It's been a busy New Year. Sorry about the delay.
I'm a practical kind of person. I'm fortunate enough to get this technological "revolution" that people are so crazy over. In all honesty, I'm pretty crazy over it, too. I just don't see it the way a lot of people do. I've never seen the whole "The future is here and it is now-or-whatever-else-will-scare-people" perspective behind this new medium of communication. I really thought most of us would have seen a lot of this coming. But no matter, it's here. Now, people, organizations, businesses - they have to decide what to do with it.
Rupert Murdoch is loony. Seriously, if you haven't figured it out for yourself yet, people will get the content they want online, and they won't pay for it. The media model, specifically the newspaper, is dying and dead. There are even proponents of magazine success that seem blindly sure that a money-for-content model will continue to be viable into the future of digital media.
There are two major flaws in this mindset: 1.) Information is widely available via free Internet sources, whether it be via user-generated or freemium-based platforms. There is so much information available, and so much of it comes to the user as a value-added benefit of association with a given source. Often, user-generated content is more relevant, more accurate, and more timely than that sourced from the traditional information mediums. And if people can get better information for free, why would they pay for it? 2.) Users who generate their own content recognize the benefit in providing value to their readers/subscribers and will continue to provide better information at no cost in order to improve their own recognition. And why shouldn't they? The sphere is full of bloggers and writers and tweeters who are trying to grow their audience, and they will do so by increasing the value of what they are disseminating. The traditional print media model cannot compete with that kind of a value proposition.
Solution? Empowerment. The media model needs to empower these independent information-generation sources with what they need to stay relevant to their sphere of influence. By doing so, and harnessing the creative power of these people, the media powers-that-be can stay relevant to their audiences.
Showing posts with label Building People. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Building People. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Should Old Aquaintence Be Forgot...?
We're here at the eve of another New Year, and this has been a good one, hasn't it?
I hope tonight you can be with people you love and cherish, and that you will be able to face tomorrow and all it brings with joy and peace, and with a determination to make those around you better and stronger in the New Year!
Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve, and a wonderfully prosperous 2010!
I hope tonight you can be with people you love and cherish, and that you will be able to face tomorrow and all it brings with joy and peace, and with a determination to make those around you better and stronger in the New Year!
Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve, and a wonderfully prosperous 2010!
Monday, December 28, 2009
"I do with blog resolve..."
New Year.
2010.
I always felt like New Year's Day had its own special smell. Kind of the way a new car smells for the first couple of weeks. It's a fresh, optimistic quality that pervades the thinking of people across the globe. It's the concept on "new" that invigorates the soul and spurs action and self-motivation.
Even if it does only last until the second week of February.
We all make them. Those venerable and tradition-dictated self-promises that are so often poorly thought out and seldom achieved. It's an honorable tradition, this writing of resolutions. We ought to do it, we really should. It's so important to challenge ourselves to better achievements, greater accomplishments, and the attainment of our goals.
But where to begin? We often fall into the traps of poor goal-setting because of a lack of direction. And when we fail at what we have promised ourselves to do, we lose the motivation to strive toward that mark. It's a vicious cycle.
So I've thought of a few things that you can do in 2010 that will help you improve your business, better yourself, and build up those around you. Happy New Year!
1.) Make a list of things you want to accomplish in the next ten months.
Goals are the most important element of success. All the hard work and ingenuity and problem-solving in the world is useless if they are not being applied in the pursuit of a specific, measurable goal. So much time is wasted pursuing nothing because the object of the pursuit is never clearly and accurately defined.
Make a point of sitting down and writing a clear and concise list of the things you would like to accomplish or achieve in 2010. Use this time-honored acronym:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-Oriented
2.) Market yourself.
Economic times like those we face often scare people into omitting their most valuable tool for growth. Marketing. It is of utmost importance to be actively marketing your brand and product when the economy is down to maintain a stream of new income, however small. When the economy cycle comes around, you will have built-in income that will allow you to realize true, substantial growth, instead of rebuilding your base.
Do whatever your budget demands, but do something. Goto networking meetings. Build a social media profile. Buy a cheap website. Pass out flyers. Advertise on Craigslist. But do something consistently in 2010 to market your business.
3.) Track your work.
