good ideas and regrets.
And failure becomes defined by missed opportunities rather than failed enterprises.
So it becomes a struggle to not live down to expectations, but to be remarkable.
“If there is nothing very special about your work, no matter how hard you apply yourself, you won’t get noticed, and that increasingly means you won’t get paid much either.”
- Michael Goldhaber of Wired Magazine
Because marketing has a huge story-telling component, it can be subtle. Surprisingly, great marketing doesn’t have to spell everything out. It doesn’t need an 8-page color brochure or detailed instruction manuals.
One of the things I love about buying a new ipod or iphone is that when you open it, you just turn it on and go. “Let’s see what this thing can do.” The instruction manual is usually hidden in the packaging and very, very basic. The new iPod Touch doesn’t even come with an instruction manual. They leave the discovery up to the user.
Marketing… no… your approach… should be subtle.
Always believed it, always will.
Here are two photos from my Wednesday night baby sitting session with Madeline and Caden. The retouching was definitely inspired by this guy.
I realized that I hadn’t posted anything on finishing my race this last weekend. I was mostly talking about it on Twitter, but here’s some pics and info.
I finished in 1317th place… out of about 5000 runners. My time was 2 hours, 1 minute and 21 seconds officially. I was a little bummed that I couldn’t get under 2 hours, but that’s about 10 minutes better than my best time and almost 25 minutes faster than last year. I’ll get it next year.
Here are a few shots from the “official race photographer” who wants you to buy them for $30 a digital file… crazy.
I was on the phone last week with a potential client who was interested in our company when I realized that what we sell is not a service, but a story.
Even though this person has a great practice with lots of potential, they were drowning in debt and extremely discouraged.
So I told her stories.
I began to tell her about other clients who were in the same position. I began to tell her why we thought her practice had so much potential and why we were excited to work for her. I told her where we thought she could be financially in the next two to three years.
Most of all I talked to her about success, belief and optimism.
The reason I made the sale was partly because of the service we are selling, but it was more about the way she felt on the phone.
We don’t sell a service or a program.
We sell financial independence and freedom.
We sell “anybody can be successful beyond their dreams.”
Most of all we sell peace of mind and quality of life.
That’s our story.
“In retail, it’s location, location, location. In business it’s differentiate, differentiate, differentiate.”
- the late Robert Goizueta of Coca-Cola
Don’t know if you’ve been watching this, but it’s crazy.
Here is Microsoft’s latest letter from the Top Bully and CEO himself Steven Ballmer.
Apparently, when Microsoft offers $44.6 billion, it expects the world to stop.
And here is Yahoo’s polite, but firm response: “Bring your best shot.”
The end result and my prediction: more employees going to Google.
This could get good.
I hit my last 10 mile yesterday before the big race. And man did I kill it.
80 minutes and 8 seconds.
My best time EVER.
That’s 8 minutes a mile.
Almost a full 6 minutes better than my fastest time.
The reason:
I had to buy a new Nike iPod censor (who knew that the battery goes dead and there’s no way to replace it… so you have to buy a new one…).
The distance on it was off (I have longer legs than most people), which made me think I was running a bit slower than normal.
About mile 6 I realized the thing was off and I actually was making killer time.
So thanks Apple and Nike…
Now for a week of rest.
Employers always create the job descriptions for employees. What if it was the other way around? What if you could create your boss’s job description, what would it be?
Try this one:
GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET THOSE WITH THE COOLEST IDEAS BATTLE FOR SUPREMACY.
What a great work environment that could be. Ideas reign. Not seniority. Not education. Not pedigree.
I think bosses really should only do two things:
1. Bet on COOL PEOPLE and
2. Bet on COOL IDEAS
How about one more… I almost forgot:
IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE… NERVE… TO LET ME REDRAW THE MAP (or even create a brand new map), THEN… YOU SHOULD NOT BE LEADING.
You hired me for a reason and it wasn’t to “follow orders.” So I’ll figure it out. I may even make it up as I go along, but I won’t come home empty-handed.
Just a few thoughts on the ideal boss.
“Tastes like chicken is not a compliment.”
-Seth Godin from Purple Cow
The average American spends 26.3 hours per year continuing their professional education.
TWENTY-SIX-POINT-THREE!
That means the ratio of “training” to “work” for the average worker is 0.01.
Can you imagine 26.3 hours a year for a violinist… sprinter… golfer… pilot… soldier… surgeon… astronaut?
No! They wouldn’t be able to compete/produce/perform in their profession/industry/career in a matter of months.
Peter Drucker made an amazing quote that sticks with me.
“Knowledge becomes obsolete incredibly fast. The continuing professional education of adults is the No. 1 industry in the next 30 years.”
And probably a lot longer after that.
We’re living in the INFORMATION AGE… Information is a premium.
So what’s the next fastest growing industry in America… continuing professional education.
Last Saturday was my brother-in-law/co-worker/running partner/friend’s birthday.
He’s just a little behind me by turning 31.
He’s a new father and he’s new to the blogosphere. So go over and check him out and give him some love. Tell him I sent you.
This shot was from Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh Scotland last September. It’s the highest point in the city. We thought it would make for a good early morning run.. it slowed us down to a walk within two minutes.
That was Seth’s first real trip out of the country (Mexico doesn’t count), and definitely one of the highlights of my year.
“I’m uncomfortable when I’m comfortable.”
-Jay Chiat
