Passion Comes From Purpose, Not the Other Way Around

By Dan Coughlin

Raison d’etre.

I just love that phrase. It means, “reason for existence.” If you want to maintain the enthusiasm and make the effective decisions necessary to accelerate through this economic crisis, it is critical to take the time necessary to clarify the purpose of your career, the purpose of your work group, and the purpose of your organization. Being excited all day won’t help you find a purpose in your work. Knowing the reason why you, your group, and your organization do what you do will generate a steady flow of passion even in the worst of times as long as you really believe in the purpose of that work. If not, then find the work that has the purpose you want.

My next book, The Management 500, is about management lessons from the history of auto racing. As I peeled back the layers of the auto racing onion, I found a heart. A great big pulsating heart. Actually I found a lot of hearts. The secret to the success of NASCAR, IndyCar, and Formula 1 racing is passion. Drivers, engineers, mechanics, crew chiefs, crew members, and fans alike derive incredible passion from a simple purpose: a desire to win the race.

One of my favorite pieces in my research was finding an original copy of Enzo Ferrari’s  1964 autobiography. One sentence stands out above all the others. He wrote,

“Fate is to a good extent in our own hands if we only know clearly what we want
and are steadfast in our purpose.”

Sports
Carl Edwards was named the NASCAR.com 2008 Driver of the Year. How did he do it? He finished in 2nd place in both the season-long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AND the season-long NASCAR Nationwide Series. This means that from February through November of 2008, Carl Edwards competed successfully over the course of 36 races in two different leagues. It would be like a professional basketball team coming in second in the NBA and second in the top Spanish League in the same season. And where does his passion come from? He has an extraordinary desire to win races.

Not-For-Profits
Dan Harbaugh is president of Ronald McDonald House Charities in St. Louis. Dan Harbaugh is one of the most consistently passionate people I’ve ever met. I’ve known Dan for ten years and have seen him present to hundreds of people, have discussions in small groups, and attend seminars as a student in the very best of economic times and the very worst. In every situation he brings an extraordinary degree of passion. Where does this passion come from and how can he possibly sustain it so consistently? The answer lies in his purpose. He absolutely believes in the purpose of RMHC, which is primarily to provide a home away from home for the families of very sick children. With that purpose in mind, he continues to march forward with enthusiasm.

Small Businesses
Elaine Floyd is a small business owner with two busy teenagers and a very busy husband. Elaine Floyd is one of the most passionate people I’ve met in the past fifteen years. She is the president of EFG, Inc., which helps clients craft their messages into really powerful professionally published books. And where does Elaine draw her passion from? She finds enormous excitement and satisfaction in helping other people get their message out by intersecting cutting-edge computer technology with the creative flair of high-end book publishing.

Schools
Matt Miller is a grade school principal. Matt Miller brings more passion to his work than almost anyone I know. I’ve seen him get four hundred kids to scream and yell about reading books and comprehending what they know. I’ve seen him get students to cheer for each other for being kind to one another. I’ve seen him wander into classrooms, accept trays in the cafeteria, and pat kids on the back. I’ve seen him snap two fingers and get hundreds of loud kids to become instantly quiet. And where does his daily enthusiasm come from? He wants kids to succeed in life, and he understands that it’s the little things that make for long-term, life-long success.

Big Businesses
Roy Spence is Chairman and CEO of GSD&M Idea City, which over the past twenty years has been the advertising agency for BMW, AT&T, Wal-Mart, AARP, Southwest Airlines, the PGA Tour, American Red Cross, and a host of other major organizations. Roy Spence is the most passionate person I’ve ever met, and his purpose is to help organizations make a difference in the world. And he’s very, very good at it. Over the course of three years, I worked as a consultant with a few dozen people at GSD&M Idea City in a wide variety of functions and up and down the org chart. Every time I walked into their building I felt as though I was stepping into the Disney Company back in the 1930s when Walt Disney was actively involved. The creative energy pulsated throughout the building.

In the more than forty meetings I attended there a single common theme came up every time. In every meeting, the common question was, “How will this idea support the purpose of this client’s business?” Everything at GSD&M Idea City revolved around this question. If the idea did not support the client organization’s purpose for existence, then it was rejected. It was this passionate commitment to finding and supporting the client’s purpose that helped lead to extraordinary breakthrough results for many of these organizations.

Roy Spence, and GSD&M Idea City’s chief purposeologist, Haley Rushing, have written an extraordinary new book called, It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For. I encourage you to read this book. It is packed with practical advice and real-world examples on how to intersect the idealism of purpose with the pragmatism necessary to generate extraordinary business results.

