The Daily Boss

Last Quote Of 2011

2011-12-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”
~ Albert Einstein

- m

Don't Be Too Certain

2011-12-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

More from Jonah Lehrer's book, How We Decide

Having access to information isn't enough.

Pay attention to the evidence.

Don't reject alternative positions.

Don't reject solutions that attack your processes.

Force yourself to think about the information you don't want to think about.

Complacency and stubbornness are the enemy of innovation.

Analyze why you are thinking what your thinking.

Being certain limits your options.

- m

Showing Up Is A Good Start

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

from February this year. The Daily Boss relaunches January 1, 2012...

Sometimes you want to say

"I just don't feel like it."

Do it anyway.

Doing something that you need to do when you don't feel like doing it is what separates you from those who fail.

As Woody Allen said,

"Eighty percent of success is showing up."

- m

It's The Only Way To get Work

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Daily Boss relaunches on January 1, 2012. In the meantime, enjoy this post from January 2011...

One word.

Connections. (Use the word 'network' if you must).

You've heard the adage "It's not what you know. It's who you know."

Almost right.

"It's not only who you know. It's who you help."

If you want to connect with someone, give them something they can use.

Share information.

Become a resource.

Become valuable.

Then become a connection.

- m

Stop Reading Resumes

2011-12-26T05:00:00.001-05:00

The DailyBoss relaunches on Wordpress on January 1, 2012. In the meantime, here's a post from September 2010...

Here's an interesting perspective on resumes and cover letters from 37signals co-founder Jason Fried, who never reads resumes when looking for new hires.

From Inc.com Never Read Another Resume.

- m

Your Christmas Weekend Message: Living Beyond Limits

2011-12-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

Here's The Link:
Amy Purdy: Living beyond limits

Your Friday Quote: George Bernard Shaw

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

"A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell."

~George Bernard Shaw

Ignore The H8Rs

2011-12-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

There seems to be a lot of venom on the InterGoogle lately regarding certain social media sites and those who use them.

Take these actual comments:

"I'm not on LinkedIn; it's just full of liars looking for work." or

"I hate Facebook. They're just trying to sell info to advertisers." or

"I don't get Twitter. Who cares what other people are doing?"

Ignore the haters.

Go ahead and list yourself on LinkedIn. I've made new connections, rediscovered colleagues, and (I hope) helped some folks through LinkedIn.

And use the word "creative" to describe yourself on your profile if you'd like.

Facebook?

I've found folks I haven't spoken to in years on Facebook. (And found out why I fell out of touch with a few).

I found the brilliant TheMovieLists website through Facebook. (Who knew Trading Places was a Holiday film?)

And I can't name a better place to rant, vent, laugh, and share than Facebook.

Unless it's Twitter.

In any case, the social nets are the new soapbox, lunch room, water cooler and public square.

They are now a part of our play and - H8 them or not - a part of the workplace.

- m

When I Grow Up...

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Was it a brand?

Did you want to be more effective?

How about career oriented?

(I didn't think so).

Maybe a better question is...

How did you want to be?

It's not too late.

- m

How The Brain Learns

2011-12-20T05:04:00.000-05:00

Tries something.
Screws it up.
Analyzes why it screwed up.
Applies what it learned.
Repeat.

The mistake isn't important.

Learning from the mistake is important.

As Neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer writes in How We Decide,

"The brain always learns the same way - by accumulating wisdom through error."

- m

The Only List You'll Ever Need

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

Just in time for the season, I offer the following holiday leadership list.

It's the perfect gift.

It fits everyone.

And it can be used throughout the year.

Try

Trust

Humor

Honesty

Integrity

Confidence

Compassion

Thank You

- m

This Weekend's Video: There Are No Mistakes

2011-12-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

Here's The Link:
There Are No Mistakes

Quote For Friday: Almost Famous

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

"Don't worry about them. You'll meet them all again on the long journey to the middle."
~ Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs, Almost Famous

The Worst Form Of Procrastination

2011-12-15T06:39:00.000-05:00

How was work today?

What did you accomplish?

Coasting toward the weekend?

Sometimes….

having a job is one of the worst forms of procrastination.

- m

No One Size Fits All

2011-12-14T06:10:00.000-05:00

You are leading people not problems.

People - along with their prejudices, opinions, biases, and emotions - skew everything.

No matter what is said on Twitter, there is no one-size-fits-all answer that covers every situation.

No matter how much we'd like a 140 character solution, none exist.

It's hard.

It's complicated.

Be grateful.

If it were easy, anyone could do it.

- m

What's The Difference?

2011-12-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

Is the place where you work better because you're there?

Do your colleagues perform better when you're around?

Do you perform better when they are around?

Is it more fun?

Is it more lively?

More creative?

if you left today...

