To learn more about how Google is addressing the two seemingly conflicting problems of bots scanning forms and OCR technology reaching the computer’s limitations. Download the free eBook “The Payoff of Paying Attention”.
I had a neighbor recently diagnosed with breast cancer and as the community has risen up around her to provide her encouragement, gifts, meals, and shuttling-children-to-soccer services, it has got me thinking about tests.
Tests in school are an opportunity for you to demonstrate your mastery (or lack there of) of a subject. Your grade on a well-written test should tell you where you are relative to the standard set by the course and perhaps relative to your peers in the same field of study.
Medical tests are different. They test for the presence of something or the degree of something. Not against some standard (a good score is always 100), but against a backdrop of normal ranges. They can show progress, just like school tests, but interpreting them can be a challenge.
But both type of tests strike fear into our hearts. Being measured is hard. But is it better to avoid the test? Is it ever better not to know?
I certainly am thankful that my friend’s test results indicated that she could take action to rid herself of cancer and she is taking those actions. Had she not had the test, she would not have known to take action and the cancer might have taken her.
And without grades on tests throughout a semester, your grade at the end of the course would be a surprise, and perhaps an unpleasant one. As I was reminded by my children's teachers, tests early in the school year are meant to provide direction and insight. And without constant feedback, you might not know what to focus your study time on and you might not seek out the help or assistance that you need to master a concept or skill.
In marketing, there has been a huge push for measurement and metrics in the past decade. Online advertising has made it possible for even smaller companies or smaller marketing budgets to rely on metrics to help them make investment decisions. Advertising is measured in clicks and conversions. Events can be measured by attendance and a follow-on marketing automation lead nurturing program. Even digital signage can be measured with sensors and cameras to deliver metrics like impressions, dwell time, and even basic demographic information. Goals can be set. Campaigns measured against those goals. The value of the campaign taken all the way from the lead to the sale.
And I have seen marketers both embrace and reject this kind of analysis and the impact it has on their decision making. Some use the metrics to validate experiments, to test variants, and to invest in what has been working. To let the data lead them. Others use it as a source of insight, but choose not to reduce their decision to a scientific equation. To recognize that there are some things that can’t yet be measured. As in medicine and in education, there is both art and science in marketing.
John Wanamaker, the pioneering retail merchant of the turn of the 20th century, is claimed to have said “half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don’t know which half.” Despite all the progress, I still feel like that is true. Although I do believe that our probability of success is higher than 50/50 with today’s toolkits, there is still an art to the process of reaching people in a way that affects their thinking and their actions. And throughout, more relevant insight and data can provide confidence. And just like the healing processes in our bodies or in our ability to learn something new, that confidence can make all the difference!
This article was first published on LinkedIn Pulse.
I moderated a panel at the recent SEGD Xlab event in New York City with Jared Ficklin from Argodesign and Darren David from Stimulant. While these designers couldn’t be more different, they agreed on a fundamental idea of human-centered design, whether that be of devices or spaces. Technology should create magicians. It should bestow the users with super powers. They should act and see things changing in their world.
Technology should read their minds. It should make previous hard things easy. It should create conveniences and comforts. It should support their decisions and their goals. It should allow them control of their world and environment.
"Be yourself, but always be your better self." -Karl G. Maeser
The Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) is hosting an auction to benefit STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education programs and it could be your chance to sit down with Jennifer over a glass of wine.
The educational programs play a key role in the sustained growth and stability of the economy and are a critical component to the future success of the Oregon and Southwest Washington technology industry. STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators. This year TAO announced their first annual Tech Exec Online Auction to benefit the work of STEM education programs Innovate Oregon, iUrbanTeen, Oregon Robotics, and Portland YouthBuilders.
Jennifer Davis is excited to participate in this year's Tech Exec Auction. Beginning today, September 19, through September 22, individuals and companies may place bids to spend time with a local Tech Exec. Jennifer, along with colleague Sam Phenix, Vice President of Research and Development at Planar, a Leyard company, will be offering "Pixels & Pinots" – a tour of the Planar Headquarters office in Beaverton, Oregon and a jaunt around wine country.
Learn more at the TAO Auction Portal.
This month, I presented at the luncheon series for the Portland Chapter of the American Marketing Association (or AMA-PDX). The presentation that I delivered has been reconfigured into an eBook which is now available for free download.
This ebook outlines three approaches for finding inspiration for your business or products in the most unlikely places and shares some case studies. From Charming Charlie retail stores, to the National Basketball Association (NBA), to "So You Think You Can Dance?" on FOX, the stories illustrate how to find new approaches, broaden your perspective, and to make the most out of all of your experiences.