I believe that as you read it you will find yourself, as I did, thinking more and more about why you do what you do, why your groups do what they do, and why your organization exists. You will also find the key questions to answer on how to convert a business purpose into a driver of better sustainable results. This book is really a masterpiece on making the purpose of an organization the driver of effective decision-making. Through its ideas, suggested tactics, and real-life examples at Southwest Airlines, BMW, the PGA Tour, and many others you will clearly see how a well-defined purpose can impact your operations, research and development, hiring, and marketing, and produce extraordinary sustainable results.

Downtime is a Terrific Time to Prepare for Greatness

If your business has slowed down, don’t waste a minute worrying. Instead use this time to clarify your answers to these three critically important questions:

i.    Why do I do what I do for a living?
ii.    Why does my work group exist?
iii.    What purpose is our organization trying to fulfill?

The first step to building an extraordinary career, team, and organization is to know the reason behind the activities. This clarification will help you and others decide what to do and more importantly what not to do. With a clear purpose, you can sustain a focused effort over the long term and generate extraordinary results.

Martial Arts, Emotional Intelligence, And Academia

This came from the Edutopia site. Having studied martial arts, I would agree with many of the ideas Jordan has in the article. I hope you find this informative as well. Have fun!

On paper, Jordan Schreiber is a martial arts teacher, but his real goal is far broader. By shaping the social and emotional lives of his students, he hopes to prepare them for successful lives outside the tae kwon do studio and in the classroom.

The academic benefits of social and emotional learning are well established by now, and they’re no less germane in a martial arts studio. Schreiber says that as his students learn to recognize and manage their emotions, care about others, make good decisions, behave ethically and responsibly, develop positive relationships, and avoid negative behaviors through tae kwon do, they also improve dramatically in the classroom.

Indeed, with the ability to self-regulate comes the ability to focus and take in new information that’s vital for academic success. For that matter, establishing a goal for the week is as important as learning a proper stance. Schreiber rewards equally academic achievements outside the studio and physical achievements within. He follows up the students’ martial arts sequences with discussions on the meaning of success.

Read more…

How To Find Out About A Company Culture Before You Choose To Join Their Ranks

By Barbara Safani

I often remind my clients that when they are interviewing for an open position, they are interviewing the employer as much as the employer is interviewing them. By paying attention to the subtle clues in the office environment, job seekers can gain a better perspective on the culture of the company or division. This way candidates can make more informed decisions regarding fit. Here are a few tips to help you size up the work environment of the company you are interviewing with.

1. If possible, schedule your interview early in the morning, late in the day, or during lunchtime. When you arrive look around and see who else is there at that time. If you have an early morning or early evening appointment and the office is packed, chances are that the culture is one that necessitates coming in early or staying late. If you interview during lunch and everyone seems to be eating at their desk, that could be a clue about the culture of the organization. If you are interviewing with a company that has a company parking lot, observe how full the lot is during these hours to determine if late nights or early mornings are part of the culture of the entire organization.

2. Ask to do a walk-through of the office. If you have made it to the second round of interviews, consider asking to see the office space. This allows you to canvas the physical space, but again gives you important clues about the office culture. Is the set up cubicle style, big open spaces, windowed offices, or a lot of closed doors? Does the space appear clean, well maintained and feel like a place where you would feel comfortable and safe?

3. Make small talk with the receptionist. This is important for several reasons. Many hiring authorities ask the receptionist their impressions of candidates that come in to apply for jobs. Make sure their first impression of you is positive. Through your conversation, you may gain valuable tidbits of information or see firsthand what types of people come through the reception area and how they interact with each other.

Note any interruptions during the interview. Again, this could be a sign of what it’s like to work in that particular environment. Did your interview start on time or were you kept waiting? Is the interview conducted in a quiet environment behind closed doors? Does the person interviewing you interrupt the flow of the meeting to take phone calls? Does the interview end abruptly due to some sort of office crisis? While there are some hiring authorities that “stage” interruptions to see how you deal with them, I truly believe that for the most part these are not planned. Instead, this can be indicative of the department’s culture or the hiring manager’s style.

4. Observe preferred communication styles. How were the interview and follow-up meetings arranged? Were they set-up by email, phone, or snail mail? Does the company prefer one-on-one or group interview formats? Did the hiring manager give you any technical tests or assessments as part of the interview process? By observing the different ways companies interview and gather information, job seekers can begin to uncover how information is managed and validated by members of the organization.

Of course, no interview scenario is perfect and I’m not suggesting that you penalize a company or hiring authority if a glitch occurs during the interview. But it is important to observe the rhythm of the office and factor that information into the final decision making process. What have you observed during your interviews and how has that information influenced your feelings about a company or a job?

Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, (www.careersolvers.com), has over twelve years of experience in career management, recruiting, executive coaching, and organizational development.

WeirdGuy Blog Needs You!

