Manage To Change

Movin' on Out

Through the years I’ve been fortunate to meet lots of smart people in publishing, media, and technology.  It’s been an amazing experience working with both organizations “going digital” and others that have been there for some time but are continuously refining their approach to content and publishing. 

It’s an exciting place to be (scary, but exciting).

It seemed to me that the best way to ensure a spot in the middle of the changing tide was to start consulting on my own again.  So that’s what I did!

Please stay tuned as I revive this blog and keep posting on Twitter.

Off to London!

Tonight I’m heading to London Online to enjoy a great city and catch up with friends and colleagues.

Unlike Liz, I am taking my computer. I can’t imagine more than a day without it.

I’ll consider therapy when I get back.

If you’re in London this week, email me.

I’ll try to write and tell you of my adventures!

Photo credit

I Can’t Resist a Challenge

I NEVER do things like this but Liz “tagged” me to write five things on my blog that people might not know about me - and I have a hard time saying no to Liz!  

I figure it’s not such a bad idea for us to get to know each other a little better. So how about this: I’ll write 5 things about me and you leave at least one interesting thing about yourself in a comment?! Deal?

Tomorrow we’ll be back to business as usual! 

OK…

I have a horrible laugh (although it has become my “trademark” and some people call it infectious). Since I laugh A LOT you can’t have a 5 minute conversation with me without hearing it!

When I was 1 my parents bought a Great Dane (and then acquired 3 more). For my first few years I was raised around a constant stream of puppies. It was heaven! 

To get my first job, I lied! I said I was 18 when I was only 15. I was a waitress. After 6 months I was promoted to a supervisor. I was 15 and managing people twice my age. It was a humbling experience. 

My mother says I’m always in a rush. I graduated high school at 16 because I was bored. I got my Bachelors and Masters on the same day (at 21) and couldn’t wait to get out into the work world. I’m addicted to progress (to change!).  I have developed a little more patience with age, but I still find it very difficult to stop moving.

Once when I was on a cross country flight with my husband I shared something I thought was interesting from the book I was reading. Noticing that I had highlighted this point on the title page he rolled his eyes and said “this is going to be a very long flight”.  (The book was ReImagine! by Tom Peters.)

I’m supposed to “tag” 5 more people so: Ellen Weber, Philippa Kennealy, Valeria Maltoni, Rob (a.k.a. iScatterlings) , and Blaine Collins - you’re it!

Manage To Change Manifesto

1. Change starts with me (and you).

I will consider my own biases and be open to changing myself before lamenting that others stand in the way of change.

2. Complaining is not an option.

I forfeit my right to complain (and get what I deserve) if I am not willing to act. 

3. There are no sacred cows (including mine).

Everyone and everything I value is fair game.

4. There are no invitations.

I will actively participate in change whether or not I’ve been asked.   I will not view change as being inflicted on me.

5. Change requires an open mind.

I will attempt to find the value in new ideas, remembering that an idea is rarely 100% right or 100% wrong. 

6. Risk is part of the equation.

I will take chances, experiment, and break the rules when I need to. However, I remain accountable for my actions.

7. Diversity breeds perspective.

I will find the “freaks”. I will learn from people that are nothing like me by listening to them and watching what they do.

8. There is no plug and play.

I will think. I will adapt ideas before I adopt them. 

9. The target is moving.

I must constantly evolve, never being satisfied with how things are, but always considering how they could be.

10. Resistance is futile.

I am either causing change, adapting to it, or subject to it.  Everything changes.

 

(Inspired by John and Hugh)

 

Schedule

In an effort to maintain my sanity, and to offer as much relevant material as possible, I will be posting entries on Manage To Change Sundays-Thursdays (most likely in the evening – Eastern time).  

That will mean that there will be new material Monday-Friday first thing in the morning!

My secondary goal is, when I’m running a series, that at least two or three of the weekly entries will be series related. The remaining entries will cover current events, books or other resources I'd like to share, or concepts that lean more toward the philosophical.

Thanks for reading!  I really do appreciate it!!!

Ann

PS - July 6th was my 6 month blogging "anniversary"!

Manage to Change

What’s the point?

When people hear the phrase “Manage to Change” they often think of something they begrudgingly do because they have to! It’s reactive. It’s often delayed. There isn’t anything fun about it.

Me? I think of it more like surfing. Grab your board (no, I am not a surfer) and catch a wave!

Manage to Change is a positive imperative. On this page it means that we must continually adjust our strategy and objectives to the changing world around us (or we may very well wipe out!). It’s exciting. It’s full of possibilities. It’s something that we do proactively. We try to anticipate change. Maybe we can even create it ourselves!

In order to “Manage to Change” we need to:

• Be open-minded and inquisitive
• Look beyond the confines of our daily grind and our professional industry! What’s going on out there? What’s new and exciting? What could we use?
• Build in time to think, everyday – to consider the possibilities – to come up with off-the-wall ideas and see where they might take us! Do mental jumping jacks!
• Understand our strengths and weaknesses. Where do we need help?
• Only AFTER we consider the ludicrous is it time to filter our ideas. Which ones might delight our customers, make us more efficient, or create a new market?

I’m certainly not advocating frivolity (although there’s nothing wrong with that!). I simply believe that it’s too easy to box yourself in to what’s known or what’s comfortable and in doing so you miss out on a lot. Anticipate and capitalize on change.

Experiment (you can still be fiscally responsible!).

What good is it to define a strategy if you can’t manage to change?

Technorati tags: Business, Change Management

An Introduction!

Why am I starting a blog? Well ......

Over the past 20+ years I’ve worked in eight different industries and watched several companies struggle through change.   I was with AT&T right after it divested the baby bells.  I was with Prodigy (anyone remember that?) when it was trying to create a commercially viable mechanism for delivering a consumer oriented online news and shopping experience (before AOL even existed).   Then, about 6 years ago, I landed in a medical publishing company.

If there has ever been an industry smack in the middle of radical change (change over which they have little or no control) - it's publishing.  If you're in the information business the world is a scary place right now.

Or is it? Is it scary or is it exciting? I suppose that depends on your perspective. To me - there isn't a more exciting industry on the face of the earth (OK – I’m a strategy geek – I admit it!).

If you're tightly connected to the way things have been done for decades (or as is the case in many print publishers - centuries) it's hard to come to terms with how the world of information creation and distribution is being continually turned on its head by technologies that empower the consumer. 

Companies have sprung up that don’t have your heritage and commitment to quality and they’re providing consumers with content.  Private individuals are providing consumers with content!  You worry that the content isn’t good enough (especially in the medical information or legal arenas) – but the consumers are voting for that content with their attention (and sometimes even their dollars).

There’s something that isn’t quite right here.  Who are you?  What business are you in?  What are your assets?  How can you provide them to the consumer in a way that allows you to stay in business?  Are you obsolete?  What can you do?

You can close your eyes and hope it all goes away or you can figure out how to participate – and maintain a thriving business.  I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I’d like to find out what others think, what they’re doing, and how it’s working for them.

I believe in collaboration.
I believe that when we work together we increase the opportunities for everyone.

OK – so maybe I’m an idealist.  I can live with that. 

The reality is that people need information.  They need sources they can trust, and they need to interact with information in a way that answers their questions when they arise.  Quality is no longer in the eyes of the editor or the information provider – it’s in the eyes of the consumer.  How do you take control?  There’s the rub - you can’t!  That’s what changed.  You’re no longer in charge, but you can participate.

If you want to make it – you’re going to have to adapt.