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What is the Grit in Your Oyster?

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What is the Grit in Your Oyster?

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Daniel Ek, the Swedish entrepreneur and technologist best known as the co-founder of Spotify, recently tweeted “I can't think of anyone I admire who isn't fueled by self-doubt. It's an essential ingredient. It's the grit in the oyster. It's the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.” 

I love the picture that paints of an oyster, wrapping an irritation in layers of protection until the pearl is created.  Without the pain, you don’t get the pearl.  Come to find out, oysters are not self-motivated.  And the same may be true for us.  It’s self-doubt, not confidence that is the essential ingredient.

Made me wonder what other seemingly negative emotions might actually motivate great success, fueling you to take action, approach problems differently, or creatively seek alternatives.  It is said that necessity (ie, need, want) is the mother of invention.  The same could be set about a great number of other negative things.  Here are several that you might agree have played a role in your own achievement, either in yourself or others:

-        Pain (as opposed to comfort)

-        People pleasing (as opposed to independence)

-        Anxiety (as opposed to calm)

-        Noise (as opposed to quiet)

-        Hunger (as opposed to being satisfied)

-        Close-mindedness (as opposed to openness)

-        Complexity (as opposed to simplicity)

-        Slowness (as opposed to speed)

-        Rigidity (as opposed to flexibility)

-        Fear (as opposed to trust)

-        Doubt (as opposed to certainty)

-        Exclusion (rather than involvement)

-        Discontent (rather than contentment)

Each of us have our own internal motivations.  The ones above are often dismissed or rejected as being entirely negative, when you encounter them in yourself or others, but they can be the grit in the oyster that helps you achieve success.  But only if you learn how to harness their lessons, with stamina and perseverance, all the way to the harvest. 

This article was originally published on LInkedIn Pulse.

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3 Way to be the Plot Twist We Have Been Waiting For

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3 Way to be the Plot Twist We Have Been Waiting For

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You may have seen the tweet that has been going around that reads “may the last few months of 2017 be the plot twist you have been waiting for.” When I first heard it, I laughed and thought it perfectly captured what many of us have been feeling. When we reflect on this year, many of us don’t like the plot line. We certainly could use less uncertainty and a bit more “happily ever after.”

Economists Scott Baker (from Northwestern University), Nick Bloom (Stanford), and Steven Davis (University of Chicago) have developed something they call the Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) index to measure the uncertainty that affects how businesses invest. In the US, they measure things like news content showing uncertainty, tax code provisions nearing expiration in the coming period, and disagreements among economists and forecasters. If there is great diversity among what people are saying, what people are seeing, and what people are predicting, the index shows that there is more uncertainty and research shows that uncertainty keeps businesses from investing in new hires, facilities, or equipment. In short, uncertainty keeps people waiting and watching. 

But what about uncertainty on a personal level? Here are three ways that you can counter-act the effect of uncertainty to be the change we want to see.

1.     Don’t wait to act

If there is policy uncertainty, leadership ambiguity, or unknown results from effort, it is human nature to sit back and wait to see how things play out. It leads to risk aversion. Leaning into ambiguity is messy and can lead to change fatigue. But waiting has huge productivity implications. Waiting not only affects your work output, but how you feel about your work. Not the one should be reckless or act foolish, but we all know that one can lean too far back in these situations and not take actions we know that in any circumstance are beneficial. There is a phrase attributed to Goethe (or an ambitious and free-wheeling translator) which reads: “What you can do, or dream you can, begin it: boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” This phrase sat above my desk for years and I think that is does have power. If you wait to do something you know to know, then that lack of forward action has long-standing ramifications. 

2.     Commit to investing

In times of uncertainty, a lot of energy is focused on self-protection and survival. But this is precisely the time that you need to look outside yourself and invest in others. Your teammates, colleagues, and friends are feeling the same, or possibly even more, uncertainty than you and some reassurance, encouragement, or direction from you could make all the difference in their productivity and feeling of accomplishment. Don’t neglect your role as a leader, no matter your position, in times of uncertainty. Continue to support the causes close to you. Continue to mentor others. It is precisely in times of uncertainty that others need you more than ever. Be generous with your time and expertise and all the ways you invest in your community.

3.     Over-communicate

Closely related to #1 and #2 above, the first casualty in times of uncertainty can be communication. You might simply not know what to say or have answers to the questions that you think people will be asking. But your lack of communication will not keep people from asking questions. They will, in fact, ask more. And human nature will fill in the answers with fear or doubt. No one ever speculates that good is going on behind closed doors. They will assume the worst. Don’t let the reality of uncertainty lead to people feeling with certainty that bad things are going on or about to play out. So, commit to communicate and then rinse and repeat until you feel you are over-communicating. It is at that point, that people might be finally hearing you.