Message From Eric - a.k.a. the WeirdGuy

As a reader of WeirdGuy blog I’d like to humbly ask you to help me. I have a short 10 question survey running from August 28 – September 7, 2008 on Zoomerang.  The survey should take 2-3 minutes to run through. Your thoughtful responses will aid me in future developments for this blog.

I realize I am asking you to volunteer your time, but I value your opinion. Please follow the link provided today — the survey is only available for 10 days.

And, if the survey takes longer than 2-3 minutes then you can feel free to spam me with your hate mail.

Thank you for your patronage…can I say “patronage”?…whatever, you know what I mean.

By the way, I’ll reveal the findings here on WeirdGuy when the survey is up, so if you want your response to count, now is the time to act…now! If you do not care, then what are you doing here at WeirdGuy blog to begin with?

Rapid Course Outlining With Large Groups

My friend and co-worker, Anna, put this together. Good tips for eLearning and course designers. Enjoy!

By Anna Oskorus

I had a recent experience working with a large group of subject matter experts (approximately 17 teachers, curriculum writers, and program specialists). The goal was to create a course outline in one 7-hour design session. As you can imagine, gaining consensus with a group of this size can be quite a challenge. It was by far the largest group I’ve worked with for this purpose. By structuring the day carefully, applying strategies to engage the group, and using design templates, I was able to keep the group focused and productive, and I felt some of the methods I used would be beneficial to share.

Prior to the Session
Before meeting with the group, I talked with key stakeholders for the project to collect as much background information as possible about the proposed course, including course goals, targeted audience, and technology requirements. Understanding the targeted audience, teachers, helped to determine what form this course should take. Also, I reviewed any available content prior to the design session and read an evaluation report relating to the curriculum upon which the course would be based. By gathering this information beforehand, I was able to ramp up and was well positioned to guide the design meeting, using the course goals as my guide.

Read more…

Time Off WeirdGuy Blog – Just One Week

By E. Brown

I’ll be taking a week off to focus on closing out a project (July 28-August 1). More to come from the lessons learned during this engagement. It’s a really cool online course with custom hooks into a client app. The back-end was designed as “plug and play” so content can quickly and easily be swapped out while still being applicable to the course testing and grading scenarios.

See you in a week.

Telecommuting: How To Promote It

By Barbara Safani

Telecommuting continues to be a hot topic among job seekers as people strive for more work/life balance and flexible arrangements. But I think there is a misperception about how to secure a telecommuting arrangement. It’s unlikely that you will land a telecommuting job through an online job board (and be wary, because most of these opportunities are scams). Most telecommuting jobs start out as traditional jobs that evolve to a more flexible arrangement through a mutual agreement between the employer and the employee. You must first prove to an employer that you are trustworthy and loyal and that the telecommuting arrangement presents benefits for the company as well as the employee. If you are considering requesting a telecommuting work arrangement, here are some potential employer benefits you can reference during your conversation.

Increase In Work Hours
The telecommuter can continue to work during the time they would normally be commuting. This increase in productivity can translate into company profits like money earned, saved, or also result in more interaction with important clients.

Reduced Infrastructure Costs
Employers can save on their real estate, technology and telecommunication costs by offering telecommuting arrangements.

Decrease In Distractions
Traditional office settings are plagued by time wasting activities and ongoing interruptions. Who hasn’t been in a situation where they were constantly interrupted by people coming into their office to ask questions? And how often have you seen co–workers wasting time gossiping by the coffee station? All these distractions can be eliminated in the telecommuting arrangement.

Increased Morale
Employees that have greater control over how they manage the competing demands in their lives tend to be happier in their work. This positive attitude can contribute to increased productivity and better rapport with colleagues and clients.

Increased Employee Loyalty And Retention
Employees who feel that their employers are supportive of their need for workplace flexibility tend to stay with their companies longer. In the long run this saves employers the enormous costs associated with sourcing and training their replacements.

If you hope to secure a telecommuting arrangement in the near future, start targeting companies that embrace workplace flexibility now. Start off with a traditional in–office role and prove your ability to be productive with limited supervision. Build trusting relationships with colleagues, clients and supervisors. Doing so will help improve your chances of securing a telecommuting arrangement at some point in the future.

Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, has over twelve years of experience in career management, recruiting, executive coaching, and organizational development.

Big Buck Bunny – Buy Or Download

Given the look on Big Buck Bunny’s face, you’ll want to buy this DVD and add it to your animation collection.

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Shake Up Your Business – It Can Be A Good Thing!

I saw this article from Dan and had to share. Simplicity and creativity are often themes you’ll find on WeirdBlog. Enjoy!

By Dan Coughlin

Barb and I have a special marriage bonding ritual. On Sunday nights we put the kids to bed and then we cuddle up and watch Desperate Housewives. No matter what challenges we’re facing nothing compares to the lives on Wisteria Lane. Hey, don’t blame me. Barb was the one who wanted me to watch Teri Hatcher and I just got hooked.

