Build A Better Box

(author's note: this post is paraphrased from a recent post I made to our city's Chamber of Commerce blog, and wanted to share my thoughts here, as well. -Steve)

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As a media development company (video/TV/radio/interactive), we often interface with businesses and ad agencies in an effort to increase our clients' brand and market presence. But one thing we often see lacking in their efforts is something available to them free. And in this day and age, who doesn't like free?

Our Chamber is often said to be among the most active, progressive, and dynamic in the country; and from what we have seen so far, I believe this to be true. There is a veritable treasure trove of sub-committees, special interest groups, and helpful individuals within our community - all of whom are eager to lend a hand, ear, mind, or anything else they can. They represent a far-reaching network and powerful ally, and guess what? All of you reading this are also part of this wonderful microcosm.

More than merely having an interest, we should consider it an obligation to ourselves to help broaden and strengthen the network around us, as we are truly the stewards of our community. It does not build itself, and like any other living thing, it must be nurtured and cared for in order that it may grow and serve us back. And it's OK to have an agenda, an ulterior motive, an anticipation of some personal gain. We expect that if we put in an effort, there will be beneficial returns. And what benefits one will benefit many.

Look forward to connecting, and see you 'round town.

When I was in 4th or 5th grade, my brother and I were in Cub Scouts. And like most good scouts, we participated in fundraisers. One year, my troop was tasked with selling Christmas ornaments. He who made the most sales received the distinction of getting to walk up on stage at an end-of-year award ceremony and be recognized in front of all the other scouts. Well, I lived out in the boondocks, so making sales - as charming as I may have been - was something achieved few and far between. Nonetheless, I managed to sell a bloody ton of ornaments through good old-fashioned pounding the pavement; door-to-door at its most vigilant.

Well, as noble as my effort was, there was one resourceful kid who beat me out using another bit of old-fashioned knowledge: own the system, don't work for it. He outsourced! He did what so many other kids these days do: he got his dad to do the hawking for him. This kid must have supplied his old man with caseloads of ornaments, so that he could take them to work and sell them to all the staff. Hey, we've all seen this before: "My kid is selling pies; be a pal and order a couple." If you're a boss, and you hit up all your faithful, work-to-get-ahead employees, how can you lose? (Ouch... when did I get so cynical? Oh yeah, when I lost the Cub Scout sales award. Now I remember.)

I learned a lot then, but the lessons would really not be realized until years later. While I took the long, time-consuming, labor-intensive route and sold ornaments on a 1:1 individual basis, capitalizing on the bare minimum of sold goods-per-lead, the other kid pulled off a wholesale approach by sending cases of ornaments to a single point of distribution - his father's office - and outsourced the selling and distribution. Dad got the good feeling of helping his son, the scouts racked up a ton of sales, and the kid got the accolades for doing nothing more than delegating. While I honed my salesmanship, he unwittingly accrued upper management and business ownership skills.

Now, as smart as that kid was - perhaps even without his knowing at the time - he missed the whole point of the exercise: to learn how to sell. Yes, he won the award, but he never got the selling experience that the scouts intended him to have. To this end, a word of advice to all parents: let your kids do their own selling! It's not about how many apple pies or reindeer made out of clothespins that get pawned off; it's about the "art of the sale" itself that every kid should learn. After all, selling - at a base level - makes the world go 'round.

As was suggested to me this morning, one needs to know enough about the system in order to know how to best work the system. One of the best things any kid should do? Open a lemonade stand! And if not lemonade, then cookies, birdhouses, or magazine subscriptions. Learn and develop the skills that will refine over time, building the foundation for not just a good entrepreneur or leader, but a great one.

If someone were to tell me five years ago that my life would be as it is now, I wouldn't necessarily be surprised, but it would certainly sound like one of those science fiction parallel universe stories. In fact, even a single year ago was quite a bit different from now.