We are in unprecedented times. The perception of political tension, both in our country and abroad, and the social divisions are running high. Our businesses face new and aggressive competition, our customers have more choices than ever, it is getting harder to find and retain key talent, and it is easy to let that uncertainty get the best of us. Stress can run rampant in these times. We are in the final months of a year which has been marked by natural disasters, human tragedies, and upheaval. There are lots of reasons for uncertainty, but also for hope. 

I sincerely hope that YOU are the plot twist that we have been waiting for and that we all stop WAITING and do what we know to do, or dream to do, now.

Originally published on LinkedIn Pulse.

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3 Reasons for Optimism

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3 Reasons for Optimism

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Despite the adage that “if you aren’t outraged, you aren’t paying attention” that is true in so many areas of our world today and in the face of ever-increasingly devastation that are afflicting our communities, our national and international relationships, and our families, there are three rational reasons to be optimistic.

1. Character: optimism changes you

The natural world teaches us that living things need hardship to achieve their full potential. Flavorful and sweet grapes are produced only after vine pruning. Tomatoes and peppers need periods of drought to produce fruit. In my experience, we are the same. It is not the periods of prosperity and comfort that define us and shape us as individuals, but our character is refined in the fire of hardship. The idea that what “doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” can be true if we commit to self-reflection. If you are paying the tuition, think about the education you are getting.

2. Community: optimism fosters helping

Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers’ fame, recounted his mother advising him to look for the “helpers” whenever he heard of tragedy or saw scenes on the news. First responders rushing in when others are rushing out. Neighbors helping neighbors. Human kindness on display without regard to the things that can artificially divide us like location, race, creed, or language. This is a reason for optimism. That all of us facing challenges and changes big and small, can assist each other. When we think about humankind, tragedy allows us to be both human and kind.

3. Creativity: optimism unleashes new ideas

A “the sky is falling”, or worst a “the world is out to get me” mentality, shuts down the creative problem solving process. Your creativity engine is closed for business if you blame others or get overwhelmed by circumstances. We are capable of amazing innovation and can create solutions that are simply unimaginable to those who weren’t open to possibility. Sitting amidst the rubble might be the next new building approach that would survive the next storm, unearthed with a fresh perspective and an open mind. 

Often in the throes of life’s challenges, it is extremely difficult to remember these benefits of optimism. This is one of the many ways that we can help each other. Not with vague platitudes, but by walking alongside each other in the storm and helping to develop character, community, and creativity.

Originally published on LinkedIn Pulse. The photo was taken at the Spruill Gallery in Dunwoody, GA.

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On Fear

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On Fear

“Stay afraid, but do it anyway.  What’s important is the action.  You don’t have to wait to be confident.  Just do it and eventually the confidence with follow.”  -Carrie Fisher

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Time

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Time

“What you do with your billable time (work time) will determine your income for the year.  What you do with your nonbillable time (free time) will determine your future.” – Art Gensler

I was at an event recently and as an ice breaker each table was asked to answer the question “would you rather have more time or more money?”  A great discussion ensued about upcoming college bills or the need for more of the finite hours in the day. 

Do we have enough hours in the day?  Do we have the hours we need to accomplish what is necessary?  I know I never feel like I do, but I am also aware that I waste time on a fairly regular basis.  I am sure you can say that same. 

Do I need more hours, or do I need to use them more productively? 

How much downtime do I actually require to be refreshed enough to do what needs to be done?  Am I getting enough sleep?  Am I prioritizing things like exercise, study, and family time the way that I should?  What use of my team leads to the most happiness?

These are incredibly personal questions and ones worth asking.

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Self-Service Business Strategy Consulting

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Self-Service Business Strategy Consulting

I recently saw a professional form Intuit’s innovation practice sit down with two start-up companies to offer mentoring and strategy counseling.  Instead of focusing on the answers and the discussions, I noted the questions he was asking and thought they might be an interesting playbook for others to run.  Ask yourself these questions, honestly and at a level that anyone from any industry could understand, and you will go a long way to clarify and refine your strategy for success.

  • What is the most important issue facing your business today?
  • For the audience you are targeting, what is their pain?
  • When you talk to customers what was unexpected?
  • Have you found anyone who has the pain you are looking to solve?
  • How big is the problem and how are customers solving it today?
  • Can you solve the problem once, get paid, and validate that it is a need?
  • Have you heard any red (or possibly yellow) flags from customers about their need for the product, their willingness to pay, etc?
  • Who can be a lighthouse account for you?
  • If the business didn’t work, what would be the reasons why?