At the end of season four, something very strange happened. The last scene started with three words: Five Years Later. Everything seemed turned upside down. Susan had a new husband, Lynette and Tom’s young children were suddenly teenagers, Bre was a mega–successful party planner, and Eva Longoria inexplicably looked frumpy. We thought maybe it was just an end of the season joke, but we found out the next day that the producer, Marc Cherry, had created these changes with a purpose in mind.

He said he just wanted to start the next season with a clean slate. He found that he was falling into a trap of extending story lines from the first three seasons, and he wanted an opportunity to energize the creativity on the show. So he shook things up and took a chance. The show might bomb, but at least he demonstrated the courage not to settle for the status quo. Instead he reached for something new, within the framework of the show he created.

Apple’s Forays into the Wilderness
Sometimes we forget that Apple was not always Fortune’s most admired company in the world. Back in the late 1990s Apple was doing everything it could to reduce inventory, get focused, and avoid bankruptcy. So they decided to shake things up, with a purpose in mind. They decided to open up Apple retail stores so that customers could see their products up close and get to know them better. They were also able to provide great hands–on training. Gateway Computers had just exited retail stores having lost a ton of money. Critics said that Apple would regret opening up stores. Well, let’s see. They soon generated a billion dollars a year through those stores, and later generated a billion dollars a quarter. Sometimes it’s worth it to shake things up.

New Ideas Don’t Always Work, But They Do Open Up New Possibilities
Thomas Edison was always shaking things up and oftentimes failing spectacularly. Not just in light bulbs, but in concrete and phonographs and telephones and on and on. But even in his failures he found some nuisance that could be used in combination with other ideas. Same could be said for Walt Disney and GE and virtually every successful person and organization. Be willing to mix things up.

To be Purposeful You Have To Have a Purpose
Why does your organization exist? Don’t look at your corporate brochure, just tell me conversationally why your organization exists. What is its purpose? I’ve helped dozens of organizations and groups answer that question for themselves, but I almost never took the time to think about it for my one–person business. Then it dawned on me that no matter how big or small a business is, it has to have a purpose in order to shake things up with a purpose.

On a flight home last week I started doodling around in the back of a book and I landed on my company’s mission and philosophy. Those words seem so fancy for such a small enterprise, but the impact a company has on other people is not based on the number of employees it has. It is based on the value contributed to the customers.

Here’s The Coughlin Company’s Mission & Philosophy:

• Provide practical processes to propel great performances.
• Embrace simplicity and avoid process creep.

Those 13 words summarized my whole approach to creating value for customers. At the end of the day, my work is to give you a process you can consider using to improve your results. Also, as I have written before, I’ve noticed that smart, hard–working people tend to want processes that are really complicated because simple ones seem too easy. Smart, hard–working folks tend to take simple processes that are delivering really good results and make them really complicated in the hopes of achieving amazing results. It doesn’t usually work that way. My philosophy is to encourage people to embrace simple approaches and then work to hone them to an even greater degree of simplicity rather than a greater degree of complexity.

Clarify Your Purpose
In order to shake things up for yourself or your organization, clarify your purpose. Then within that purpose ask yourself, “What can I do or we do to mix up what we’re doing and generate new levels of innovation, creativity and customer value?” Don’t try 20 changes. Just select one or two things you’re going to shake up a bit and see what possibilities those changes create.

Book Recommendations
I read two wonderful books this month: “The Enzo Ferrari Story” by Enzo Ferrari, and “Inside Steve’s Brain” by Leander Kahney. Both of these books talk a great deal about the importance of shaking things up with a purpose in mind at Ferrari and at Apple.

Soak up the ideas, good and bad, from everything you do and see, in and out of the office. Then decide what aligns with your purpose. Determine what’s worth giving a shot. And ensure the process is simple. Sometimes it’s hard to fathom that it can be, just that easy.

Dan Coughlin is a management consultant and author of “Accelerate: 20 Practical Lessons to Boost Business Momentum”. He speaks on entrepreneurial habits, quality, leadership, branding, sales, and innovation

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Weird Week In Review – May 9

In case you missed last week, here is your one stop review of all things from WeirdGuy blog. Have fun!

CMO Guide to Brand Management Using Social Media

Becoming a Precisionist

Quotable Quote – Mark Twain

Creativity In The Process

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Creativity In The Process

Scott Risner wrote this article on the cyclical nature of creativity within online learning and training development. Scott’s background is similar to mine in that we both came from print production and prepress environments. However, Scott can jam on a mandolin, while I am pretty good at thrashing and pounding on the drums. Enjoy the article! -eb

By Scott Risner

About 20 years ago I started designing and developing computer-based training (CBT) using Authorware. At that time I knew nothing about a process for this type of effort. My experience was primarily in print design and production. It was an interesting experience making the transition. Print designers enjoyed a long established design process which was not the case with development of CBT or “Multimedia”.