What - if anything - would be different?

Do you make the difference?

- m

That's Right. The Women Are Smarter

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

The best advice you will receive all day from two women who know what they are talking about...

from Susannah Breslin

"It doesn't matter what the problem is. It's how you deal with it."

and

from Twyla Tharp

"When confronted with stupidity - run."

- m

This Weekend's Video: Don't Regret Regret

2011-12-10T05:03:00.000-05:00

Here's The Link:
Kathryn Schultz: Don't Regret Regret

Quote For A Friday - Three Things

2011-12-09T05:02:00.000-05:00

"I require three things in a man. He must be handsome, ruthless, and stupid."

~Dorothy Parker

Today's Mission - Be Noticed

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

Your mission is to start being noticed.

View yourself as a collaborator?

Are you funny? witty? smart?

Does anybody else notice?

Stop hiding your light under a basket.

Talk to people.

Show people.

Be what you say you are.

- m

The Mom Test

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

There is no lack of advice on how to behave under certain situations in the workplace.

The best way I've found to see if you are doing the right thing at work is to ask yourself if your actions pass "The Mom Test."

Simply applied, would you want your Mom to know?

"Hi Mom. I just took credit for my co-worker's idea."

"Hi Mom. I just spread rumors about someone at work."

"Hi Mom. I spent hours on Facebook instead of doing my work."

"Hi Mom. I kept my office door closed, sulked and didn't talk with anyone."

If you have any questions about this topic just ask your Mom.

- m

It's Kinda Like Having Sex

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

A colleague of mine just started a job at a new Start-up.

Remember how it felt when you started a new job?

You tossed and turned the night before, barely able to sleep.

You finally gave up, shuffled to the kitchen and brewed some coffee - adrenaline fueled with caffeine (as if you needed more rush).

You couldn't wait to get started.

Then the promise of a new job

turned into the work of a new job.

But despite the bureaucracy and the politics you feel the same way Film Director Stanley Donen feels about directing films.

“For me directing is like having sex: when it’s good, it’s very good; but when it’s bad, it’s still good.”

And you realize how lucky you are.

- m

Shut Up About It

2011-12-05T05:03:00.000-05:00

Stop talking about your idea.

If you want to take your idea past the idea stage write it down.

And keep it to yourself

Whatever you do, do not (do NOT) kick it around with colleagues - at least not until you understand it fully and you can present it passionately.

Luke Williams, a fellow at Frog, writes in FastCompany.com (The Three Biggest Barriers To Innovation…) that abstraction can kill an idea, but expressing the idea in sensory terms can give it the best chance of success.

How do you express it in sensory terms?

Describe the idea in as much detail as possible.

Describe what it looks like. Better yet, draw a picture.

Describe the emotional impact. (All great ideas have one).

How will we feel if we adopt your idea?

Don't tell me your idea.

Show me.

- m

This Weekend's Video - On Strange Beliefs

2011-12-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here's The Link:
Michael Shermer on strange beliefs

A Friday Quote from Francis Ford Coppola

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

"The things that you get fired for when you're young, you get a lifetime achievement award for 30 years later."

~ Francis Ford Coppola

Keith Richards On Leadership

2011-12-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm reading Keith Richards' autobiography Life and was struck by his description of how a great song sometimes comes about.

Perhaps it's a stretch, but I think there are some leadership comparisons.

To paraphrase...

The skill is not to interfere too much. Ignore intelligence. Ignore everything. Just follow where it takes you. People lead themselves. You're just the conveyor.

That doesn't mean that you don't work hard or that you should disregard your experience, training, and education.

But sometimes it just happens and you don't fully understand how.

"Just follow where it takes you."

- m

UGH! I Hate Goal Setting

2011-11-30T05:03:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the best way to proceed is to look back.

If you feel that you are stuck in the same old rut, you most likely are.

Let's review…

What did you do the last time you were in a similar situation?

Yesterday did you say "I'll start it tomorrow"?

Did you do some 'busy work' to avoid the work that you should be doing?

Now that you are thinking about it, have you done these things time and time again?

Thought so.

Maybe it's time for setting goals that you care about.

I am no fan of goal setting, but here's an easy goal-setting technique that helped me (here's the link) from Lifehack.org.

- m

Leaders See Everything...

2011-11-29T05:02:00.000-05:00

Songwriters see everything as songs.

Writers see everything as stories.

Teachers see everything as an opportunity to enlighten.

Leaders see everything as opportunity.

- m

Leaders vs. The Leadership Impaired Pt. I

2011-11-28T05:03:00.000-05:00

Leaders aren't pontiffs.

They aren't time checkers. Nor hall monitors. Nor meeting makers.

(These are earmarks of the Leadership Impaired).

Leaders are the opposite of these things.

Leaders empower.

