What a bummer, I got fired yesterday. Bounced unceremoniously like an old worn out dishrag. It was swift and ruthless but apparently necessary.

 

Thank God my dignity was left intact. No one walked into my office and gave me some long-winded crap thanking me for my significant value and then blaming impersonal budget cuts, that apparently no one is responsible for creating.

 

It’s always personal when someone gets the boot, at least to them.

 

I was glad the intercom didn’t buzz and announce that I needed come to HR immediately. The world knows when the boot comes through the intercom. I didn’t have to do the dead-man walking (through the halls) routine but, nonetheless, I got canned.

 

I must admit, it tore at my gut. I literally felt like crying. I’d worked so hard. How could I have failed?

 

Crying wouldn’t help. Business is like baseball in that regard. But at least I didn’t have to tell my wife.

 

You see, I fired myself.

 

I knew there was more I could do that I didn’t do. I worked my butt off but somehow I didn’t get everything out of my ability that was inside.  There was more value within my head, my heart, my soul, and there was only one way to get it out of me.

 

I fired myself figuratively. No one knows I did it but many are feeling the effects.

 

Over the weekend I stopped thinking about office politics, budget decisions that no longer had any relevance, and everything in the “Past” column.

 

Starting Monday this was a new job, a new chance, a new value I would have to bring to survive, add more value, and improve my team’s performance. I decided to approach my work as though I’d just been given a new assignment, which I did.

 

My mindset was one of a new hire. I acted like my new boss had just called me in and said, “This business is broken and we’re looking for you to get us on-track. Fix our processes, evaluate the team, empower the winners and address the losers swiftly, find ways to increase shareholder value now, get some early wins…”

 

So on Monday I looked myself in the mirror and responded, “Yes, sir!”

 

The point of this silly little story is, it’s easy to get caught up in the flow of whatever it is we’re doing. But becoming part of the status quo doesn’t move the needle. If we really want to matter, if we really want to succeed, we have to challenge ourselves in major, not minor, ways and own the results.

 

If you’re up for that, then fire yourself and come in, as a new hire, and make something happen now.

 

My team was surprised, and I dare say, inspired by my decisiveness, assertiveness, and willingness to take on calculated risks.

 

Only you know if you need to be fired. But if you ask me, it’s time to give the new person a chance. He or she just might surprise you.

Many people are more comfortable with ideas than they are with data. That's too bad because without good data it's hard to get the funding you'll need to implement your good ideas. The business world is driven by facts, sales projections and generating a return on the investment.

Granted many of the projections are nothing more than educated guesses tied up in your ability to sell and gain a consensus. That doesn't make them useless or wrong, it just makes them, as stated, a guess.

As a creative type person, as a marketer, I had to acquire my taste for numbers. What I found was that the "what-if" scenarios appealed to my imagination. Where as a numbers geek would embroil themselves in the data looking for the one, single, truth, I knew no such single truth existed but found joy in exploring what was possible.

I knew that we could make a reasonable projection based on a certain set of variables and that work would exhaust our capabilities. Working beyond that point is wasted energy but, at times, the politically-wise thing to do.

Ours was a search for excellence, not truth. If you don't believe me review your last ten-years January sales projections. More than likely you'll find half of them are significantly wrong, missed guesses.

If you struggle with data, with facts, then try framing the process in terms your imagination can embrace. Try searching for "possible outcomes" instead of "the number."

Thought of and shared the right way numbers can be fun. If you don't believe me then watch Hans Rosling's amazing presentation about myths and predispositions surrounding the third world.


Steve

Bob Parsons is CEO and Founder of GoDaddy.com. He’s famous for his over-the-top advertising, which include commercials featuring a porn star or race driver Danika Patrick in a bikini. To me he’s the Howard Stern of entrepreneurs, sophomoric but highly successful.

His business success and therefore, acumen, is what gets overlooked. Like Stern, this mega-millionaire knows what his target audience wants and he gives it to them. While his actions seem cavalier, my guess is there are few casual events in Bob’s business life.