How often in our lives are we able to truly predict what will happen next with any real degree of certainty? We plot our courses and set sail - often with a flight plan, so to speak - but do we always reach our destination? And if we do, is it in the way we intended? Did we get thrown off course, or spring a leak in the hull along the way?

One of our well known corporate clients had a long-running slogan, "You can't predict; you can prepare." I think that's an especially key mantra to live by in this day and age. Given the tumultuous business climate, erratic financial market behavior, and consequently unstable nature of clients' budgets (or even the clients themselves), who among business owners are able to quantify with great certainty how their companies will fare over the next quarter, season, or year? Banks, consultants, and accountants have been saying, "Sure, you've had a great run over the years. But let's see how you do this year." It's a whole new ballgame for business; a "New World Order" as some say. It's time to get creative, but also time to look around and see how prepared we are to weather the storm - come what may.

Like with roulette, each day in business can be like a chance with the wheel. How ready are we for each new spin? Adapting to change and finding new ways of doing old things are notions I often write - and speak to people - about. Indeed, it's central to the theme of this blog. But as much effort as we all put into being adaptable and inventive, so too must effort be put into being proactive in our business strategy. The climate for most businesses can shift as radically as a winter wind. Build a position to be able to react smartly. So no matter what number comes up on the proverbial wheel, you'll have a leg up.

 

It's amazing how many conversations get launched over the title of my blogsite, and the metaphor it suggests. For those new here, it describes a simple notion: thinking outside the box is not the answer. Nearly everything we need is inside the box - in our own hearts and minds and in our stable of resources. What often needs changing is the box itself.  The model. The framework. The rules of engagement. Especially during times of economic downturn, businesses and their people need to find alternative ways of working and creating. But getting outside the box is a bit like running away. Now is the time to focus on the inside, and in recreating our environment - our box.

The face of industry is changing before our eyes, and often suggests looking at a more organic, collaborative approach. In the entire communications industry, alliances with smaller, focused, and highly capable partners - even individuals - are becoming increasingly the norm. Client lists are growing longer and more diverse, as resources are being tapped to act as part of a consortium on a wider variety of projects. And we see fewer larger agencies in a sole capacity to their clients, but rather a rise in smaller shops who form alliances with several team providers.

In the current landscape, there is an increase in the communal, collaborative aspect of business. And specialists - while often preferred - are often now requiring to become "specialized generalists" - multi-disciplined in several capacities. Think also to "the old days" of the nature of early American society: one guy made all the horseshoes while someone else grew the corn, and they bartered. And there was a doctor who might also be the postman. People in settlements used the skills they had, in whatever capacity they could properly provide, to help one another live and prosper.

I am suggesting this paradigm is now once again an appropriate strategy. And frankly, for some businesses, it represents their greatest chance for survival.

There are added benefits: for starters, reduced competition in one's market. In the case of otherwise competitors joining forces, there become fewer options to the buying market, and therefore a corresponding increased chance for this new alliance to land business - particularly if these collaborators are already strong players in their field. And if each brings their own areas of specialty, along with the shared resources they might enjoy, the resulting alliance is a leaner, stronger, healthier entity than are the collaborators individually. 1+1+1 can equal 6.

How are you approaching your business model?

Thanks for reading, and I welcome your feedback.

 

 

Perspective.  It can be the best medicine.  It's an amazing thing: it is free of charge, and can work instantaneously.  It's like the saying my mother used to tell me as a kid, "I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."  One minute, life is terrible.  Until fresh perspective comes along and saves the day.

"Things could always be worse."  And that's usually true, as bad as things may be at the moment.  Did you get a flat tire on the way to work?  Be happy it wasn't in the middle of the desert at 3am.  It goes hand in hand with "look on the bright side."  While it may be difficult to find even so much as a thread of silver lining in the bad times, it's usually there - burried beneath a few layers of muck. 

