"I just kept going" Scott Stratten on TED

I wrote about letting go of my iphone and blackberry over the summer, I think that the best way to find energy is to be present here and now and switch off my constant running, sprinting towards the future. Here is Scott Stratten telling this story in a much more powerful and personal way on TEDx (RSS: link to video on blog). This is worth 15 minutes of your time.



I have been writing an article on "the cult of busy-ness" for the last few weeks. I believe most business has replaced productivity and smarts with "busy-ness". I listen to conversation after conversation that go:

"How was your week?"
"Terrible. Busy. So many emails... got to get urgent proposal out..."
"Yeah."
"And you? good week?"
"Really busy. Too much stuff. Meetings... emails... my boss doesn't understand..."

We need to break this cycle. It is killing us. It is killing intelligence and innovation and it is killing human beings.

It takes courage to write simply.

I force students in my class to chose no more than 3 benefits when preparing a persuasive speech.  I am always happy to have my views reinforced...

Roger Parker did a great interview with Carmine Gallo, author of The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs a few days ago.

I loved Carmine's clarity and he commented that it was a holdover from his journalism training and early professional experience.  He said that journalists learn 3 important things:

1. Write to deadlines. 
2. Answer the question: “Why should my viewers care?”.
3. Experts and Writers want to tell everything. A journalist learns to focus on the 3 most important things.

"Most books on communication are written by PhDs for PhDs. We need books written by good communicators for real people looking for practical tips." Carmine Gallo

It takes courage to write simply.  Academics will say: “it is too simple.”

The Mindful Entrepreneur

My short article "The Mindful Entrepreneur" was published in Entrepreneurs' Organisation Octane magazine this month.  The story of why I got rid of the iPhone and Blackberry devices from my life last year and how I have reduced my use of email.

Have a great Sunday.  Going for a walk in Collserola park this morning.

Speaking on IESE News - The Chile Mine Rescue

I'm on IESE news with a 3 minute video Leadership Lessons from the Chile Mine rescue: IESE News - The Chile Mine Rescue

Leadership lessons from the Chile mine rescue

I watched the rescue of the Chilean miners yesterday morning.  It was an emotional scene. The miners coming one by one hoisted to the surface in a coffin-like metal cage from their cave through 620m of rock.  Each miner arrived to a wave of cheers of "Chi-Chi-Chi... Le-Le-Le... Chile!".  Each miner reacted in his own particular way - some shouting, some hugging family, some praying.  The second miner out had brought a bag of rocks to hand out as souvenirs to the rescue team.

If you haven't seen it, I watched the CNN coverage of the rescue here.  I was inspired by Stanford Professor Bob Sutton's recent post Chile's President to Luis Urzua "you acted like a good boss".  His blog is regularly updated with interesting content on leadership and workplace challenges.

Three people stood out for their leadership in this 69 day odyssey.

Sebastian Piñera - Chilean President. Announced from day one that Chile's objective was the rescue attempt and that this was a priority.  He set no dates or deadlines.  He gave no false hopes.  He set a vision but let others define the map.  Second, he ensured that each small win along the way was celebrated - without ever letting the euphoria overtake the hard work still to come.  Clarity of purpose and celebration of the little wins.

Luis Urzua - the shift supervisor, the leader of the 33 miners trapped underground.  We expect 2 things from our leaders:  competence and compassion.  Competence to do their job well.  Compassion to care for the people they lead.  Luis had both.  He organised the group.  They had defined areas for sleeping, for exercise, for daytime.  They had electric lighting simulating 12 hours day, and switched it off for simulated night.  He rationed the food and set specific eating times.  He brought a small predictability for the miners confronting a massive uncertainty.  He was compassionate.  He ate last, and ate least.  He was the last to leave the mine.  When he emerged, President Piñera said to him "You acted like a good boss".  Competence and compassion.

Mario Gomez - the eldest of the trapped miners.  He was the leader of the parties, of the fun videos that the miners had made during their ordeal.  He took a leading role as spiritual guide to the miners.  He ensured that fun and enthusiasm was part of every day.  In a situation of such tension, these moments of fun were so important in keeping up hope and maintaining morale. The importance of fun.

When 63 year old Mario Gomez emerged he spoke on camera with the Presidents of Chile and Brazil.  He said: "Sometimes you need something to happen to really reflect that you only have one life. I am changed, I am a different man."

The biggest lesson, my simple reflection...  33 people faced an extreme situation and kept their humanity. They kept hope.  Chile dedicated its resources and achieved a big deal.  They kept faith.  We are capable of much more than we know.  Chile showed its best under extreme situations.  In this extreme event each leader, each politician, each boss, each person sought to serve others, to do the right thing. It was a moment worthy of celebration.

Lessons of Leadership:

• Discipline provides predictability in an uncertain world
• Leadership is a team sport
• Marathon not sprint
• Celebrate small wins
• Compassion, Own needs last
• Fun makes life worth living

How to do my best writing

• in new places. I write better in Starbucks than at home; the Library is good.
• around other people who are writing
• after a nap
• while reading
• after watching TED videos
• after speaking to interested people (not interesting, interested)
• when I am not trying to write a "great" post, article, book

The 7 most important words in management

I read this over on Terry Starbucker's blog a while back and wrote it down in my notebook.

The 7 most important words in management are: "I don't know but I will find out"

When you are blocked for an answer and under pressure and tempted to guess...  remember the seven important words.