Feel free to share this post and the eBook with others that might be interested. You can tag me on Twitter @jenniferdavis.
In my career, I have been on all sides of mergers and acquisitions (M&As), having led integration efforts for businesses and more recently with my business, Planar, having been acquired by Leyard.
I liken the success of M&As to the work of two experienced dancers coming together for the first time.
Each partner brings his or her own strengths and style of dance, and each partnership creates something new and different.
In the same way, M&As require the participants to learn a new dance, one that takes effort and communication to get it right.
Here are five lessons that the world of dance holds for successful M&As:
1. The choreography sets the pace
It’s important to know what dance is expected. The foxtrot, the tango, and hip-hop are all different and require different moves and skills, so it’s critical to understand what to prepare before the music begins.
In the same way, a successful acquisition requires integration planning to ensure that everyone is prepared for what lies ahead.
Knowing the dance is one thing. Knowing how to adjust to a new partner is another. Without a plan of attack and clear communication, confusion and ambiguity can strip the combined organization of its productivity.
2. Clear roles and responsibilities matter
As with any dance, it’s important to determine who is leading and who is following. In M&A transactions, this is often clear, as one company acquires another or new organizational charts are established.
When Leyard acquired Planar, steps were taken to identify the roles and responsibilities of individuals, taking adequate time to determine who would be leading.
Nothing is perfect, of course, but clear roles and responsibilities, especially in the leadership ranks, help keep people focused on the dance, not on the backstage drama.
3. Successful integrations require listening and forgiveness
Despite the best efforts at communication, even the most experienced dancers can step on each other’s toes. Looking back over the integrations I have been involved with, I can think of dozens of missteps; times when I rushed something that required more time and coordination. Times when customers or employees were unnecessarily surprised by change.
While missteps like these are normal, it’s important to learn from them and turn them into opportunities that build trust. By being humble and open, the dance itself can teach all parties what it means to be a world-class partner.
4. Trust is at the core
Dancers often hurl their bodies into the air expecting to be caught, but before they do, they need to trust the strength and technical skills of their partner.
The same is true of M&A integrations, and what can build trust and teamwork faster than anything is obtaining a common view of the problem.
Business leaders talk about facing the truth, measuring performance, and being data-driven. All of these help people with different perspectives to see the same set of facts and share the same sense of urgency, ultimately creating a foundation for cross-functional teamwork.
5. Teamwork takes time
Experienced dancers may make it look easy, but even they will dance more smoothly and confidently the more practice they have with a particular partner.
So what happens when you go right from rehearsal to the stage, as is the case with most M&A integrations? This is where experience and attitude play a huge role.
Leyard acquired Planar, in part, due to the strong and established management team, and the team’s previous experience acquiring and integrating companies has already proven useful in navigating the current transition. Today, we are six months into the integration, and although it is still early, we are making real progress towards the success of the combined company.
This article was first published on the American Business Journal's BizJournals.com website.
When a company reorganizes, hires a new leader, or when an individual’s job responsibilities morph into a new role – a common phrase is often heard when the changes are introduced, and that is “change is hard.”
But change is also necessary – for businesses to address new competition or expand into new markets, and for individuals to grow in their career.
While it can be hard, change by itself has never killed anyone. As a species, we can deal with change and are quite adaptable. Employees might worry about changes to the organization or their work assignments, but at the end of the day, they will survive.
The contrary – not changing – has led to untold fatalities of organizations. Not expanding to new market conditions, not adapting to new laws and regulations or addressing new competitive threats have all buried businesses. Without some capacity for change, individuals can’t grow, learn something new or do something better. Organizations, too, thrive because of change, not despite it.
When Change Leads to Ambiguity
The real danger in change, I believe is it’s traveling partner: ambiguity. Without clear direction, ambiguity kills. When the new is introduced into the corporate strategy or into the task list without explanations of why the changes are needed or the new desired outcome, the death of productivity and teamwork quickly follows. Unclear of what is expected of them, employees lose motivation and confidence. Without the ability to help each other, co-workers lose their sense of team. Conflicts arise based on misunderstandings of the priorities and urgency. Employees can revert to old, outdated ways of working or dive headlong into unnecessary disruption, filling in the gaps of the strategy with their own fears and hopes. The organization’s ability to change is sabotaged by the ambiguity that accompanies it.
So, what is the antidote to ambiguity? How can we deal with the fact that there will be unknowns in our business world? How can we conquer these unknowns without losing our productivity and teamwork?