Leaders share.

Leaders question authority - especially their own.

Leaders don't have the answers.

They just ask great questions.

Usually starting with "Why not?"

- m

This Weekend's Video - Why Are We Happy?

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here's the link:
Dan Gilbert asks, Why are we happy?

Black Friday Quote - Oscar Wilde

2011-11-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."
~Oscar Wilde

Thanksgiving Day Headlines

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

As a public service I offer the following headlines:

The Media's Talking Heads are still talking.
Arab Spring is still springing.
Social Media is still more or less social.
Twitter's still tweeting
Facebook still says they care about your privacy.
Republicans are blasting the Democrats.
Democrats are blasting the Republicans.
Late Night television still blows.
(Did you know that the cost of a funeral is $7,000 and Social Security pays only $255?).
The NBA and players are still at odds.
(Greed - apparently - is still good).

Now that you know what's happening in the world - unplug.

Spend some time with those you care about and who care about you.

Give Thanks.

Say thanks.

- m

Overcoming Our Instincts

2011-11-23T05:30:00.000-05:00

As Leaders and bosses our instinct is to think that we are right - that we have the solution.

This plays out when a colleague asks for our opinion and we offer what we hope will be taken as one of many possible solutions.

More often than not the employee - out of fear - hides behind the "the boss says so" dictum and just follows our solution.

As the one in charge we want to show that we are wise.

As caretakers, we want to help.

If you want to really help, assist your colleagues to come up with their own solutions.

Do not caution them that their fix didn't work before.

Do not make them feel that they are on their own.

Work with them.

See what works and what doesn't. And why.

You might learn something.

- m

One Recipe For Success

2011-11-22T05:30:00.000-05:00

I have written before about creative ways to get your resume noticed.

This one literally takes the cake.

My colleague Matt was an editor at a local production company and was looking to make a change.

Through one of his connections he found the name of the person responsible for hiring editors where he wanted to work.

He then had a local baker turn his resume into the icing of a cake and delivered it to the media company.

After a few days, he called his prospective employer and left a voicemail message,

"You ate my resume so the least you could do is meet with me."

It worked.

His creativity landed him an interview and he was subsequently offered the position.

The cake got him noticed.

Matt's talent, personality, and his demonstrating that he could mesh with the company's culture landed him the gig.

- m

Driving Yourself To Distraction

2011-11-21T05:03:00.000-05:00

If you fancy yourself the consummate plate spinner - having the ability to perform many jobs at once - here's a bulletin...

You aren't multitasking. You are task switching. You jump from task to task so quickly that it only seems like you are doing multiple things simultaneously.

Wait, there's more…

Turns out that if you are a heavy multitasker you probably aren't performing well at all.

A 2009 Stanford Multitasking study set out to see what gave Multitaskers their edge.

What they found was that Multitaskers had no edge.

In test after test heavy multitaskers scored lower than lighter multitaskers.

"We kept looking for what they're better at, and we didn't find it," said lead researcher Eyal Ophir.

They found one thing that Multitaskers were good at though.

As the study's co-author Professor Clifford Nass stated,

"They're suckers for irrelevancy. Everything distracts them."

One implication of the study is that people who multitask may actually be avoiding the tasks they should be working on.

Another may be that looking busy is more important than doing one thing well.

Read a summary of the Stanford Multitasking study here.

- m

This Weekend's Video - The Reason For Brains

2011-11-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here's The Link:
Daniel Wolpert: The real reason for brains

Quote On A Friday - Q&A

2011-11-18T05:06:00.000-05:00

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

~ Theodor (Dr. Seuss) Geisel

The Value Of A Regular Paycheck

2011-11-17T05:04:00.000-05:00

The gurus (and youth) state that we should follow our dreams.

Why be trapped in a job you don't love they ask.

Why indeed.

Perhaps it's the money - the fleeting security of a regular paycheck.

Maybe its the kid's braces or a college education.

Or the ability to thank an aging parent for their sacrifice.

Or a couple of weeks of family fun in exotic sunshine in wintertime.

Maybe it's fighting against the status quo to make the place more tolerable for ourselves, for our colleagues, and for those coming up behind us.

So don't underestimate our resilience.

With age comes wisdom.

We understand the value of a regular paycheck.

We're not trapped.

We're just biding our time.

- m

Get Scared And Stay There

2011-11-16T05:02:00.000-05:00

Where do you see yourself in five years?

in ten years?

It's a question we usually only think about when we are torturing candidates during a job interview.

It's expected - almost a throw-away - when we ask someone else.

It's scary as heck when we ask ourselves.

We need to scare ourselves.

You need to get out of your comfort zone.

You need to get to that scary place…

and stay there.

- m

All Things In Moderation

2011-11-15T06:24:00.001-05:00

Does being tough make you a more effective leader than being touchy-feely?