Making good first impressions via Email

Eleven ways to improve email.

1. Subject Line: In your subject line, give the recipient a reason to read your message. When replying, change the subject line if the topic changes. Make it easy to forward.
2. Be specific: Know what you want and communicate it clearly. Ask yourself “what do I want the reader to do immediately after reading this email?”  Be prepared for the question: “How can I help you?”
3. Ask for Action: Others cannot always guess what we want. What specific action are you looking for?
4. Gratitude: If someone agrees to help you, show your appreciation. If the person declines, for whatever reason, thank him or her for considering your request.
5. Human-ify: Set up your e-mail software so your name appears with your address. 
6. Domain communicates: It is more professional to use a business domain (@iese.net or @[myname].com) than generic services like yahoo, hotmail or gmail.
7. Signature: Use a professional signature. Here are some good signature examples over at Wisestamp. - I use Wisestamp within google mail)

   

   Example of a professional signature

8. CC: Use “cc” only when all recipients know each other. Use “bcc” when sending to a group, to maintain individual anonymity. After “to” put your e-mail address and then put all recipient addresses in the “bcc” line.
9. (Please) Follow up kindly:  I would love to go to bed knowing that I have responded to every email. I would not sleep much if I did. Please follow up with a copy of the previous email...  not "sent email over a week ago and still waiting for response".
10. Keep it Short: If you find yourself in a fourth and fifth paragraph maybe email is not the right medium.  Perhaps you could pick up the phone.  If you find you are making 2 or 3 different requests... perhaps, ask for the one most important (or easiest for giver?).
11. Don't Send: 
1. If it is to schedule a meeting. Use doodle or a calendar management application such as google calendar.  10 people looking for a mutually convenient date via email will generate 50 responses, frustration and no meeting.
2. If it is in anger.  The words will still be there years later when you are no longer angry.
3. If it is to criticize. Best by phone or in person. Or not at all. 

Any other ways we can improve email?  What is your bugbear when it comes to use or mis-use of email?

Upcoming Webinar: The 3 Networks of Successful Leaders

EO Core Value #4: Cool

The Entrepreneurs' Organisation (EO) will be hosting my webinar "The 3 Networks of Successful Leaders" on the 14th of October.

Successful leaders build 3 carefully nurtured networks (Operational, Personal, and Strategic).  In these 30 minutes I will provide 7 simple tools to accelerate the building of your three networks.

Dial in and web access information:

EO Inside Track Call

Date: Thursday 

14 October 2010

Time: 2pm EST (my time?)

Who: Conor Neill

Topic: The 3 Networks of Success

Web Log on

www.readyshow.com

Passcode: 57200505

Dial in

Passcode: 57200505#

US: 1-877-643-6951

Canada: 1-877-722-6536

Mexico: 001-800-514-9841

New Zealand 0-800-450-879

Panama: 00-800-226-9841

Int'l: 1-302-607-2017

France 0-800-913-839

Germany 0-800-184-4851

Netherlands 0-800-022-6452

South Africa 0-800-982-556 

Switzerland 0-800-563-397

United Arab Emirates 800-017-0663 

United Kingdom 0-808-101-7575 

Following are Mobile Restricted

Portugal 800-819-694 

Russia 810-800-268-51012

Spain 900-937-889

Sweden 10-20797384 

EO Members - more event information available here on EO Network.  I would love to have you join the session.

Any questions - in comments, facebook or twitter.  My post from last year on Networking 101 is a good introduction, but this seminar will cover new material and insights.

3 key moments in a human life

Warren Rustand said that there are 3 key moments in a human life:

Warren Rustand

1. Realise - Realise why you are here.  Realise what is your gift that must be shared with the world. 
2. Decide - Decide to do something about it.
3. Act - Actually do something about it.

There are a few lucky people that get moments 1, 2 and 3 together when they are young - successful sports stars (Rafa Nadal, Christiano Ronaldo, Leo Messi); great solo musicians (Barry Douglas, Yo Yo Ma). 

For the rest of us, this occurs later in life.

In the normal human life, moment 1 tends to occur around the age of 45.  Moment 2 happens about 10 years later, around 55.

And, Moment 3...   moment 3 happens at the time of the first heart attack.

I wrote about Warren Rustand (Rights Without Responsibilities) in February 2010 after my trip to the Entrepreneurs's Organisation University in Saudi Arabia.

Why do customers leave?

I am in IESE's Aula Magna in Barcelona with the EMBA class of 2011.  Sebastian Escarrer, Vice President of Sol Melia (they have 300 hotels with 35,000 employees in 30 countries) is speaking to the group about the challenges facing family businesses, and business leaders in the current times.

One slide that I found of great interest was information from Sol Melia on why their customers stop using their hotels:

• 1%      Death
• 3%      Move
• 5%      Influence of friends
• 9%      Switch to the Competition
• 14%    Dissatisfaction with product
• 68%    Feel they have been treated with indifference by company employees.

7 out of 10 customers lost due to indifference of front-line employees.

Indifference from company employees is the destroyer of value.  A great product, a great price, good referrals...  all lead to nothing if my first interaction with a company is with a frustrated employee who does not care about me.

I wonder how much Sol Melia have invested in "product" - 300 hotels?  

I wonder how much Sol Melia have invested in developing employee attitude?  Would it reach even 1% of what is invested in land and buildings?