In his September he shared his 16 Tips for business success, which you can view here: Bob Parsons' videoblog. Once you get past the girlies in their tank-tops, I think his advice is both unconventional and excellent. If you want to avoid the girls, here are Bob’s tips in text format:

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone. I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone.  I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security."  My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."
2. Never give up. Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted.  Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work.  It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it.  If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.
3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think. There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true.  It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."
4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be. Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences."  My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."
5. Focus on what you want to have happen. Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."
6. Take things a day at a time. No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment.  You can get through anything one day at a time.
7. Always be moving forward. Never stop investing.  Never stop improving.  Never stop doing something new.  The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die.  Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way.  Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen.  Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.
8. Be quick to decide. Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."
9. Measure everything of significance. I swear this is true.  Anything that is measured and watched, improves.
10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate. If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while.  I guarantee you problems will be there.
11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing. When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.
12. Never let anybody push you around. In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.
13. Never expect life to be fair. Life isn't fair.  You make your own breaks.  You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).
14. Solve your own problems. You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge.  Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others."  There's also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently.  It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."
15. Don't take yourself too seriously. Lighten up.  Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck.
None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.
16. There's always a reason to smile. Find it.  After all, you're really lucky just to be alive.  Life is short.  More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!"

Steve

In a string of emails about the ISA Conference one question became two until the trail led me to the real question on people’s minds: Which companies will win?

I don’t know but maybe this tongue-firmly-in-cheek blog-allegory – blogegory -- about business people will help you find your own answer.

The Jesters: That characterization implies these people are clowns -- silly and frivolous. In some cases that may be true but that’s not my point. The original jester’s job was serious. Their task was to entertain nobility. If they failed their task they risked death. Still sound frivolous? The Jesters of today also serve nobility, the new nobility – senior management. Jesters are easily identifiable by the wide-eyed, feed-me look in their eyes. A condition created by a mixture of fear and expectation. The fear comes from knowing their economic destiny is tied to their ability to complete one seemingly impossible (or ridiculous) task after another. The expectation is a byproduct of their addiction to the next task. The Jester cannot live without the very thing they know may destroy them. Whoa.

The Kings: They take on many shapes and have many names. CEO, President, VP, and Chief-of-something-or-other are a few of the most common. Kings travel from village to village recounting the evils of the Status Quo. Yet they are the bedrock of the Status Quo doctrine. Nary a candle is lit without their blessing. To them the Status Quo represents stability and predictability -- King-food. They must be fed daily and reward those who feed them because they buttress their Kingships and Kingdoms. Kings are also easy to identify. Like a mother duck they have a trail of ducklings sashaying close behind them. Together they travel (some actually do waddle) down hallways and through airports. One quack from the CEO-King scatters the brood. Then, just as quickly, they tumble back into formation. Being out of formation is risky because Kings know the CEO-King must burn-the-sinners to preserve-the-faith and restore the Status Quo. Kings have astonishing power.

Neither Jesters nor Kings are bad people. They provide comfort for the masses. Human beings want to fit in, enjoy being secure, and seek calm in a chaotic world. Most people have learned to ignore new trends, not engage big ideas, and use routine as an ointment/embalming fluid, but not all.

Human beings are also unique with vast individual differences. Some are ill suited to be Jesters and Kings. Let’s call them Leaders.

Leaders have trouble staying in formation. Leaders challenge industry convention, they're rebels, borderline anarchists. That doesn’t mean they wear togas around the office, or that the female species cleans and paints her tootsies at staff meetings. On the contrary, a good leader learns to contain competing doctrines until the time is right, like now.


I wrote this to illustrate the distinction between those seeking change and those seeking Change. Stated another way, between those collecting a paycheck and those pursuing a belief. Hugh MacLeod said, “The market for something to believe in is infinite.”

People tire of Kings and Jesters. They understand that activity sold as progress is just packaged-activity. They yearn for a Leader with a belief they can follow with their heads and their hearts.

It can be tricky, but separate the companies by their teams. Ignore the paycheck-teams and support the belief-teams, they are more likely to be the winners.