Often, people are unsure of where they are going because they do not know where they have been. Tracking your progress in any given area is essential to being able to move forward down the road. Whether it be your networking efforts, your web presence, or your outside sales initiatives, track your progress. Write down what you're doing and whether or not it works, and use real numbers. Don't just give a blanket "That didn't work out how I thought it would!" Give it real value, however small, so that you can compare it to something else later on.
4.) Help someone else.
People do business with those whom they know, like, and trust. They also happen to send business to the same people. If you do business by referral like we do, then you understand the importance of cultivating vibrant and active referral relationships. The very best way to do this is to find out what the people around you need. After you've done that, find a way to get it for them. You don't need to get paid for this, you shouldn't expect to. You're building a relationship of trust and mutual benefit that will pay huge dividends in the future.
Have a great New Year, and a prosperous 2010!
2010.
I always felt like New Year's Day had its own special smell. Kind of the way a new car smells for the first couple of weeks. It's a fresh, optimistic quality that pervades the thinking of people across the globe. It's the concept on "new" that invigorates the soul and spurs action and self-motivation.
Even if it does only last until the second week of February.
We all make them. Those venerable and tradition-dictated self-promises that are so often poorly thought out and seldom achieved. It's an honorable tradition, this writing of resolutions. We ought to do it, we really should. It's so important to challenge ourselves to better achievements, greater accomplishments, and the attainment of our goals.
But where to begin? We often fall into the traps of poor goal-setting because of a lack of direction. And when we fail at what we have promised ourselves to do, we lose the motivation to strive toward that mark. It's a vicious cycle.
So I've thought of a few things that you can do in 2010 that will help you improve your business, better yourself, and build up those around you. Happy New Year!
1.) Make a list of things you want to accomplish in the next ten months.
Goals are the most important element of success. All the hard work and ingenuity and problem-solving in the world is useless if they are not being applied in the pursuit of a specific, measurable goal. So much time is wasted pursuing nothing because the object of the pursuit is never clearly and accurately defined.
Make a point of sitting down and writing a clear and concise list of the things you would like to accomplish or achieve in 2010. Use this time-honored acronym:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-Oriented
2.) Market yourself.
Economic times like those we face often scare people into omitting their most valuable tool for growth. Marketing. It is of utmost importance to be actively marketing your brand and product when the economy is down to maintain a stream of new income, however small. When the economy cycle comes around, you will have built-in income that will allow you to realize true, substantial growth, instead of rebuilding your base.
Do whatever your budget demands, but do something. Goto networking meetings. Build a social media profile. Buy a cheap website. Pass out flyers. Advertise on Craigslist. But do something consistently in 2010 to market your business.
3.) Track your work.
Often, people are unsure of where they are going because they do not know where they have been. Tracking your progress in any given area is essential to being able to move forward down the road. Whether it be your networking efforts, your web presence, or your outside sales initiatives, track your progress. Write down what you're doing and whether or not it works, and use real numbers. Don't just give a blanket "That didn't work out how I thought it would!" Give it real value, however small, so that you can compare it to something else later on.
4.) Help someone else.
People do business with those whom they know, like, and trust. They also happen to send business to the same people. If you do business by referral like we do, then you understand the importance of cultivating vibrant and active referral relationships. The very best way to do this is to find out what the people around you need. After you've done that, find a way to get it for them. You don't need to get paid for this, you shouldn't expect to. You're building a relationship of trust and mutual benefit that will pay huge dividends in the future.
Have a great New Year, and a prosperous 2010!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Season of Giving
This is my favorite time of the year. There is no contest. I love Thanksgiving, and I love the Thanksgiving feast. Easter is a special time for my Christian household. Valentine's Day is a special event for my wife and I. The 4th of July is great for the patriotic perspective. But, Christmas? Oh, Christmas. There is no comparison.
Gifts are such a staple of this time of year, and I have my personal gripes with commercialization and such. But it's a fun tradition, and I participate wholeheartedly. I make my lists months ahead of time. I plan and listen for hints about special holiday desires. I try to find out what they want so I can give it to them before they have the chance to ask. I love the look on the faces of loved ones when they tear off the wrapping and find that I've given them exactly what they were looking for.