Does being touchy-feely make you more effective?

A 2007 study by Psychologists Daniel R. Ames and Francis J. Flynn suggests that being assertive is essential to being an effective leader - but only to a point.

Be too assertive and people complain (a top complaint about bosses is that they are too "bossy").

Be not assertive enough and people complain (another top complaint about bosses is they are too nice to be effective).

How do you know when the correct balance exists?

No one complains.

- m

Wondering Around Is Not A Typo

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

Spend some time today wondering around.

It's no typo.

Take some time to wonder.

Wonder why.

Wonder how.

Wonder when.

Especially when.

- m

This Weekend's Video: The Origins Of Pleasure

2011-11-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

Here's the link:
Paul Bloom: The Origins Of Pleasure

Quote For A Friday: The Opposition

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

"Great spirits have often overcome violent opposition from mediocre minds."
~Albert Einstein

Conundrum

2011-11-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know someone on your staff who is under performing?

Me too.

Do you know anyone who admits to being an under performer?

Me neither.

- m

A Lack Of 'Do Somethng'

2011-11-09T06:15:00.000-05:00

To listen to the gurus you would think that all you need to succeed is to find and then follow your passion.

If only...

It seems once again that we've been mislead (purposely or otherwise) by well-meaning wrongheads or dishonest hacks looking to get rich.

Whether you like it or not, you have to work at it.

When I first started in television I would stay up for days on end making sure that the project I was producing was completed (I was much younger then).

It was fun. I would have paid them to do it.

The all-nighters, the lost weekends, and the working vacations didn't seem like work...

but it was work nonetheless.

I wonder what keeps us from doing what we believe in our hearts we want to do?

Is it a lack of willpower? Lack of energy? Fear?

Do we believe the hype? Do we believe that it's easy? And when it's not we give up?

Or is it more basic?

Is it that we forgot that doing something you love still requires that you do something.

- m

How To Reach Your Goals - A Quiz

2011-11-08T06:36:00.002-05:00

The following is a list of the top ten techniques people used to reach their goals.

Make a step-by-step plan.
Motivate yourself by focusing on someone who has achieved a similar goal.
Tell other people about your goal.
Think about bad things that will happen if you do not achieve your goal.
Think about the good things that will happen if you achieve your goal.
Try to suppress unhelpful or negative thoughts about your goal and how to achieve it.
Reward yourself for making progress in your goal.
Rely on willpower.
Record your progress.
Fantasize or visualize how great your life will be when you achieve your goal.

According to a study listed on the Psyblog blog, five of the goals listed not only don't work, they may prevent us from reaching our goals.

Can you pick the strategies that don't work?

The answer is the even numbered techniques listed above are the least valuable.

Find out why they don't work by clicking here.

- m

Embrace Conflict

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

How many times have we sat in a meeting and - in the name of collaboration - gave credence to what we considered a foolish idea?

How many times have we seen criticism quashed by the powers that be?

How often have we agreed with a course of action simply because it came from upper management?

How many times have we seen a project fail due to inertia or apathy?

Is speaking out being impertinent?

Does civility outweigh performance?

Have we become so squeamish that we are willing to accept mediocrity to avoid conflict?

- m

This Weekend's Video: Dan Ariely: Beware conflicts of interest

2011-11-05T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:
Dan Ariely: Beware conflicts of interest

Quote For Fridays - Light A Candle

2011-11-04T05:02:00.000-04:00

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle".

~James Keller

Sinners And Saints

2011-11-03T06:10:00.000-04:00

This morning's NYT's article on the Steve Job's "backlash" (Short Sainthood For Steve Jobs) has me thinking about behavior in the creative workplace.

We're capable of amazing creativity and astounding stupidity.

We question whether we are making the right decisions.

We overreact, scream and pout when things don't go our way...

and are labeled jerks.

We overreact, bask in the glory heaped upon us when things turn out well...

and are labeled brilliant.

Most of the time we're trying only to do our best - for our family, our friends, our companies, and ourselves.

At times we are generous.

At times we are selfish.

Neither sinners nor saints.

Just human.

- m

Looks Can Be Deceiving

2011-11-02T05:29:00.001-04:00

One of the suggestions the experts tell you when you are researching the company for which you'd like to work is whether or not the staff is "happy."

They suggest that, if possible, you speak with current employees to see if they like working for the prospective employer.

Pay attention however. "I'm happy here" could mean that the person is challenged by the work and contributes.

Or it may mean that the staff is only comfortable - that they are happy with the status quo.

They are contented.

Like sheep.

- m

We Don't Care Why

2011-11-01T05:04:00.000-04:00

Your intentions are invisible.

We see only your behavior.

We don't care why you're acting like a jerk.