Steve
 

My wife and I big fans of The Celebrity Apprentice. Sunday night Donald Trump fired Sinbad, the comedian. It was one of the few bad Apprentice shows we’ve seen. The reason it was a bad show is because the outcome was so predictable to anyone who has worked on a project team.

Sinbad was the project manager for ‘Men’s” team’s and he made several lethal mistakes. Here are the big ones:

1. He did not unite his team around a common goal or a common vision. They had a general direction but nothing concrete to guide them on a decision-by-decision basis. They could not operate confidently and effectively without Sinbad, or even with him for that matter. A good project manager gets everyone on the same page at the beginning of the project and assign roles, responsibilities, and specific tasks.
2. Bret Michaels is clearly a high strung guy. He became agitated by Sinbad’s lack of direction, poor communication and fuzzy goals during the team's first meeting. Bret had a point but he handled it poorly by getting angry. Sinbad decided to ignore Bret instead of confronting the petulant Poison frontman. That proved to be a mistake since, Bret, had no choice but to (reluctantly) share his concerns with Mr. Trump in the Boardroom, where the firings take place. Sinbad enabled his poorest performer by not addressing his concerns and taking positive corrective action, that could later be used to deflect an attack.
3. Every project, no matter how small, has milestones and communication checkpoints. That’s how you know progress is being made and the team is still aligned. Project timelines are lost at the beginning of projects, not at the end. Sinbad took his responsibility too lightly. He was responsible for everything. He was responsible for the process and the outcome.  He forgot he had to answer for A-Z to Mr. Trump.
4. So where was his “team?” Coming off the drubbing the Men's team gave the “Women” in week one, the Men were a little cocky and, apparently, unwilling to step up in a positive way for one another. They let their leader die. Shame on them. They all knew the project wasn’t going to magically come together at the end, that Sinbad was a poor leader, and that he would probably take the fall. Why didn’t one of them warn him? Because the Celebrity Apprentice is a competition, a game.

I guess that means that none of these things, these fatal flaws, could happen in real life? Nonsense, these same team dynamics happen in real life all the time. If you see them happening on one of your team's, do the right thing. Step up and help correct the situation. Don't get mad and pout, bring the team together, objectively define the issues, and take corrective actions.

Now we know why Sinbad got fired.

Steve

8--=707-9150

Are you unhappy in your job? You're not alone if you are. More than four out of five (84% to be exact) people surveyed by CareerBuilder.com are unhappy at work! That's an incredible number.

What’s causing all the angst? A growing number of people believe the reason is our culture’s preoccupation on weaknesses. Think about your last performance review, it was probably low on praise and high on finger pointing. Who treats teammates that way? Professional athletes sure as heck don’t and the people who have joined the Strengths Movement don’t either.

The goal of the Strengths Movement is to end the angst. Dr. Donald Clifton (1924-2003) of the Gallup Organization began studying human strengths over 40 years ago. To formalize the study the StrengthsFinder assessment tool was created. To date it has been translated into more than 20 languages, used in more than 100 countries, and competed by more than 3 million people. That data is the foundation of the Movement.

Several excellent books have been written around the StrengthFinder data and most of them provide a way for you to take the test online at no additional cost. Many bestsellers such as StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath, First Break all the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, and Go Put Your Strengths to Work, also by Marcus Buckingham, have gained national acclaim and were featured in venues ranging from the Harvard Business Review to Oprah.

There are common threads in each book. Following are my thoughts on a few.

