Manage To Change

In Search of WOW

A while back I stumbled on Michael Hyatt’s blog: From Where I Sit.  Michael is the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Regardless of where you sit, two of his recent posts are “must reads” for any one!

Creating WOW Product Experiences includes a list of ten common “WOW experience” attributes that he and his management team identified. Why would we aim for anything less than WOW in product development?

In the comment section the names Disney, Pixar, and Apple come up as companies that deliver WOW products. Can we name some more?

What I Have Learned in Four Years of Blogging is an excellent summary of the benefits of blogging in general, CEO blogging specifically, and experimenting with new things (not just technology!).  I couldn’t agree with him more.

Michael has been publishing online since 1998.  As someone who often manages and advocates change in publishing environments, I am thrilled to see a publishing CEO so openly experimenting and sharing his experiences.

Check out the quotes on his left side bar.  Some of them are priceless!

Powerlessness

I was in line to get bagels last weekend.

Half of the people on line wanted individual bagels – just a bag with bagels in it.

I suggested to the person behind the counter that perhaps they should have a line for people that just want bagels.

She looked at me funny, smiled, and then helped the next customer.

The woman on line in front of me said “She doesn’t have the power to do that.”

WHAT?

Of course she does! She has a mouth doesn’t she?

She can make a suggestion, can’t she?

She can also start asking people on line if they just want bagels all by herself too!

Sure there are instances when we lack real power or authority.

But, I believe that we think we lack power far more often than we actually do.

What do you think?

Exercise

The more I write, the more I read, the more questions I have, and the easier it is to write.

The more I exercise, the better I feel, and the more productive I am.

I wonder if there are other extensions of this principle - counterintuitive places where if we spend time we ultimately save time and are more healthy.

The more I talk to my customers the easier it is to develop better products?

Your turn.

What’s a “pet” activity that you know is good for you (or your company) and yet it’s so easy to put off?

Google: The Pot Calling the Kettle…

Does anyone else find this amusing?

Microsoft makes a bid for Yahoo! and Google screams monopoly.

I am a big Google fan. While some of their tactics are questionable (especially if you are a publisher), their overall mission is admirable.

But, who has more of a monopoly on all things Internet than Google?

According to the Outsell Inc report Information Industry Market Size and Share Rankings: Preliminary 2007 Results (purchase required): “Total information industry growth with Google included as 5.3% but without Google this figure falls to 3.8%.”

That represents a 1.5% impact on growth in a $381B industry (as estimated by Outsell in that same report).

That statistic only talks about their percentage as an information industry application, service, and content (?) provider.

What about Google’s position as the purveyor of online advertising? What percentage of that market is controlled by Google? I don’t know, but I bet it’s pretty near a monopoly standing.

So is it okay to be a monopoly if you’re Google but not okay if you aren’t?

See also: Google Works to Torpedo Microsoft Bid for Yahoo! in the New York Times.

Making Excuses or Doing the Job?

Every “explanation” we offer for why the thing that was supposed to happen didn’t happen is an excuse.

They’re not all bad. Sometimes they offer insights that benefit the recipient.

Mostly, though, they don’t.

This occurred to me as I wrote my first post after 10 days of silence. It was the longest I had ever gone without writing.

Did you need to hear that I was busy or traveling or sick or uninspired or just plain lazy?

No, you didn’t.

If I had written an explanation, it would have been because I needed to justify my absence. It would have been all about me.

So let’s make a commitment to each other.

The next time we miss a date, annoy a customer, say the wrong thing, or do anything else that we feel needs justification, let’s not.

Let’s just fix the problem, in the eyes of those impacted, and move on.

Compliments: Are they all about you?

Some people love to get compliments. Others hate it. Still others don’t hate compliments, but they’re uncomfortable receiving them.

They don’t know how to react.

Interestingly, the reason some feel uncomfortable is because their focus is on themselves and how the compliment makes them feel.

Perhaps they’d be more comfortable if they understood that their feelings are secondary.

Compliments are a gift.

And, like any gift, our reactions can impact the giver. 

If you’re someone that finds it difficult to take a compliment, try moving your focus from your feelings to those of the originator.

A good friend of mine says “Thank you for saying that” when she’s not sure what to do. I think that works well.

Sticky Situations: Partnership Gone South

You meet someone who is highly recommended by a colleague.

As you get to know each other it seems as though you share the same philosophies about collaboration, clients, and conducting business.

Your businesses are a perfect complement so you enter into a partnership and jointly work with your first client.

Early in the relationship your partner starts to get territorial. It’s “their way or the highway.”

You try to identify how you might be contributing to the issue. You try to adapt your style. It doesn’t help.

You discuss the issue with your partner, but they don’t see it. In fact, they think these discussions are a testament to your fine working relationship - you two can talk about the tough issues and resolve them. But, they’re not getting resolved, just avoided or ignored.

And, they’re getting worse!

It’s starting to impact the client. They’re not just disregarding you. They’ve started acting this way toward the client.

Now what do you do?

Other Sticky Situations

Sparing Feelings or Being Cruel?

Eavesdropping?

Managing Your Boss

To Call or Not to Call

Strange Birds

Thinking about change today, I have two questions:

How many strange birds have you flown with lately?

How many chances have you taken?

Inspiration from the best book of all time: Oh, The Places You'll Go! By Dr. Seuss:

“And when things start to happen,

don’t worry, Don’t stew.

Just go right along.

You’ll start happening too…

I’m sorry to say so

but, sadly, it’s true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you…

And when you’re in a Slump,

you’re not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done…

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored. There are games to be won…

You'll get mixed up, of course,

as you already know.

You'll get mixed up

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)"

Happy Monday – go get ‘em!

Grease or Glue?

I used to think I was glue, but I’m not.

I’m grease.

I work best in situations where the moving parts have gotten a little stuck; in tradition, in culture, in misaligned expectations, or for any number of reasons.

Which are you? (or are you something different)

Sticky Situations: Sparing Feelings or Being Cruel?

Have you ever worked with someone that, regardless of your feelings about them as a person, you knew they were completely unsuited for their position?

Have you ever seen someone that others regularly minimize, marginalize, or ignore because that person offers little or no value in their current role?

Do you think people in that position feel frustrated?

Do you think they ask for help?

I bet they do. I know they do.

I’ve seen it.

As managers, we often find certain topics difficult to discuss, but that doesn’t mean our best option is ignoring them. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite.

What’s more humane?

1. Getting an issue out in the open
2. Letting someone struggle alone
3. Giving someone indirect or useless counsel because you don’t want to hurt their feelings

If someone isn’t suited for their job, or is missing vital skills that must be developed, avoiding the issue isn’t going help anyone.

We’re not sparing their feelings by not discussing their situation honestly. We’re sparing our own!

It’s selfish of any manager not to confront these situations honestly, respectfully, sensitively, AND with the goal of resolving them.