So how did we start the transition? Well, what I did was attempted to use existing tools and knowledge to create a process. Funny thing was that the tools for multimedia, for the most part, were not as advanced as those available for print.

The transition struggle was multi-faceted. There was the design, the production process and client management (reviews and revisions). Traditionally the print design process was (roughly explained) thumbnail, design comprehensive (comp), final layout, print proof and then final printed piece. On the other hand software design was (in practice)… Analyze, create a design document, hand it to developers and they would lock themselves in a dark “magic” room and appear weeks or months later with something that loosely resembles what you expected.

While making the transition from print to multimedia wasn’t easy, I learned a few things along the way.

Read more…

Becoming a Precisionist

By Dan Coughlin

In the midst of the media frenzy over our current economic condition, it recently dawned on me that those who are experts will no doubt survive any recession. People who become experts in their fields have harnessed the power of precision. And this is available to everyone, including executives, employees, and entrepreneurs alike. Achieving precision is the most effective way for any individual to succeed, especially during tough economic times.

The Noble Calling to Be a Precisionist

In Webster’s School & Office Dictionary, the word precision is defined as “the quality of demanding exactness.” A precisionist is a person who has mastered the art of demanding exactness. The precisionist operates among the very best performers in the world within a given area of focus and constantly works to improve his or her performance.

When customers and employers are hit hard in the wallet they become extraordinarily discerning about where they place their dollars. They become highly selective both in terms of what area they invest in and who they invest in. They develop a laser focus about only going after the type of people they absolutely need. This results in recruiters seeking out only the best of the best within that target.

If you want to fall into the extremely small slice of professionals that others will always seek out, then I challenge you to become a precisionist.

The Challenge We All Face

Finding examples of precisionists is not very hard to do. So why does becoming a precisionist remain such a great challenge? Well, we get a little busy with our lives and before we know it today is over with and we’re on to tomorrow. Needless to say, we haven’t exactly made very much progress in becoming more precise in what we’re doing. In other words, our high–paced agendas take over our best intentions.

I think it’s time, especially in such a tough economic period, for us to step off the train of constant activity and make real progress toward becoming true precisionists within one area of focu

The Process of Becoming a Precisionist

There are four steps to mastering the craft of precision:

Step One: Select an Umbrella

Your umbrella is the area of focus you’ve decided to achieve precision within. This is the area you’re committing to operate in over the long term.

Walt Disney was not a great golfer and Tiger Woods never made great family films. They each operated within their own umbrella: Disney in family entertainment and Woods in golf. However, within each umbrella there was plenty of room to maneuver and create.

Walt Disney made family films and television shows, he created theme parks, he licensed products, and he started amazingly popular communities like The Mickey Mouse Club. Tiger Woods plays in professional golf tournaments, he designs golf courses, he promotes golfing products, he hosts his own professional golf tournament, and he created a foundation that has introduced golf to millions of kids who otherwise may never have played the game. Having one area of focus isn’t a limiting factor; it’s actually a freeing factor. It allows you to operate with extraordinary freedom within a given umbrella and that enhances the synergy between everything you do.

What is your umbrella? What is the area of focus that you are going to consistently work within to become a true precisionist? Answer these questions carefully.

Step Two: Maintain a High Degree of Focus for at Least 15 Years

Tiger Woods played competitive golf at age seven and won his first Masters golf tournament at age 21.

Walt Disney started making animated shorts at age 19 and made his first full–length animated film at age 35.

Steve Martin did his first stand–up comedy routine at age 18 and began selling out major venues at age 33.

Harrison Ford set out at the age of 22 to become a great character actor. He received his first major part in 1977 at the age of 34 as Hans Solo in Star Wars. He became Indiana Jones in 1981 and now at the age of 65 he is starring in the fourth Indiana Jones movie. He’s a precisionist.

If you want to be a precisionist in any field, remain committed to constantly improving within your umbrella for at least 15 years. It doesn’t matter whether your focus is to be a great entrepreneur, singer, executive, leader, writer, or manager.

You might be wondering how pursuing precision can help you slice through a recession if it takes at least 15 years to become a precisionist. Here’s how it works. The moment you commit yourself to a specific umbrella, a specific area of focus, you begin to attract people and opportunities that help you hone your craft within that arena. In doing so, you become more attractive to people outside the field. They know what you are focused on and they admire you for pursuing excellence in that field. They may not say that to you, but that’s what happens. You probably won’t make a million dollars, at least not right away, and that’s ok. You are on your way to becoming a precisionist in a field that you have passion for and that sense of adventure is worth a great deal.

