“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
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As in other technological evolutions…
9: RELATIONSHIP TECH
As in other technological evolutions…
…relationship tech will begin its innovation in the avant garde, then work back to the familiar.
R-tech first appears in the world of the web, but will gradually infiltrate the world of canned goods and sports equipment, as well as TV shows and vacation spots. Eventually it reaches the final stage in the progression of customer relations:
To change what a customer wants. The ongoing tango between customer and provider draws them together until their identities disappear at times. This is especially true in frontier arenas, where expertise is usually in short supply. At first there is no authority on what customers want or what providers should deliver–as in these early days of the web and e-commerce. Expertise has to be developed jointly, coevolved. Customers must be trained and educated by the company to teach them what they need, and then the company is trained and educated by the customers. We saw precisely this equation in the pioneer days of online conferencing about a decade ago. When email and chat began, no one knew the difference between great email and okay email, between fabulous chat areas and average chat areas. The best online companies learned all they knew from their first customers. But the customers, too, had little expertise of what to expect and so relied on the visions and vaporware suggested by the companies. Customer and company educated each other on what was possible.
Discover the key element that’s missing from 99% of businesses!
Last week, I wrote one of the most popular posts ever on this blog. It was about the difference between doing normal work, and doing work that matters. I recommend you read it, before continuing with this post.
One of the many emails I received following that post, was from Giles Payne in Canada. Giles asks an excellent question, which echoed what the majority of you asked me. Here’s the question along with my answer:
I know it’s impossible to tell each reader what we, individually, should do in order to switch to the work that matters model, but can you help us with some ideas on where to start, Jim?
Your craft
The best general advice I can give, regarding where you should start, is with your craft.
- Your craft is the element of your work, which is uniquely you.
- Your craft is the creativity you inject into what you do.
- Your craft is about creating something fresh, which then touches the lives of other people.
If you give 100 people a pencil and paper and ask them to draw a bridge, you will get 100 unique drawings. Each of these drawings shows how that person sees and depicts a bridge. No one is right. No one is wrong. Everyone is unique.
In business, those who successfully apply their craft, accept the fact that they are unique and allow their uniqueness to touch everything they do. Commercially, the magic begins when your craft produces something, which others see unique value in. Doing work that matters is what I call the development and delivery of your craft.
The majority of business owners struggle, because they focus on being like their competitors, but just a little, cheaper, faster or better. By being to similar to their competitors, they render themselves almost invisible. They get into the numbers game. They find themselves selling on price, not value.
How doing work that matters can be a game changer
Imagine you are looking to buy a tablet device today. For most people, they are faced with the following question: Do I buy an iPad or one of the other devices? In reality, that is not the correct question. There are dozens of choices and some are very good indeed. The thing is, Steve Jobs’ approach to doing work that matters, means Apple produced a game-changing device that has so far, eclipsed everything else.
It’s worth remembering that Apple were not first to market with a tablet by a LONG way! Toshiba and others were producing tablet devices many years before Apple; yet they failed to produce anything that excited the marketplace. They simply produced what were essentially laptops, with a touch screen. They failed to use their craft to develop something fresh and compelling.
Sharing your craft
It takes courage to share your craft with the marketplace, rather than do work that’s expected. That’s because the more unique you are, the more visible you become. If there are 10,000 people standing in a stadium, wearing white shirts, and you are standing in the middle, wearing a red shirt, you will draw more attention than any of them. That’s because people’s attention is drawn to that, which is different.
Here on this blog, I share my craft with you very publicly. I try to write useful material for you, based on my unique experience and my particular approach to marketing and business development. Everything I do here is visible. Every idea I share is open to debate. However, as a direct result of sharing my craft, every day a subset of my readers contact me, to see how I can help them develop their business.
Whilst I’m sharing my craft here, there are marketing providers all over the world, attending networking groups, pestering people for business leads. Many of those marketing providers are talented. However, they need to ask people for referrals, because they focus on doing what’s expected, rather than applying their craft to doing work that matters. I have helped dozens of fellow marketing professionals to overcome this challenge and the first step always, is to focus on your craft. That is my suggestion to you too, regardless of your industry or profession.
