Color Code Your Life

Several years ago, my young daughter was helping me organize my work office after a move down the hall.  The stacks of business books that I had accumulated over the years (and referred to periodically and wanted to keep handy) promised us a very long evening. Then I considered explaining to her how to organize them, by theme or if we should painstakingly alphabetize them. It occurred to us that the easiest (and dare I say, the fastest) way would be to organize them by spine color in rainbow series. Red book covers lead to orange, then yellow, green, blue, purple, and then white and, finally, black. It took only a few minutes to organize the books this way and it had a few surprising and pleasant consequences.

It turned the practical into art:  I can’t tell you how many people have walked into my office and commented on my books.  “Did you organize your books by color?” they would ask as they smiled. This library of business books became an art installation which people wanted to talk about.  It really does look great and brings a smile to my face, and to office guests, every time. Books became a conversation piece and helped my guests and colleagues get to know me better, not just because of the titles on the shelf, but how they were arranged.  And I can tell you that I really like authors who write red books and orange books are trending.

It made things easier to find: Come to find out, I can rarely remember the exact title or the name of the author, but 9 times out of 10 I can picture a book’s cover.  This narrows the search considerably and within a few seconds I have the volume in hand. I know others’ might not have this kind of visual memory, but I suspect many of us do.  Forget the Dewey Decimal System, this is the hue-ey decimal system (I couldn’t resist). This is especially useful as I have recently relocated across the country to Atlanta, and found it was easy (and fun) to set up my home office for maximum productivity using this now familiar system.

It sparked my imagination:  As art often does, my book arrangement sparked new ideas.  I am working now on a system to organize my Outlook calendar to align appointments, meetings, and blocked time to my goals using color cues.  For me, new business development work is green, one big project is yellow, family priorities are purple, and, naturally, any time spent building out my new network in Atlanta is red (the ubiquitous color of the Falcons, Hawks, Atlanta United, UGA, GSU, and classic Atlanta brands like Coca-Cola, Chick-Fil-A, and newcomer, Honeywell…need I go on?).  Perhaps for the freelancer or consultant reading this article any paid “billable hour” work is blue and any office work is orange. You can do this manually or using conditional formatting, it can be done auto-magically as you create or accept calendar entries. You can use a more sophisticated time or task tracking tool (like a CRM) for even more insights.  Turning my calendar into a visual dashboard of how I am spending my time is generating new insights and changing my behavior. The adage is true that you manage what you measure. Try it yourself and at a glance, you can see if you are investing your time – your most precious and limited commodity – fully to your goals and priorities.

Now you might be asking a different question: why do I hold on to these physical books in a world of instant Internet searches, ebook readers, and, frankly, when often the Harvard Business Review synopsis of the book is better than the long form?  It is because I know it works for me. I like books. I dog-ear the pages and write in the margins.   Sure, I sometimes snap quotes into Evernote for future blog posts, but in the meantime, I like them stacked on my night stand and standing in a colorful array in my office.

And, I hope that one day when I write my New York Times best seller, you will all still have bookshelves, maybe even sorted by color, and will appreciate the hue of the book jacket I chose.

_________

This article was originally published on The Buzz on April 6, 2017.  Special thanks to Jeff Hilimire from Dragon Army for renewing inspiration to color code my calendar.

Your Signature Dish

According to extensive research into success and performance, each one of us approaches our work with a unique formula.  When we are at our best, we tap into some natural talents, abilities, or experiences that we have honed.  In his book, StrengthFinders, Tom Rath uses Gardner's research and outlines 34 themes or traits that show up in different combinations in these success recipes.

I recently took mine again and was amazed at the consistency from previous times I have taken the assessments under different circumstances, in different cities, and for different purposes.  It seems that each of us have a "go to" recipe that becomes our signature dish.

Mine are Strategic, Maximizer, Positivity, Activator, and WOO (winning others over).  This time Communication made it back onto the list as well.

So, what do these mean?

For me, they combine to create this recipe.

I see the big picture.  I know how to make it better.  I am positive it will work. 
How soon can we start?  Who's with me?

When I first articulated this, a long-time colleague joked that this was the pattern of most of the emails she received from me.  I suspect she was right.

Those familiar with the assessments know that one of my themes is in the Strategic Thinking category, one is in Relationship Building, and three are in Influencing.  Using my kitchen analogy, this represents my balance of salty and sweet.  The Strategic and Maximizer seek out data, insight, and analysis until actionable patterns begin to emerge.  Those patterns build confidence with Positivity and momentum with Activator.  Activator also indicates my comfort with (and, frankly, need for) experimentation.  We often can only start with a minimum viable offering or a test, but that then informs our strategy and our confidence for further investments.  And throughout, with communication and influence, I am "Winning Others Over" (WOO).  Creating the motivation to bring customers or colleagues in alignment with the new vision.

I can point to dozens and dozens of examples in my career where my recipe delivered great results.  It is the common theme up and down my resume.  Not everyone would have approached the problems or situations in the same way, and in fact, those perspectives are critical for strategic planning and action (and must be actively sought out, especially from those who are quiet in group settings or need more time for analysis).  But underlying the successes is a creativity, energy, and conviction that prompts people to action and helps the business achieve more than it thought it could.  It's my winning formula.  It's my signature dish.

What is yours?  I am curious to know what others have found in their StrengthsFinders assessments and how they are utilizing it to play more to their strengths every day. 

Next week, I am attending a workshop where this and other assessments will combine to create a clearer picture of purpose and vision.  For someone who likes to see the big picture and collaborate towards making things better, this is perfect.  It just can't come soon enough.

Attitude is Key

“You can’t have a good day with a bad attitude, and you can’t have a bad day with good attitude.” – Brian Kutchma

For more on the importance of a good attitude, read From the Inside Out: What To Do When the Air Gets Dense.

You Look Fine

“If your head’s on straight, your hair will be fine.” – Cam (singer/songwriter)

On Newsworthiness

“What people say isn’t news.  What people do is news.” – Marci Rossell (former Chief Economist on CNBC)

On Living Longer and Well

“Anger shortens your life.  Gratitude increases the quality of life.” – John Foley

On Innovation

“Expertise is the enemy of innovation” – Stephen Shapiro

To read more about innovation, check out, What Fire Teaches Us About Innovation.

Millennials

Millennials aren’t the problem.  They are the solution.

For more of my thoughts on millennials, read Generation Gaps, Millennials, and the Future.

Key to Career Fulfillment

“Accurate self-assessment is essential to great career choices.” – Tom Monahan, Norton Street Capital

For more on self-assessment, read Know Thyself: The Toolbox.

Hear My Talk on Marketing Mob

I participated in a podcast with Marketing Mob on February 13th.  Watch the recording here.

The Truth About Popularity

“If you want to make enemies, try to change something.” – Woodrow Wilson

What is the Grit in Your Oyster?

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.

Hard Work

“The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately.” -  Brian Kutchma

On Commerce

“Customers rarely buy what the business thinks they are selling.” - Peter Drucker

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

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.

3 Reasons for Optimism

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.

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

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.

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?

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"