We just see a jerk.

- m

It's Noise

2011-10-31T05:03:00.000-04:00

It's designed to distract you.

Does reporting on Occupy Wall Street have anything to do with your goals?

Does Football?

Does the NBA strike/lockout?

How about the Old Spice guy?

Or Apps.

Or the newest tech.

It's noise conspiring for your attention.

Kill your television.

And your car radio.

Go a day without Internet.

Today - think ONLY about what you want.

And do something about it.

- m

This Weekend's Video: Don Norman on 3 ways good design makes you happy

2011-10-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:
Don Norman on 3 ways good design makes you happy

Friday's Quote - The Greatest Pleasure

2011-10-28T05:54:00.000-04:00

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
~ Walter Bagehot

Triple Threat

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

We assume that it takes a staff of creative people to make a creative workplace.

True enough.

And it takes passion, tenacity, and leadership to pull that off.

- m

Lather - Rinse - Repeat

2011-10-26T05:46:00.000-04:00

Wake up.
Grab Breakfast.
Commute.
Work.
Grab Lunch.
Work.
Commute.
Arrive Home.
Eat.
Relax.

Tomorrow I'll start the book, or the blog, or the workout.

Go to Bed.
Wake up.
Grab Breakfast.
Work.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

- m

Qwerty

2011-10-25T05:55:00.000-04:00

I never learned to type.

I've tried classes, software, and games to no avail. Mavis Beacon kicked me out of her class.

Luckily, with the advent of smartphones, tablets, and pads, QWERTY isn't as important as it once was. Automatic correct-as-you-type technology (as humorous as it often is) has also aided me.

Nowadays half of what I type - including today's post - I type by thumb.

The lesson is - don't get fixated on "tried and true".

Review your skills.

Don't rest on your laurels.

What serves you well now may not be practical next time.

- m

Failure Is An Option

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

Jonathan Lehrer writing in How We Decide states, "Unless you experience the unpleasant symptoms of being wrong your brain will never revise its methods."

It's not having a lot of experiences that makes us experts. It's learning from our mistakes that makes us experts. Turns out that the advice to forget about it or to "put it behind you" is the exact wrong thing to do after a failure.

Studying why we failed is a key component to success.

The only way to get it right next time is to study what we got wrong this time.

-m

This Weekend's Video: Richard Seymour: How beauty feels

2011-10-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's The Link:
Richard Seymour: How Beauty Feels

- m

Friday's Quote: I Think I Can't

2011-10-21T05:30:00.000-04:00

"Odd how the only people who believe they can't write are writers."

- m

They Can't Read Your Mind!

2011-10-20T06:25:00.000-04:00

I had been moping around the past few days bemoaning the fact that no one seemed to care about what I wanted or where I fit in the organization. Rather than complain to friends (again), I decided to ask an executive I trust about it.

He listened politely then said, "You know Mike, we can't read your mind. You should try telling us what you want instead of assuming we know. You may be surprised."

It was then I realized what I had been doing to solve my problem - nothing.

I was complaining to everyone except to the people who may be able to help. I assumed that, because I was unhappy, the bosses would notice and change themselves or the operation.

Don't assume they know. Don't assume they don't care. (That said, they may indeed know and they may not care). But you will never find out if you don't ask.

Take some time today to list what makes you happy. What challenges you.

When were you content? What did it feel like when you landed your present gig?

Believe me, when you figure out what you want - and take a few steps to get it - the feeling is a hundred times better than the first day of work at the best gig you ever had.

Because this time the gig is your life.

- m

Just Filling Time

2011-10-19T06:21:00.002-04:00

Regular staff meetings.

Weekly reports.

Conference calls.

Don't let these things degenerate into bad habits.

If your calendar is packed with regularly scheduled items, it may be time to question whether you are providing leadership or filling time.

- m

The Bureaucracy Abides

2011-10-18T06:42:00.000-04:00

Jonathan Fields writing in Psychology Today has taken up the mantra "Everyone wants better but no one wants change." He states that - in a bureaucracy - everyone wants to own the outcome, but nobody wants to own the process.

I respectfully disagree. I believe that it's the exact opposite.

Bureaucracy fears outcome. Bureaucracy loves process.

In a bureaucracy following the process is more important than the outcome - any outcome. The dogmatic manager says, "I created the process, therefore the process is good. You must follow it."

I believe that bureaucracies fear outcome because having an outcome means that the process can be judged a success or a failure.

If the process fails a bureaucracy is ill equipped to change the process - too much effort and too much ego involved.

If it succeeds the process is deemed sacrosanct and can't be changed.

Either way.

The bureaucracy abides.

- m

Same Old, Same Old

2011-10-17T05:42:00.000-04:00

Same old Monday.

Today's the day you have the staff meeting.