Step Three: Leverage Technology

I used to think that technology meant computers, software, and electronics. I wasn’t even close. In Webster’s School and Office Dictionary the definition of technology is “science used in a practical way.” The definition of science is “systemized knowledge obtained by study, observation, and experiment.” Consequently, technology means “systemized knowledge obtained by study, observation, and experiment that is used in a practical way.” I LOVE that definition. That’s exactly what precisionists do.

Tiger Woods is a student of golf: the history of golf, the great players from the past, and the different holes on the different courses. He experiments with different types of shots until he’s able to use them in a practical way during a professional golf tournament.

Walt Disney constantly observed people and experimented with different ways to tell entertaining stories in practical ways. He was one of the first to use color in films, he embraced television when others ran away from it, and he created the first ever theme park.

We all have the ability to leverage technology in order to increase the exactness with which we perform. The key is to constantly study, observe, and experiment within our selected umbrella, and then use what we have learned in practical ways that add value to other people.

Step Four: Embrace Simplicity

Over the past 11 years, I’ve noticed that highly paid, intelligent, and hard–working individuals often times subconsciously make their work infinitely more complicated than it needs to be. In order to justify their salary and prove their commitment to the organization, they put themselves through the ringer. They work 80 hours a week on ridiculously complicated processes that generate small increments of improvement.

If that statement applies to you, I have one piece of advice: stop doing that.

Instead, I encourage you to embrace simplicity. Hone your processes until they contain three to seven steps that you can execute within a reasonable number of hours a week. (And 40 hours a week is a good place to max out at.) And then be ok with achieving great results with simple processes. Don’t fall into the trap that says, “If this simple process generated great results, then a really complicated process would generate even better results.” It doesn’t work that way.

Last year I bought an $1,800 computer that required five steps to assemble. I also bought an $18 toy for my daughter that required assembling hundreds of pieces with dozens of steps. Which company do you think provided me with the most value?

Select your umbrella, maintain focus at learning and experimenting and observing and improving for at least 15 years, leverage your body of knowledge in practical ways, and embrace simple ways to deliver value to other people. With this method, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert – a true precisionist.

Dan Coughlin is a business keynote speaker, management consultant, and author of “Accelerate: 20 Practical Lessons to Boost Business Momentum”, which made it to #4 on the Barnes & Noble Business Bestseller List. He has been quoted in USA Today, the New York Times, and Investor’s Business Daily. Dan’s clients include Coca-Cola, Toyota, Boeing, Marriott, McDonald’s, AT&T, American Bar Association, the St. Louis Cardinals, and more than 100 other organizations in over thirty industries. He speaks on entrepreneurial habits, quality, leadership, branding, sales, and innovation

Weird Week In Review – Mar. 14

Your one stop review of all things from last week on WeirdGuy blog – Have fun!

Peach Of A Movie Now Has A Name: Big Buck Bunny

7 Steps To Better Your Personal Networking Experience

Looking For Work? Knowing Someone On The Inside Has Perks

Mandatory Ping Pong In The Workplace

Camp Out At Bob Camp Cartoonist Blog

The Tao Of Presentations

Kukuburi Online Comic ROCKS!

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Mandatory Ping Pong In The Workplace

By E. Brown

I had lunch today with my friend, Tim, who gave me a tour of his offices afterward. What struck me was 2 things:

1. Everyone seemed genuinely engaged in what they were working on
2. Everyone seemed genuinely happy and content

To some of you who read this, my examinations may be commonplace, yet to others of you this may be foreign and even a little bit envious. I would venture to guess that many of you fall into the second category. You have never experienced a work environment where you were genuinely engaged, believed in what you worked for everyday, and were happy and content to go to work.

Many people I talk to long for this kind of workplace. There are numerous studies that show the value of this kind of workplace. My friend Alex is on a crusade to promote “happy” workplaces. So, what can you do?

Well, you have a couple options. One of which is to look for this kind of organization that you can give yourself to — one that you appreciate and one that appreciates you! Another option is to attempt to create this kind of environment within your current workplace. Is it doable? It depends on the level of influence and determination you have. Explore all your options. Wouldn’t you rather get up excited about what you’re doing for work rather than dragging your rear into a dull lifeless job while waiting for retirement?

It’s possible. I have seen it. Granted, I have seen it in a handful of places, but those are becoming more frequent. Get started today! Bring a Foosball table into the office, have an afternoon that you take the staff to the movies, do something — anything to make work fun and engaging.

BTW- did I mention, Tim’s office was having a mandatory Ping Pong tournament? Everyone had to play singles or doubles. What do you think of that? Mandatory fun!

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Leadership: Are You Making Heaven Or Hell On Earth?

By E. Brown

I saw this story and thought about it in the context of leadership and management. Take a moment to read it and tell me what kind of leader or manager you’re becoming.

holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said,
“Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.”