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Twenty Seconds of Insane Courage

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Twenty Seconds of Insane Courage

"You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it." - Benjamin Mee, "We Bought a Zoo"

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Can You Afford Your Affordance?

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Can You Afford Your Affordance?

Thaniya Keereepart, who runs the business of TED on apps, recently spoke about the use of design principles to change the way we interact with each other. 

She explained the idea of affordance.  It’s a user design idea that the look of something tells you how to use it.  A door knob or dial tells you to turn.  A button was designed to be pushed.  A handle to be grasped. 

The same could be true of people.  She says that the language we use in an email, the posture we assume in a meeting, and the space we take up in the room can all impact how people interact with us. 

Just like design begins with objectives, if each of us asked ourselves “what do we want?” and “how do I want to come across?” before meetings or presentations, we would likely get better results.

There are dozens of books about executive presence and TED talks about goal setting, language, and power, if you need some inspiration.

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Rights vs. Needs

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Rights vs. Needs

I am hearing a lot of talk of what constitutes basic human rights.  I have heard things like freedom of travel, access to state-of-the-art health care, access to clean water, a safe and comfortable home, basic education, higher education, and voting for political officials all listed as rights.  And it has led me to have some questions?

Is every human need a right?  If human needs for food and water are rights, what about other needs?

I have been told that humans need to laugh.  Is this a right? The freedom to find things funny.  Or do they have the right to have someone else make them laugh.  To pay for other human services, I am taxed.  What if it was demanded that I tell jokes to make my fellow citizens feel better?  Ridiculous, you say.  But this illustrates the perils of making a long list of things and calling them “rights.”

What about the need for safety?  Is that a right?  What is the role of the individual in this, if they engage in risky behaviors?  Safety is both a reality and a perception that spans a great deal of arenas from seat belts to street lamps.

What about sex?  Is it a need?  Is that need a right?  When does one person’s right to satisfy a need impact another’s rights?  How does one person’s right to sex conflict with others’ right to safety?

What about privacy?  Is it a right?  Clearly we don’t believe this in practice, because I think there are laws against not giving your children social security numbers or keeping them out of school (of some type) which requires them to have certain personal details disclosed.  So, in this case the right to welfare services and public education are in conflict with our right to privacy?  We give up privacy all the time (some saying effectively killing the whole idea of privacy), in exchange for convenience, services, or even safety. 

What about property ownership?  Our economy is based in no small part on the sanctity of property ownership, but what can be owned?  This has been debated for centuries and we rightly settled that you can’t own people (which was accepted for an unacceptable number of millennia and still is in some places and is more common in developed countries than we want to admit).  But we can own plants, farms, livestock, and pets.  We can own real property and equipment.  We can own (even fractional) legal entities that aren’t really alive, like corporations.  We can own contractual rights to thing that we don’t own (like stock options, etc.).  Are all these rights?  So, does that mean these things are needs?  Do we have a need to own things?  And whose job is it to satisfy that need?  Do you need to be given things or do you have the right to earn them?

For a whole host of reasons, humans need to be treated well by our parents.  We need to be fed, spoke to, and taught how to function in the world.  It’s a need.  Is it a right?  We act like it is with child protective services, the foster care system, and child protection laws (all good things).  So, if it is a right for kids, does it become an obligation for parents?  In order to drive, you have to prove that you have the ability to not be a harm to others and that you have the means (insurance at least) to drive.  Because people have the right to be safe as pedestrians and other drivers.  But the same isn’t true of parenting.  A parent’s right to making choices can be in direct conflict to their kids’ right to safety and a host of human rights.

We all have the right (mostly) to manage our own reproduction and so much has been written about this recently in the news.  But that right has consequences.  Where does right end and privilege begin if people are horrible parents and infringe upon the rights of their off-spring?

Regarding the right to your own body, what about exercise?  Our bodies certainly need it.  But is it the freedom to exercise that is our right or should we mandate exercise the way we do other things (i.e., like school attendance or lunch breaks for hourly workers). 

You see what I mean.  This “rights” versus “needs” is tricky.  And it is further complicated by the fact that we live in an interdependent community. 

Just like we need to be careful calling “wants” “needs” and confusing the ideas, I feel like we need to take the same caution with “rights” and “needs.”  Maybe, all we have the right to in the end is the freedom to satisfy our own needs in a way that doesn’t diminish others’ rights to satisfy their needs.  This all sounds good enough, but it is very difficult in practice.  Especially, in a world where shocking headlines of “rights violations” can keep citizens from thinking critically about the implications of a society of having so many rights and where they conflict in practice.

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On Customer Input

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On Customer Input

Customer input results not only in insights into functionality, price, and features, but in empathy. Empathy is much more valuable.

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