In his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, author Patrick Lencioni outlines the idea of “clarity even in uncertainty.” He proposes that the role of the leader is to create clarity (in job roles, goals, priorities, plans, etc.) for their teams, even if many things are uncertain. Sure, those roles, goals, or priorities might change over time (and per my earlier point, we certainly hope they do to keep up with our ever-changing world), but in the meantime, people know what they should do and that what they do matters.
How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Ambiguity
I have learned these five steps to help our team embrace change and avoid the pitfalls of ambiguity.
1. Provide Background
While it is not always possible to disclose the details of why a teammate is no longer on a project or a new rule must be implemented, providing the team with background information, even at a high level, about why the changes are necessary and how they will help improve the situation moving forward helps employees feel informed and part of the solution.
2. Clarify New Goals and Desired Outcomes
Changes are usually made to improve the company, team or individual. Clearly outlining the anticipated improvements will motivate and empower employees, giving them the confidence that the changes will ultimately be for the better of the company, team or individual. Paint a clear picture of the new destination.
3. Provide Clear Assignments and Direction
Eliminating as much vagueness as possible will help employees follow the new direction. Pairing changes with clear direction encourages employees to embrace the changes. Managers might find that in times of change, they need to be a bit more prescriptive than they might have otherwise been.
4. Be Available
Questions and concerns will undoubtedly arise. Being available to answer questions and address concerns will help resolve ambiguity and create transparency between leadership and the team, giving employees the confidence to embrace the new direction. Stay involved to provide updates, as goals are met and plans fluctuate, to adapt to the ever-changing situation.
5. Jump in with Enthusiasm
Show the team you are adapting to the changes yourself by being flexible and nimble. Celebrate when changes have improved results and where teamwork is thriving. Have confidence that the changes will lead to new opportunities and be passionate about helping the team avoid ambiguity.
And throughout, when you are facing times of uncertainty, focus on the things that you know or can control before ambiguity has a chance to kill.
This article was first published on A Thin Difference.
"Everyone has a game plan until you are punched in the face." -Mike Tyson
What if someone combined a pizza place (like MOD) with the business model of Tom’s shoes? For every pizza sold, one would be given to a hungry person (through a school, at a homeless shelter, through service agencies, etc). I bet people would pay a little more for their pizza knowing they are helping a good cause. Plus, it could make people choose your pizza place over others when corporate events and birthday parties came around. It would taste good and make them look good while they are doing good.
Someone should do this. And tell me about it. You’re welcome.
Named after the public officials in “It’s a wonderful Life”, the Sesame Street characters, Bert and Ernie, are a staple of childhood mythology. Ernie represents enthusiasm and wonder. Bert represents practicality and order. The “odd couple” certainly.
In our organizations, we divide up into Bert and Ernie camps. Some of us ideate, have a sense of urgency, and can be easily distracted. Others of us can have singular focus (even if our obsessions are misplaced on pigeons and stamp collecting), are skeptical, and risk adverse. Our organizations need both.
Josh Goldblum from Blue Cadet spoke at a conference and said he is the Ernie to his business partner’s Bert. Who are you?
"We neither shun growth or idolize it. We view it as a by-product of achieving our other goals." -McKinsey & Company
I just returned from a vacation in the mountains and thought it was hilarious that the unopened bag of chips, which were popping at the seams in the higher altitude, were back down to the normal again when I arrived back home. And that empty plastic bottles that we packed in the mountains and brought down to recycle, collapsed in our kitchen. Clearly, the air was different there.
Everyone knows the air is “thinner” at altitude. The contents of the air spread out in the lower air pressure. As if each molecule of oxygen also wanted to go on vacation and get away from it all. At sea level, the air pressure is higher because it bears the combined weight of the air molecules in the atmosphere. At the depths where scuba divers dare to do, that density is even more pronounced.
Life is like this as well. Sometimes, when you are on a mountain-top of emotions, the air seems lighter as attitudes are buoyant and optimism is high. In other times, you can feel the weight of the atmosphere bearing down and the density of the air surrounding you. The heaviness of life.
Adjusting to different physical altitudes is a science and an art. Scuba divers and mountain climbers know the risks of pressure imbalances. I have read that the builders of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City were subjected to unprotected dive conditions and developed symptoms like leg weakness, headaches, dizziness, and the like. Symptoms that were often confused with drunkenness to their neighbors, but were in fact decompression sickness. We can develop our own debilitating conditions when we don’t adapt properly to changing conditions.
Yesterday, I went from a relaxing vacation get-away to hearing of a family friend’s losing battle with cancer. Although those are both personal examples, we have all experienced professional highs and lows in rapid succession. A big win followed by a loss. A project triumph followed by new frustrations or set-backs. Times of breathless amazement and times of defeat when we can’t seem to catch our breath. Such is life.