There are a lot of similarities in customer service, but the core principle is the idea of "GIVE". Our brains are wired to think profit, gain, and revenue. We pursue the almighty black bottom line with fervor and gusto, giving little thought to the effect this pursuit may have on our brand reputation. We factor ROI will all the might we can muster, and we sell, sell, sell!
But what do we give? We assume the customer perceives innate value simply in purchasing a product, but do we demonstrate value in a relationship with us? Why should they buy this product from us the next time they are in the market, and not the next guy? Why should they tell their friends about us? Why should they blog about their experience with us, or update their Twitter with our link, or share their thoughts on our brand with their Facebook throng?
They won't, if we do not give.
People love gifts. It makes them feel special, valued, cared for, important. The exact qualities your customers crave from a relationship with your brand. And what better way to make them feel this way than to offer a measure of value simply because you appreciate doing business with them? I try to make my customers feel like it profitable for them to do business with me. I want them to feel as if they have gained something in knowing me and being associated with me.
There are many ways to do this. You can make yourself a resource for information. You can educate your customers without demanding they buy something from you. You can recognize when a competitor is a better fit and pass along the referral, knowing that the positive experience will benefit you more later on. There are so many ways to give, and all of them result in customers who see inherent value in being associated with you.
Merry Christmas.
Gifts are such a staple of this time of year, and I have my personal gripes with commercialization and such. But it's a fun tradition, and I participate wholeheartedly. I make my lists months ahead of time. I plan and listen for hints about special holiday desires. I try to find out what they want so I can give it to them before they have the chance to ask. I love the look on the faces of loved ones when they tear off the wrapping and find that I've given them exactly what they were looking for.
There are a lot of similarities in customer service, but the core principle is the idea of "GIVE". Our brains are wired to think profit, gain, and revenue. We pursue the almighty black bottom line with fervor and gusto, giving little thought to the effect this pursuit may have on our brand reputation. We factor ROI will all the might we can muster, and we sell, sell, sell!
But what do we give? We assume the customer perceives innate value simply in purchasing a product, but do we demonstrate value in a relationship with us? Why should they buy this product from us the next time they are in the market, and not the next guy? Why should they tell their friends about us? Why should they blog about their experience with us, or update their Twitter with our link, or share their thoughts on our brand with their Facebook throng?
They won't, if we do not give.
People love gifts. It makes them feel special, valued, cared for, important. The exact qualities your customers crave from a relationship with your brand. And what better way to make them feel this way than to offer a measure of value simply because you appreciate doing business with them? I try to make my customers feel like it profitable for them to do business with me. I want them to feel as if they have gained something in knowing me and being associated with me.
There are many ways to do this. You can make yourself a resource for information. You can educate your customers without demanding they buy something from you. You can recognize when a competitor is a better fit and pass along the referral, knowing that the positive experience will benefit you more later on. There are so many ways to give, and all of them result in customers who see inherent value in being associated with you.
Merry Christmas.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Improvement
Personal. Organizational. Social.
How do you define it?
The smartest people in the world focus on improving themselves, then make a genuine effort to tell other people about how it worked.
How do you define it?
The smartest people in the world focus on improving themselves, then make a genuine effort to tell other people about how it worked.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Personal Motivation
Motivation has been a big theme on my linkedin.com profile this week. I've been asking people how they motivate themselves and other people? How they stay motivated? How they keep others motivated? It's a big question. Motivation is the impetus of accomplishment.
Isn't it?
I think motivation-personal, social, organizational-really boils down to purpose. I've talked about this before, but it everything we do, whether it be in our personal lives or in our professional lives, is guided and directed by the underlying purpose, or lack thereof, we have for what we are doing.
I motivate myself by keeping my purpose clear and recognizable, and by keeping myself reminded of it. I carry 3x5 cards that have several purposes written on them: my purpose for loving my wife, my purpose for serving my clients, my purpose for keeping my faith. As I continue to remind myself of these things, I am motivated to accomplish my purpose. I am reminded of my goal, and urged on to achieve it.
So how do you motivate yourself? How do you keep yourself, and those around you, pressing toward the mark?
Isn't it?
I think motivation-personal, social, organizational-really boils down to purpose. I've talked about this before, but it everything we do, whether it be in our personal lives or in our professional lives, is guided and directed by the underlying purpose, or lack thereof, we have for what we are doing.