That’s a pretty long answer to that initial question, but the subject is way too important to dismiss with anything less.
I hope you found this post useful!
How to Share Bad News
I’ll echo the many leaders who have praised the grace under pressure Bill Hybels showed at The Global Leadership Summit at Willow Creek. As many of you know, Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks canceled his speaking appearance due to an online petition from the homosexual community threatening to boycott Starbucks should Shultz speak at the supposedly “anti-gay” church. Schultz decided to cancel, and the Summit let him out of his contract.
What was remarkable, then, is how well Bill handled the situation. I noticed a few things about his announcement that I’ll keep in my file the next time I’m forced to share bad news:
1. He explained the situation accurately, and without judgment for either Mr Schultz or the homosexual community.
2. He corrected the misunderstanding that led to the protest, while also acknowledging a difficult truth that led to the misunderstanding.
3. He showed Mr. Schultz grace and understood his position, even asking the audience for empathy for Mr. Shultz.
4. He invited the audience to “take action” by showing kindness to Starbucks and Mr. Schultz as a way of further dispelling the misunderstanding that led to the protest.
I thought he did a terrific job in a difficult situation. Here’s the clip:
Bill Hybels Addresses Speaker Change at The Global Leadership Summit
How to Share Bad News is a post from: Donald Miller’s Blog
via donmilleris.com
Spotify – How it Will Help Your Music Career
Spoify, a music service with instant access to over 13,000,000 songs, launched in the United States last month to huge buzz. Users have three options to access it. There is a free service, with limited access and commercials, a “computer” based sevice with unlimited access for $4.99/month, and a “mobile” service, also with unlimited access, but with higher quality streaming for both computers and mobile devices for $9.99.
It’s a great service. More or less, you type the artist you want to listen to, click on the song you want, and it starts playing.
And I think it’s good for the music business. At the height of the business, when people were both new CDs as well as back catalog, to replace worn out vinyl and cassette albums, the average consumer was spending about $3/month, which was split between retailers, distributors, labels, publishers, songwriters, producers, and artists.
If we can get 2-3x that money, without worrying about the “middlemen” and costs of physical distribution, we’ll be in good shape as far as revenue.
Plus, a service like Spotify allows consumers to explore music. You can find an artist that you like and, instead of focusing on one album or a single you’ve heard, you can dig deeper, going into back catalog and more obscure recordings, of which Spotify has many.
This gets people more interested in and involved with the acts they like. Knowing one song is great, but knowing entire albums worth of material creates a relationship.
Imagine having fans who knew everything that you’ve ever done, thanks to a service that paid you every time your music was played? That’s Spotify.
Spotify, and services like it, will help you to develop the type of fans you’re looking for. People who have access to music like this are more likely to come to a live show, more likely to buy a t-shirt or other mechandise, and more likely to support you in future endeavors.
If your music is not available on Spotify, you can make that happen now via CD Baby or Ditto Music.
It’s that time again…
Next month I will undergo my 8th CT scan and my next battery of lab work and other tests. I started down this road almost 5 years ago. On November 17th 2006, I found out I had a tumor the size of a cantaloupe in my colon. Well, it didn’t stay contained in the colon. It had attached itself to the abdominal wall, small intestine, another section of the large intestine, and the bladder. December 4th, 2006 I had surgery to attempt to remove this beast. The surgeon was successful in removing the tumor along with a bladder resection and colon and small intestine resections. On December 7th, 2006 the pathology report showed that there was no cancer to be found in my system. Nothing in the margins, and 22 out of 22 lymph nodes completely clean. Since then, I had six months of intensive chemo. My oncologist termed that preventative. I have been since visiting my oncologist every three months. I was scheduled to do that for 5 years. I have been informed if my results come back like all of my previous results that I will be declared “cancer free” by the oncologist and released as a patient.
My last CT result still showed a small spot on my liver . However, I have been informed by my oncologist that it is nothing and I should not be concerned. While yes, they found a spot, ALL other labs, blood work and markers are “perfect”. AMAZING! This journey has never been about me. It has always been about God and His glory.