Or the day that you meet with the sales team.

Perhaps it's the day that you set aside to prepare the weekly report.

It should be the day that you begin to change things. (You told yourself it would be).

But it's not.

There is a difference between just having a job

and doing something with it.

- m

This Weekend's Video: Graham Hill: Less stuff, more happiness

2011-10-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:
Graham Hill: Less stuff, more happiness

Friday's Quote

2011-10-14T05:52:00.001-04:00

“Live all you can. It’s a mistake not to.”

~Henry James

Free Your Mind And The Rest Will Follow

2011-10-13T05:49:00.000-04:00

Readers of this blog know that I am a fan of PSYBLOG - Understand Your Mind. Many of the articles featured on TheDailyBoss.com come from the website.

Written by University College London researcher Jeremy Dean, the information is useful, easy to understand, and is backed by research.

Of all the information on the site the most valuable to me is How To Be Creative - an instruction manual on (as the name implies) how to be creative.

You read that right.

You can learn to be creative.

Unlike the aphorism-filled pap contained in many self help books, How To Be Creative focuses on the key psychology aspects of creativity.

As Dean states in the introduction:

Whatever our personal circumstances, we can all work to improve our creativity, as more than 70 studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of creativity training.

Another myth shattered.

Another excuse excised.

- m

Editor's note: The How To Be Creative eBook costs $7.99 and is available in .pdf and Kindle formats. The Daily Boss is not affiliated with PSYBLOG nor profits from the sale of the book.

But Words Will Never Hurt You

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

There are two problems with today's business writing.

It is bad.
Bad is tolerated.

I blame the lawyers. I blame HR and marketing departments. I blame lazy executives who condone vague, sloppy thinking.

Because vague, sloppy thinking begets vague, sloppy writing.

Fortunately, there are two solutions...

Write just enough to convey what you want to communicate.
Then stop.

- m

Here's A Novel Approach

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

Stop confusing concensus with collaboration.

Stop equating risk with failure.

Stop asking for approval.

Stop worrying about it.

Stop discussing it.

Start doing it.

Just start.

Now.

- m

On Inspiration - Steve Jobs & Ted Turner

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-04:00

Discussion in the media has turned to what will become of Apple with the passing of Steve Jobs. Having never worked at Apple I'll leave that debate to those more qualified.

I do however have experience working at a company that loses its visionary leader. (I joined Turner Broadcasting in 1994 to help launch TCM).

Ted Turner's antics were legendary. And his leadership changed the world.

Media was Ted's pulpit.

Employees were disciples.

Sound familiar?

In 1996 TBS merged with Time Warner. (One staffer commented that Turner merging with Time Warner was like Guam "merging" with China).

Not that Turner Broadcasting has suffered without Ted at the helm. On the contrary, it has financially flourished.

Which brings us back to Apple.

Even without Steve Jobs it's likely Apple will continue to make billions of dollars for years to come.

But what of antics?

What of vision?

Are innovation and insight important only when weighed against profit and market value?

Is inspiration even wanted?

And if it is...

Will we know it when we see it.

- m

This Weekend's video: What we learned from 5 million books

2011-10-08T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:
What we learned from 5 million books

Human Shields

2011-10-07T05:00:00.000-04:00

Part of your job as a leader is to serve as human shield. For example:

Get folks out of un-necessary meetings - and don't have them.

Be willing to accept that you do not have all the answers - and invite colleagues to provide their own solutions.

Promote taking a risk - and be aware of and communicate the cost of failure.

As Bob Sutton writes in Good Boss, Bad Boss:

"Your job as a boss isn't just to protect employees from other idiots -- it is also to protect them your own idiocy".

- m

Just Today. Just Once

2011-10-06T05:43:00.001-04:00

Defy authority.

Challenge the status quo.

Dare I say...

Think Different.

- m

You Know This Stuff

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

Let's review.

Listen first. Then speak.

Give yourself time to think. (Review here).

Don't put your colleagues on the defensive. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

Treat your boss like a client. (Review here).

You know this stuff.

Why aren't you doing it?

- m

Reward Risk Not Failure

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-04:00

Yes. Ask forgiveness not permission.

Yes. No one ever stole second base by standing on first.

But keep in mind that risk means to expose someone or something valued to danger, harm, or loss.

Before you take the risk, think things through.

We read often about the rewards associated with taking a risk.

But with risk there is also peril. (That's why it's called risk).

As leaders we should seek out those willing to take risks.

But there is a fine line between taking a risk and risky behavior.

It's our job to recognize the difference and to reward risk...

not failure.

- m

It's M.P.H. not A.G.E.

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday.

I like to think I am the exception that proves the rule.

I'm healthy - the same size and weight I was in school. (Pretty much).

I am more adept at technology and new media than folks half my age.