The Lord led the holy man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle
of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a
large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man’s
mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and
sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with
very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it
possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But
because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the
spoons back into their mouths.

The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.”

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the
same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large
pot of stew which made the holy man’s mouth water. The people were
equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were
well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, “I
don’t understand.”

It is simple,” said the Lord.
“It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each
other, while the greedy think only of themselves.”

- Author Unknown

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Corporate Culture: Know What You’re Getting Yourself Into

Are you intentional about the kind of culture you create within your organization? I often find many companies are blown by the wind as they grow and expand. The culture creates itself organically and after it is embedded many leaders look around and ask, “How did we get here?” In regard to cultural creation and fit, I saw this article from Randi and had to share. If you have read WeirdGuy for long, it is obvious I am a stickler for creating an innovative and fun environment (a.k.a. culture), and encouraging would-be employees to find a culture that fits them, so this will be a helpful read. Have fun!

By Randi Bussin | Aspire!

As a career coach, I’ve occasionally had clients come back to me for redirection after several months on the job. Often the all–too–perfect role turns sour because of the corporate culture and/or internal politics.

Most ask how they can assess these factors ahead of time. Although culture is intangible, there are a few things potential candidates can do to get a read on the environment before they say ‘yes’.

Before we begin, let’s just step back for a minute and discuss what culture is and why it’s important.

What is corporate culture? At its most basic, corporate culture can be described as an organization’s personality and the shared idea of ‘how things are done around here’. Corporate culture is a broad term and guides how employees think, act, feel, and behave. It describes the unique beliefs and behavior of a company and includes the organization’s core values, mission, ethics, and rules of behavior.

Why is corporate culture important? Culture is important because it affects the hours you work, how people interact with each other (or don’t), how people dress, benefits offered to employees (flextime, telecommuting, etc), office layout, training, and professional development. As you can see, culture affects just about everything that relates to your work.

So how do you assess the true culture of a potential employer?

The first step toward determining whether you will be a good match for a company is to know yourself and know what matters most to you (your values). You have to be crystal clear about what you are seeking from each role and each company. Are you seeking intellectual stimulation, a family–friendly environment, a social outlet, or work–life balance?

The next step is to use the job interview – and your networking interviews – to determine if the employer’s work environment is aligned with your core values. Working at a company whose value system does not match your own (understaffed, unethical, non–philanthropic) can leave you feeling unfulfilled. During your networking and/or interviewing, be sure to ask demanding questions of the prospective employer.

Here are some sample questions:

What three words or phrases would you use to describe the company/department culture?
Pay attention to the adjectives that are used to see if they fit with your values.

Does the company have a stated set of cultural values?
Often, a mission statement is a good place to start to gather insights in this area.

Can you describe the environment here?
Pay attention to the words used and the aspects of the work environment the employer mentions, such as camaraderie, career–development opportunities, and work–life initiatives.

What is the company’s attitude toward educational and professional development?

Does the company place a value on lifelong learning and advancement?

What type of employee achievements are recognized by the employer?
Pay attention to what the company values, and whether any special awards are given for outstanding customer service, sales, etc.

What type of sponsorships or philanthropic activities does the company participate in?
Does the company partner with United Way, or support programs such as Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day? Do company employees volunteer for local charities?

Another great way to assess corporate culture is to pay attention to details as you walk around the office during your interviews. Reflect on things you notice, including:

• How were you treated during the interviews? Were people on time?
• Were there key phrases the interviewers used frequently that would give you a clue as to what the company values/does not value?
• How prepared were the interviewers? Had they seen your resume?
• Do people look happy and appear to be having fun?
• Do senior management members sit with everyone else or do they have fancy lush offices?
• Does the office layout promote collaboration between departments?
• Are people eating lunch at their desk alone, or in groups in a cafeteria?

Finding the right culture is key to your career success. Think about your impressions of the corporate culture during your networking and interviewing, and capture your thoughts afterward. Pay attention to your intuition: if you have a bad feeling, it might be best to decline further interviews and/or an offer.

Randi Bussin founder and president of Aspire!, is a career coach and counselor with 25 years of business, entrepreneurial, and career coaching expertise.

Weird Week In Review – Feb. 22

Your one stop review of all things from WeirdGuy. Have fun!

Candle Unlike No Other (PIC)

Innovation and Authenticity

Do We Need To Justify Innovation?

Peter Pan and Willy Wonka On Creative Thinking

Stop Making Cold Calls and Use Your Power Team

A Leaders’ “Heart” Opens Organizations To Possibilities

Related Links
- Weird Week In Review (Feb. 1)
- Weird Week In Review (Jan. 25)

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A Leaders’ “Heart” Opens Organizations To Possibilities

A friend sent me this yesterday. I like the analogy of the “heart” of the leader and it’s effect on the “heart” of the organization. Enjoy.