1. Too many resources are spent making us better generalists and not enough are spent identifying and building up our strengths. A fifth-grade math wiz may not be able to find a challenge equal to his potential, yet tutors and extra assignments are readily available to boost his English proficiency if the system rated him as Needs Improvement.
2. Focusing on our weaknesses does not build self-confidence, which is crucial to success at work and, some would say, in life. Successful people tend to have real confidence in at least one area of expertise. From that confidence-well they can draw the strength they need to succeed in other areas.
3. The reality is if you are not innately good with numbers you will not become a great statistician, period. As Tom Rath said so precisely in, Strengthsfinder 2.0, “You cannot be anything you want to be – but you can be a lot more of who you are.” Stated more positively, when we concentrate on developing our naturally steel-like talents and passions, our upside is far higher than when we ignore them and try to wedge our skills into some more conventional mushy-middle. Our great talents have leverage. Our average talents do not.
4. A plethora of leadership books list attributes as if once mastered we would, in effect, then become Winston Churchill or Mahatma Ghandi, for example. That seems odd. All great leaders have a grand vision, but most have far more differences than similarities. In the above example, the differences are dramatic; one is brash and aggressive while the other is polite and patient. The Movement’s focus is on accentuating the person on the inside and not the actor on the outside, no matter how good the actor.

I’ll never be Ernest Hemmingway, but now that I’m writing this blog twice each week, I’m going to go take that CareerBuilder.com test again. I may be able to bump the minority number up (those who are happy at work) to 17%.

Steve

Albert Einstein’s theory of General Relativity states that the closer you get to a black hole the more time slows until you reach the Event Horizon, the point at which there’s no turning back. At that point time would appear to be frozen, an object as seen from Earth would never change.

Einstein coined the term black holes because the gravitational pull of these objects are so powerful not even light can escape. Hence, they are black.

I think a lot of meetings resemble black holes -- they have power, time seems to stop, and light (the bright future we all hope for) can’t escape.

The metaphor may be a little dark (haha) so we'll put it aside, but it's a complaint I often hear: "We attend meetings all day. One idea after another gets shot down and, in the end, nothing happens..."

If your meetings are not producing a list of tasks, assignments, and then the results are (1) measured and (2) produce a better company,  you might want to read Seth Godin’s March 26, blog, which I’ve cut-n-pasted below, along with a few comments. Some of his ideas may be a little “out-there” for your company’s culture but some may be worth trying. Enjoy.

Getting serious about your meeting problem, by Seth Godin

Do you have one [meeting problem]? Some folks are going to eight hours of meeting a day. At Ford, they used to have meetings to prepare for meetings, just to be sure everyone had their story straight.

If you're serious about solving your meeting problem, getting things done and saving time, try this for one week. If it doesn't work, I'll be happy to give you a full refund.

• Understand that all problems are not the same. So why are your meetings? Does every issue deserve an hour? Why is there a default length? [Change it]
• Schedule meetings in increments of five minutes. Require that the meeting organizer have a truly great reason to need more than four increments of realtime (sic) face time.
• Require preparation. Give people things to read or do before the meeting, and if they don't, kick them out. [My favorite]
• Remove all the chairs from the conference room. I'm serious.
• If someone is more than two minutes later than the last person to the meeting, they have to pay a fine of $10 to the coffee fund.
• Bring an egg timer to the meeting. When it goes off, you're done. Not your fault, it's the timer's.
• The organizer of the meeting is required to send a short email summary, with action items, to every attendee within ten minutes of the end of the meeting.
• Create a public space (either a big piece of poster board or a simple online page) that allows attendees to rate meetings and their organizers on a scale of 1 to 5 in terms of usefulness. Just a simple box where everyone can write a number. Watch what happens. [Great idea]
• If you're not adding value to a meeting, leave. You can always read the summary later. [Easier said than done, but I like it]

Steve

Many people are describing our current situation as economic winter. It’s a good metaphor and brings up an interesting question, what follows winter? The logical answer seems to be Spring.

So, are you prepared for Spring?

When your customers are ready to start buying again, will you present them with the same old pre-winter company they knew, or worse, a smaller, watered-down version of that company?

What about your employees - your internal customers? Are they prepared for the coming Spring? Do they understand the new company? Are they explaining the brighter future to customers? Or are they hunkered down waiting for the next cutback and telling customers about their worst fears?

Winter doesn’t last forever. Make the investments now to introduce your customers and your employees to a new, more focused, and well-defined company.

Aligned Marketing was created to help client’s produce clear, concise and consistent communication. The purpose of that communication is to improve our client's revenues, as well as their ability to execute.