I dabble in HTML5. I build websites and apps. I embrace social media.

I prefer to think of the number of years as a rate of speed rather than a passage of time.

And - at least in my case...

Miles-per-hour is a more accurate description than

years of age.

- m

Time Travel - A Daily Boss Special Edition

2011-10-03T20:58:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday - and it may not be.

The following may take your complete attention...

It is midnight in Hong Kong (where I am today) as I write this. But it's only noon on October 3rd in Atlanta, where I live and work.

It's my birthday and it's not.

In 24 hours it will be October 5th in Hong Kong but noon on October 4th in Atlanta. It'll no longer be my birthday, but it will be.

Add to the confusion that I have no idea what day and time it is as you read this.

Whew!

Time is ephemeral.

Measuring time is a concept we invented to give us the illusion that we can control it.

We cannot.

So make now count.

- m

Fewer than 90

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

I'm in Hong Kong this week!

Just might post a picture or two. In the meantime - a reminder.

Ninety days remain to meet your goals this year.

90

That's all.

- m

Time remaining is here

This Weekend's Video: Doodlers, unite!

2011-10-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:
Sunni Brown: Doodlers, unite!

Friday's Rant - Kikki From Ukraine

2011-09-30T05:00:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time Twitter was populated with comments about the comings and goings of folks we didn't know.

(Kinda titillating in a voyeuristic way).

And there were remarkable stories of heroism and revolution.

Social media at its best.

Then we all embraced our brand.

And like all brands, they needed marketing and promotion.

Read my blog.

Attend my workshop.

Buy my ebook.

And now there is Kikki from Ukraine (not her real name).

She and her ilk have forced folks to jettison their legitimate followers to escape her pernicious ways.

Sigh.

That's the thing about a free society I guess.

We're free to report. To decide. To sell. To troll.

Even to rant.

- m

Having Time Is The Problem

2011-09-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Doubt keeps us from beginning.

Planning keeps us from beginning.

Research keeps us from beginning.

Thinking keeps us from beginning.

Believing we will have the time later keeps us from beginning.

It doesn't need to be perfect.

It just needs to be now.

- m

The Future Is 8.3 Years From Now

2011-09-28T05:00:00.000-04:00

My colleagues over at Designs On Talent have a great post about the year 2020 workforce and how your company can be better positioned to attract the best talent.

Using "old school" techniques (gyms, bonuses, etc.) isn't gonna cut it when it comes to attracting and retaining this generation.

Generation Z (sometimes called Digital Natives) are more ethnically diverse, more change tolerant, and the most technologically advanced generation yet. Eighty-five percent have a profile on a social networking site. Eighty-three percent say they sleep with their mobile device on and nearby. (Compared to 68% of Gen-X and 50% of Boomers).

Here's where it gets really interesting - especially if you are in a management position in a traditional "chain of command" organization.

They are community oriented yet independent thinkers.

They collaborate effectively via social networks and mobile devices and therefore have little use (or need) for face-to-face meetings.

They adapt quickly, are technically proficient, and aren't necessarily motivated by money and career.

To be sure, these are generalities and it's early in the game, but here's the takeaway...

If you are a leadership-impaired manager who doesn't allow Facebook at work, assumes people aren't working if they aren't at their desks, and thinks that the threat of losing a bonus will keep folks in line...

...good luck with what's left of your career in about eight years.

- m

It's The People Stupid! - Part ll

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

People do business with people.

Not companies. Not agencies.

People.

A person.

You.

- m

Engagement Is The New Branding

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-04:00

It wasn't that long ago we were asking "What's your brand?"

Today the question is "Are You Engaged?"

Just as we talked about what we mean by having a personal brand, we now discuss whether or not we are engaged.

This one's easy. To find out if you are engaged requires answering this one question...

Do you care...?

About what you are doing.

About who you are working with.

About where you are going.

Well...

Do you?

- m

This Weekend's Video: Shake up your story

2011-09-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:
Raghava KK: Shake up your story

Friday's Quote - Mahatma Gandhi

2011-09-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

"Create and preserve the image of your choice."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

- m

What's So Social About Social Media?

2011-09-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

We sit alone in a room sending tweets.

In the coffee shop we chat online with friends. (Some of whom are in the same coffee shop).

Rather than meet...

we tell others where we are to collect badges.

Being social in the 21st century seems to be about the notion of being a society.

Connected without interconnection.

Society sterilized.

- m

A Case For Insanity

2011-09-21T05:00:00.000-04:00

Beware the normal manager.

He's the one who can manage things under normal circumstances. The past has served him well and he wants to preserve it. He doesn't deal well with change or uncertainty or novelty.

Last time I checked, circumstances were far from 'normal'.

Perhaps it's time for a dose of insanity.