I motivate myself by keeping my purpose clear and recognizable, and by keeping myself reminded of it. I carry 3x5 cards that have several purposes written on them: my purpose for loving my wife, my purpose for serving my clients, my purpose for keeping my faith. As I continue to remind myself of these things, I am motivated to accomplish my purpose. I am reminded of my goal, and urged on to achieve it.
So how do you motivate yourself? How do you keep yourself, and those around you, pressing toward the mark?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Dynamics
I love this word. It comes from the Greek word dynamos which means "power" or "massive energy". It's an extremely descriptive word, especially when applied to unorthodox contexts. Most of the time we associate the word "Dynamics" with personality or character of an entity. Seldom do we actually consider it a viable quality to be learned and applied.
We all function within the framework of and structure of organizations, which, for the most part, are three-dimensional, working models of the business plan. The plan was crafted and created with the intent that those who actually provided the manpower and resources necessary to bring it to life would understand and embrace the values upon which it was founded. This is all well and good, except that, in most cases, those working within this framework are not empowered to see beyond its limitations and stagnation results. This problem does not stem from unconcerned or indifferent employees, it stems from their inability to create a better environment.
Too often, managers are afraid to facilitate the betterment of their subordinates. When we take off those limitations, however, good, intelligent people are free to create, to suggest, to experiment with their environment and requirements, and they begin to evolve their organization from the inside out. Those companies and organizations that are truly successful, are truly leading their industries understand this principle of inner dynamics, and they encourage, even promote, critical insights from within in order to improve the outward performance. This requires a measure of trust on behalf of the facilitating tier, but more so, it requires an organization to give the people involved a vested interest in the organization itself. People are ready and willing to invest themselves and their ideas into an organization that will benefit them as it gets better.
For example, Starbucks offers stock options to every single employee. They essentially become partners in the company for which they work. The organization even goes so far as to refer to every single one of its employees as "Starbucks Partners".
This kind of an organizational investment into the people who involve themselves with it is exactly the kind of dynamic promotion that sets some organizations apart from others. When a coffee-making barista approaches her work with the mindset that her success as an employee affects the success of the company, which in turn affects her success as a person, she is personally motivated to find ways to make her environment better and more productive. This is dynamic motivation.
How are you motivating your people? Have you modeled inner dynamics in your organization? If so, how? and what were the results? How is your organization dynamically promoting effectiveness within a given environment? are those environments friendly to effective change and outward evolution? And lastly, what is your organization doing to dynamically motivate your people? how are you enabling your people to invest themselves into the organization?
We all function within the framework of and structure of organizations, which, for the most part, are three-dimensional, working models of the business plan. The plan was crafted and created with the intent that those who actually provided the manpower and resources necessary to bring it to life would understand and embrace the values upon which it was founded. This is all well and good, except that, in most cases, those working within this framework are not empowered to see beyond its limitations and stagnation results. This problem does not stem from unconcerned or indifferent employees, it stems from their inability to create a better environment.
Too often, managers are afraid to facilitate the betterment of their subordinates. When we take off those limitations, however, good, intelligent people are free to create, to suggest, to experiment with their environment and requirements, and they begin to evolve their organization from the inside out. Those companies and organizations that are truly successful, are truly leading their industries understand this principle of inner dynamics, and they encourage, even promote, critical insights from within in order to improve the outward performance. This requires a measure of trust on behalf of the facilitating tier, but more so, it requires an organization to give the people involved a vested interest in the organization itself. People are ready and willing to invest themselves and their ideas into an organization that will benefit them as it gets better.
For example, Starbucks offers stock options to every single employee. They essentially become partners in the company for which they work. The organization even goes so far as to refer to every single one of its employees as "Starbucks Partners".
This kind of an organizational investment into the people who involve themselves with it is exactly the kind of dynamic promotion that sets some organizations apart from others. When a coffee-making barista approaches her work with the mindset that her success as an employee affects the success of the company, which in turn affects her success as a person, she is personally motivated to find ways to make her environment better and more productive. This is dynamic motivation.
How are you motivating your people? Have you modeled inner dynamics in your organization? If so, how? and what were the results? How is your organization dynamically promoting effectiveness within a given environment? are those environments friendly to effective change and outward evolution? And lastly, what is your organization doing to dynamically motivate your people? how are you enabling your people to invest themselves into the organization?
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