By Mike Hyatt 

As a leader, you pump possibility into every person and every project. Possibility is what keeps the organization alive. Your organization can survive without your experience, your knowledge, or your skills. They, too, are important but not essential. However, your organization cannot survive without your heart.  The most important thing you can do as a leader is to keep your heart open. What do I mean? Think of it this way. When your heart is closed:

• You are distant and aloof.
• You don’t connect to people.
• Communication shuts down.
• You leave people to fend for themselves.
• You focus on what people are doing wrong.
• You are critical and demanding.
• People feel oppressed.

The result? Possibility dries up and the organization begins to die.

Conversely, when your heart is open:

• You are fully present and accessible.
• You connect to people.
• Communication is wide open.
• You are a resource to your people.
• You may focus on what is missing, but not on who is wrong.
• You are affirming and encouraging.
• People feel free.

The result? Possibility flows through the organization and the organization grows and develops.

The bottom line is this: it matters if your heart is open or closed. It will have a tangible impact on your organization. The good news is that you can open your heart. This is the leader’s most important work. It is foundational to building a healthy organization.

The key is two-fold: awareness and discipline. With regard to the first, you must learn to discern the condition of your own heart. Is it open? Is it closed? Is it somewhere in between? I find that I have to check-in with myself several times a day. I call this a “heart check.” I ask, Where is my focus—right now? Is it in the past, where I am grieving over loss or regretting some situation? Or is it in the future, where I am worried about something that hasn’t happened yet. Either way, I am not present to what is happening now. If I sense that my heart is closed, I have a choice. I can either leave it that way or open it up. This is where discipline comes into play. I literally make a decision to open my heart up. I force myself to think about what is possible. I choose to see this situation—these people—from the lens of possibility. As a result, I am fully present, available to the potential that exists in any given situation or relationship.

Maintaining an open heart—pumping possibility through your organization—is the most important thing you can do as a leader. This is foundational.

Do We Need To Justify Innovation?

As strange as it may seem, many businesses want or even need innovation, but are not willing to pony-up for the project or initiative. Why?

clipped from innovateonpurpose.blogspot.com We were asked recently to consider speaking on the topic of justifying innovation. That’s a difficult topic but one that needs to be addressed, since many individuals are being asked to start an innovation initiative, but also justify the investment in resources and dollars, and the opportunity costs. First question we ask when someone wants to “justify” innovation is: Innovation project or innovation program? Next question – why do we need to justify innovation at all? No one would ever question the relative value of a purchasing team and process and software, or a sales team. If the one key competitive advantage you have left is in creating new products and services faster and more effectively than your competition, do you need to justify the infrastructure to do that? Next, what’s the value of one good idea? Do you think that Proctor&Gamble has recouped all of its innovation investments from the Swiffer alone? Finally, the last thought around innovation. There are two metrics you can use to measure how well innovation is working. For the first year, most likely, you’ll need to use process based metrics. How many ideas did we create? How many ideas moved into new product or service development? You need to establish your goals and use these metrics early on because it takes time for ideas to prove their value. The second metric is what we call outcome based metrics. Over time as the ideas you generate have impact, you should be able to trace the revenues and margin back to your innovation team. Recognize that probably 85 to 90 percent of your original ideas may not provide a payback, but some will.

The Power of Enthusiasm

By E. Brown

One of the questions I often ask speakers is, “Are you enthusiastic about your topic?” Whether it be a professional speaker, teacher, manager, or CEO the power of enthusiasm has a remarkable effect on people. When you are enthused and excited about a topic or project the people around you get excited too. When you are not enthusiastic about a topic or project — guess what? Yep, the people around you pick up on it and are not interested either.

The power of enthusiasm affects us all. Henry Ford said it well:

You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. Enthusiasm is the spark in your eye, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of your will and your energy to execute your ideas. Enthusiasts are fighters, they have fortitude, they have staying qualities. Enthusiasm is at the bottom of all progress! With it there is accomplishment. Without it, there are only alibis.

Are you enthusiastic about…

- where you are in your job?
- the place that you work?
- the position you are in?
- your particular role on the team?
- where you are headed in your vocation?
- your personal relationships?
- what you are studying?
- the direction your life is headed?
- what will happen tomorrow?

As you can see, enthusiasm touches all aspects of our lives. Don’t settle for mediocrity. If you’re in a place that you are less than enthused about, what options or opportunities do you see around you? Can you get excited about what you’re doing or do you need a change of place and pace?

Life is and can be fun! Take a look around, assess the situation, and choose today what kind of enthusiasm you are going to show and teach. Enthusiasm is a powerful thing.

Related Articles
- Your Momma Was Right — Play Nice
- Need To Focus On The Good Stuff
- The Reciprocity Principle
- The Power Principle

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