So, does the treatment of decompression sickness teach us anything about dealing with the ups and downs of our circumstances?
The first thing they do to treat decompression sickness is to administer 100% oxygen, preferable in a high-pressure chamber. Something that would stabilize the person at a level before they move to normal conditions. Something that would put the gasses in their blood back into solution. Medical professionals also recommend fluids to fight dehydration. This kind of nourishment works from the inside out.
Sometimes we need the same at work – nourishment from the inside out. When things go from good to worse, it is critical to maintain our perspective and force ourselves to be grateful and mindful of the goodness that surrounds us. To remember the successes. We can take a break from the frustration, focusing our attention on something that can be done with ease to build momentum – returning to the original problem with more energy and creativity. We might need a nourishing talk with a friend or colleague. We might not be able to change the external circumstances, but we can change the internal conditions. And we can remain compassionate – with others and with ourselves – when they experience these symptoms.
When the air gets heavy, remember when it was light to avoid collapsing under the pressure.
P.S. Most of us cope with this oscillation between fair and foul weather with some finesse, although I understand that there are millions out there that need to seek professional help. I am not addressing the real and debilitating disease of depression in this article, but encourage you to find whatever help you need to manage your own pressures.
This article was published on LinkedIn Pulse.
It's back to school and my mind returns to a great organization that I got involved with last year: Marathon Scholars. We identify high-potential, low-income students in the 4th grade and walk with them, providing them mentoring and a college scholarship, until they complete their bachelor's degree. We do that through an interesting approach that starts and ends with results in mind.
First, we measure and hold ourselves accountable to the right thing: college graduations. Not college enrollments. The statistics around low income and first generation college student graduation rates are deplorable and often these same students, with great potential and good intentions, apply and are accepted into college, but then cut their academic careers short of a degree (and the earning potential and opportunity that brings), but take with them student loans that can further burden their future. Marathon Scholars takes seriously their commitment, and that of the student scholar and their parents, to complete college and is delivering great results. Scholars in our program are 6x more likely than their peers to complete their degree.
Secondly, we start at the right time: 4th grade. We select students in the Portland Metro and SW Washington area through an application progress and pair them with mentoring resources to help with individualized guidance, advising, and college prep programming for the next 12 years. This is critical for students who might be the first in their family to ever consider a college education. In addition, they receive the first of their college scholarship, donated month-by-month over by a sponsor who also partners in their potential. 4th grade might seem like too early to be talking about college, but it seemed to me to be the perfect time. Before they must persevere through advanced math and English classes. Before they start making life-impacting decisions that would later affect their college readiness. Before they are told that they are not college material, Marathon Scholars reminds them that they are!
I welcome you to join me in this good work. You can participate in many different ways, giving your time or resources to this great cause. Our scholars are in need of mentors, who can work with our students at different phases of their educational journey to help them arrive at a new and promising destination: the life of a college graduate! Contact the staff at Marathon Scholars for more information about volunteer opportunities.
You can also follow Marathon Scholars on Twitter, Facebook, subscribe to this blog, and via our email newsletter which you can access on this website. While you are there, you can also check out the great video of what mentoring means to these scholars. And mark your calendar for the upcoming gala fundraiser on March 4, 2017. We’d love to see you there!
"Staying relevant means being willing to run a different business every few years" - Katherine Power
A lot of brands are talking about user experience. Products from Apple, Intuit, and so many others are lauded for their intuitiveness and great customer experience. But that brand experience extends beyond the product to how the customer is engaged in the store, on the website, in mobile apps, on social media, and the like. The brand experience is a venn diagram. You can’t just create a great product, you have to have great service. You can’t just provide an incredible in-store experience. You must also have high product quality. These things all go hand in hand.
While American Idol recently said farewell finishing its final season in 2015, it was once the most loved television show in America. Looking back on the early days of the show, we learned that there are three types of judges in this world.
- The Simon Cowells - harsh and brutally honest (ahem, rude) with their criticism, but usually accurate
- The Paula Abduls – sweet and supportive of all the contestants with genuine concern for their success
- The Randy Jacksons - fun loving, knowledgeable, with a knack for soul
So, I am set to judge the Max Awards for the American Marketing Association’s Portland Chapter this year and I am wondering what kind of judge I will be. Coming from the client-side, instead of the agency side, will I be quick to criticize or encourage? Will I keep my comments short (like the commercial break is approaching) or provide specific guidance? And like the open auditions, will the entries provide me enough information to truly judge the talent of the submissions?
Get your submission in by this Friday, August 26th and let’s find out what kind of judge I will be!
"The single best way to keep your talent is to keep your word." -Art Gensler