Psychiatrist Nassir Ghaemi (in his book A First-Rate Madness) argues that at least in one sense insanity produces good results and sanity is the problem. Ghaemi states in his introduction:

In times of crises we are better off being led by mentally ill leaders than by mentally normal ones.

So the next time that you think the bosses have lost their minds, it may be that they are too normal for the circumstances.

That's just crazy.

- m

It's The People Stupid!

2011-09-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

Remember that you are dealing with people.

Not a client. Not a colleague. Not a customer.

Not a fan. Not a follower.

And especially...

Not a title.

A person.

- m

No One Really Wants Creativity

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

We like to believe that we foster creative thinking but do we really?

By definition being creative involves imagination and presenting original ideas. But new ideas challenge existing methods and may cause anxiety.

A recent study on Bias Against Creativity found that creative ideas can trigger feelings of uncertainty that can make people uncomfortable.

Even in organizations that promote innovation, people who present creative ideas are viewed as disruptive to the status quo.

from the study:

Our results suggest that if people have difficulty gaining acceptance for creative ideas especially when more practical and unoriginal options are readily available, the field of creativity may need to shift its current focus from identifying how to generate more creative ideas to identifying how to help innovative institutions recognize and accept creativity.

The issue it seems isn't asking people to be creative. It's accepting both them and their creative ideas.

- m

This Weekend's Video: Laws That Choke Creativity

2011-09-17T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the Link:
Larry Lessig on laws that choke creativity

Quotes On Fridays - Lewis Black On Writing

2011-09-16T05:00:00.000-04:00

“Anybody who likes writing a book is an idiot. Because it's impossible, it's like having a homework assignment every stinking day until it's done. I mean, writing isn't fun. It's never been fun. It's momentum, and once you get the momentum going, that's great, but it's a brutal experience in many, many ways. And when you're done, people tell you "Well, gee, I'm not interested."
"Great, I'm glad I sat down and wrote this!”
~ Lewis Black

- m

Your Boss Is Your Client

2011-09-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

The company's clients are your employer's clients. Your boss should be your client.

After all, your boss has more effect on your work life than most of your clients.

Does the client get most of your attention?

Do you sometimes save the client from herself?

Do you spend lots of time getting inside the client's head?

Do you spend countless hours discussing the client's needs?

Does the client drive you crazy?

Do you love the work in spite of it?

If you treat the boss like a client instead of like the boss...

Both of you will be happier.

- m

Be Happy In Your Work

2011-09-14T06:10:00.001-04:00

A recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reports that Americans are less happy at work than ever before.

So what you ask? What does happiness have to do with it? People should be happy that they have a job.

Just a few months ago many managers may have agreed.

Today, not so much.

Happiness at work may not seem to score large in the grand scheme of employment, but it can be the difference between the success or failure of a business. Unhappy employees don't show up and performance suffers.

When performance drops so do profits.

As managers we can help to ensure that our staff is happily engaged. We can praise good work. We can remove obstacles and petty annoyances. We can help folks make progress toward the company's goals - and theirs.

People want to feel that what they are doing matters - that they are making a difference.

As leaders we have the single largest effect on employee engagement.

Of course that means we too must be engaged.

- m

Don't Be a H8R

2011-09-13T06:10:00.001-04:00

This is about the folks in your organization (maybe you sometimes?) who complain about the status quo...

...and lack the conviction - or the courage - to offer an alternative.

Being branded the Renegade or being the Linchpin may be cool for awhile, but it wears on people if it's nothing more than a daily harangue.

It's hard work to affect change.

It takes offering options and solutions.

It's not only having an opinion.

It's having a plan.

- m

A Man's Got To Know His Limitations

2011-09-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

Like it or not you're not good at everything.

And just because you are good at something doesn't mean that you should be doing it.

One of the biggest challenges we face is finding the things that only we can do...

And shedding the things that we shouldn't be doing.

- m

This Weekend's Video: The Power Of Vulnerability

2011-09-10T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:
Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability

Friday's Quote - Cathy Guisewite

2011-09-09T05:00:00.000-04:00

"All parents believe their children can do the impossible. They thought it the minute we were born, and no matter how hard we've tried to prove them wrong, they all think it about us now. And the really annoying thing is, they're probably right."

~Cathy Guisewite

- m

Stay Angry

2011-09-08T06:19:00.000-04:00

In his recent blog post in Wired magazine neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer writes about the correlation between anger and creativity.

As leaders are we sometimes too polite? Too willing to acquiesce?

Rather than accepting, mentoring, or coaching poor performance are we better off voicing our disapproval?

Should we respect a colleague's opinion even when we believe it's wrongheaded?

When we show regard for what we consider a 'bad' idea...

are we diminishing the good ideas?

I wonder.

How about you?

- m