So what’s the next step? We keep moving. We keep living a healthy lifestyle for both my physical being as well as my spiritual.
Stay tuned…because I know God is not finished, with me or this journey. Exciting things are coming out of this journey. More on that later.
For now thanks for the prayers and support. See you next time.
Seth’s Blog: The talking pad
Zig Ziglar taught me about the most powerful way to use a yellow legal pad. He calls it a “talking pad.”
When you’re in a small meeting (you and one or two other people) it’s awkward to use a laptop or Powerpoint, because it destroys the intimacy of the discussion. Basically, it says, “I’m going to talk to the screen and you can watch, okay?”
The alternative is to use a thick pen or marker and a legal pad.
Whenever you mention a number or make an assertion or promise, write it down. The act of writing is a verb, it’s the process of putting it on the page that underlines what you’ve said, that highlights the moment. You’re also creating a record of what you said, which emphasizes that you’re not a weasel.
Salespeople can use this technique as well. Let’s say you’re trying to sell energy-efficient windows. They cost $800 each, the person needs 30, so you’re trying to make a $24,000 sale. That’s a big deal, right?
Start by writing these facts down.
Then, working with the person you’re sitting with, identify how much is going to be saved every day. Not your opinion, but their estimate based on their energy bill and comparable homes. Agree on a number. Write it down.
Cut it in half. Now it’s truly a realistic, conservative estimate. Write it down.
Multiply it by the number of windows. Write it down. People hate math.
Now, pull out your calculator and figure out the cost of the monthly financing. Oh! The cost is way lower than the amount saved. The windows are free.
The talking pad makes the sale. It builds credibility and helps you run the meeting.
What gets in the way of change?
What gets in the way of change?
Greetings, great ones. Have you every wondered what really gets in the way of people changing and improving their own lives? Most New Years resolutions end in failure; close to 90% of the goals we set fail by the end of the year. What gets in the way our good intentions? Well an understanding of why most people resist change can help us all change.
Over the years I have discovered 5 key barriers that keep us from making the progress we want to make.
1. Fear of the unknown and general uncertainty:
At times we allow ourselves to lock-up with fear and become paralyzed with uncertainty. Because change is happening so rapidly we fear the potential negative effects of what is going on around us.
Fear and worrying about things we cannot control, will waste much of our energy. We will never regret putting our energy where our biggest leverage points are in our life, and focusing on the things that we can control instead of those we cannot.
2. No compelling reason to change:
Simply put without a clear compelling reason to change, improve, and grow most people will not change. We tend to live within our comfort zones. In an ever-changing world, living in the comfort zone can be a very dangerous place.
Creatively thinking or actively approaching new situations with fresh ideas and behaviors can help us build a core around learning, growing and changing. Creating a clear inspiring reason to change makes all the difference.
3. Lack of vision for a better future:
Without vision we fail. Clear, long-term goals can make a huge difference in our lives. Over our lives we will create what we believe, and believe what we achieve, first in our minds then in our actions. You have been given unique talents and abilities that will allow you to contribute to the world in a marvelous manner and leave a great legacy, regardless of your color, culture, and economic status in life.
Your vision or long-term goals should inspire you to do things differently every day, every week, every month and every year.
4 . We don’t know how to change:
The concept of making needed changes in our lives can be overwhelming. Change is not easy. It requires effort and focus. Having a proven process can really help move things along. Weight Watchers has a great process to help people lose weight and improve their health. It is built around counting calories through a points system, making choices, and changing your thinking and behavior about food. It breaks everything down for you and has proven to work for millions.
Friends, mentors, coaches and teachers are great sources of information to help you pick a clear process to change, no matter what change you want to make…their successful personal experiences, how they changed, can help you change and in turn when you change, you can help others change.
5. No accountability to change:
With out someone you love and trust to hold you accountable to a new and better future, the likelihood of change springing up all on its own is low. Once we have laid bad habit tracks they are so easy to return to, unless we have some sort of intervention.
The key here is that “its all about the love”. The accountability that is needed is one of encouragement and support. Connect with people in your life that lift you and love you. We all need more friends that believe in us.
Never underestimate the power we have to change ourselves as we get rid of fear, create meaning, establish a clear vision, work with a proven process, and surround ourselves with people who love us and support our desire to learn, grow and change for the good.
How have you enabled change in your life? How did you remove the mental roadblocks that stood in the way of change? What has helped you?
I would love to hear from you.
Next Post: 7 key rules for change.
Author: Sam Bracken, Global Director of Product Management Marketing, FranklinCovey
Picking a studio, engineer or producer – discount the silly list of names.
How many of you have read a resume or bio from someone in the music industry such as a studio, an engineer or a producer and run into a strange list of names. You know, “I work with This Person who worked with That Person.” While this impresses a few fans and friends, it actually makes you look worse to the industry. The name dropping doesn’t fool anyone….anyone = the people who matter. Yeah, I’m talking to you, studios and producers. Instead of just appearing strong, why not funnel that energy into actually being strong?
There is referencing that is beneficial and then there is just outright bragging. Like I said, come off strong, but let’s clearly define that. Ego, bragging and arrogance are overdone. In a way, by going over the top, instead of standing out, you are just dropping yourself in to the bag with a truck load of other mediocre studios, engineers and producers. Instead, showcase what you have really done and how you really do things.
Too many musicians are presented such a line of crap when it comes to booking a studio or hiring a producer or an engineer. They spend the time, the money and the effort and then find out they were not able to get what they wanted or what they thought they would get for their recording.
It is the responsibility of the studio, producer and engineer to showcase what they have done. It is the responsibility of the artist to find out exactly what has been done at the studio and the reliability of the resume that the producers and engineers offer. Market yourself and/or your studio to its strengths. Be up front about what you are bringing to the table so when someone checks up on you, you still look honorable.
How does it really work in your favor to lie or exaggerate?
Studios talk about how so and so recorded there twenty years ago. Should that really be something that compels someone to want to use that studio? Was it the same engineer, the same producer, the same budget or the same session players? A lot more should go into the decision for someone who is choosing a studio. It comes down to what is happening now. People brag about recording in the same studio as this musician or that musician, but this really doesn’t help the musician.
It is basically the equivalent of someone saying, hey, I pitched two innings of baseball at Fenway Park in Boston for a little league championship. Now, while it is cool to be in the same room, that is nowhere near the caliber of the Red Sox pitchers that play professional baseball. It is like giddy-happy joy that “I recorded where Personal Musical Hero of Mine recorded!” Which is great, but doesn’t really do much for someone who isn’t them.
Instead
Listen to the most recent stuff from that studio. Find out who is engineering there now and their abilities. Find out what the budget was for the recordings and demos you hear.
I have done a great deal of over-produced and excessively budgeted albums that I do not use as samples these days. I play people the samples from the studio I use now, the team I work with now and under the budgets that I work with now. Hearing a two-hundred thousand dollar recording when you’re after a budget that is ten percent of that or less is the equivalent of a car salesman saying, “Hey, I know your price range is a Hyundai but let’s test drive the BMW to give you a sense of it.”
That makes no sense does it? Would you test drive the BMW? Hell, no. You’d find a salesman who actually listened to what you wanted and could afford.
When a studio says that this band or that band recorded there, make sure you know the details. Just because someone has recorded in a room or a studio or worked with a producer or engineer does not mean they that particular artist liked it. I have been credited with working in studios that I went in to as a favor for someone else or was paid to do a session in that I would personally never choose to return to. I know there are people I have worked with where I didn’t click with them and they didn’t click with me, so in turn, I don’t reference them as I am sure they don’t reference me.
The point is make calls, send emails, ask questions and make sure you know what you are getting into before you invest into it. Make sure you can find out all the information you can to secure the right choice.
Conclusion: Replace the soft BS with the hard facts.
Find out the facts about the rooms, the engineers, the producers. Find out what has been recorded there and find out the details, like what kind of budget was involved, how many days, what other aspects played a part of the recording. In the end, your recording is a key part of presenting your sound, your songs and music. Make sure you are doing it right, and with the right people and in the right places.
© Loren Weisman 2009