In the movie Ratatouille, film critic Anton Ego suggests that the young restaurateur - Linguini - offer to serve him up some "fresh perspective."  Something that might change his mind about the restaurant and the way he perceived it.  Linguini did just that, and served Ego a plate of Ratatouille - a dish that brought Ego back to memories of his childhood.  He insisted on meeting the chef - a rat, of course - and after hearing the incredible story, Ego's entire attitude and understanding changed.  Indeed, he was served some "fresh perspective" and saw the restaurant in a whole new light.

What gets us through each day is an ability to look at other sides of the dice that are rolled. Rolling threes may not be as good as a pair of sixes, but at least it's not snake eyes.

 

 

Years ago, I was working with the head of a financial planning company who was also an excellent motivational speaker. His speeches included several memorable aphorisms and parables, among my favorites being along the lines of, "Don't be someone who life merely happens to. Be someone who makes life happen for themselves." In his speaking, he encouraged people to be proactive and not simply reactive. Make financial decisions that set us up for a life of well-prepared planning and sound strategy. And even if occasionally found behind the 8 ball, we can reverse the mindset that causes many of us to feel controlled and not in control.

In business, many of us tend to react to situations at hand with a greater deal of disorganization or forethought when pressed to make decisions under duress.  Emotions come into play to a far greater extent. Our hearts can take over when our heads don't have enough time to make the best decisions. To have a mentality that predicates on a basis of control is to reduce emotional influence, and to make our plans more largely based on logic and prepared tactics.

Ever played a game of chess and felt as though every move was simply a defensive one - a bid to stay alive and merely survive another turn? To minimize casualties and sustain as little damage for as long as possible? Perhaps sacrificing a pawn or two if it means sparing a knight? And the feeling of never being able to get ahead, since all of ones turns are exercised simply to keep afloat?  And what of the other player, who seems in complete charge of the game, sacrificing few - if any - key pieces, making moves with calculated, seemingly effortless flow? This "upper hand" was the result of setting up a strategy that afforded offensive moves with far less need for the defensive, reactionary tactics employed by the lesser-planned player. At the outset of the game, both players started on even ground. Yet after a handful of turns, how does one player fall prey to the other? Is it a matter of not knowing the rules? Not understanding the play of the game? Of course not; the rules are simple. It came down to planned strategy and understanding control.

When we win a new client, was it a stroke of luck? A wistful happenstance? Not so much; it was a result of the control we had over everything that went into winning the heart and mind of the client, from demonstrating our ability to deliver the services and products the client needs, to the promise of value or pricing, to our confidence in our relationships with them. And what of losing a client? How much can be blamed that was truly outside our control, with absolutely no way around an obstacle? How willing might we be to bend and flex, in an effort to maintain something otherwise lost? It is the limitless range of possibilities we possess to adapt, change, and grow that puts us in full control of far greater things than we often give ourselves credit for. 

In summary, as is a common theme in this blog, it can't be stressed enough the importance of a few things:

1. Have a plan! Don't go into anything improvised. It's true we often need to think on our feet and make some fast, intuitive decisions from time to time.  But unlike the fresh, often exhilarating approach to spontaneity we might enjoy in our personal lives, our businesses require forethought and calculated strategies to exist healthily.

2. Stay ahead of the game. Always being prepared for the next several moves, so to speak, will keep us from finding ourselves in a purely reactionary state. Whether it be having enough money in the company coffers to withstand a brief downturn, having the staff and advance resources available to adequately handle new work that comes along quickly and efficiently, or simply having the time available to devote to a crisis that may arise - all these things represent being stabilized, and allow us to act more logically and rationally.

3. Remember: you are in the driver's seat. Will we come in first every race? Not necessarily; but the important part is to understand we achieved each advance position in the circuit based on exercising control over our circumstances and the other drivers on the field. And never take your eye off the rear view mirror by becoming too focused on the road ahead. Every driver behind you wants to be in front as much as you do and will use their own control to achieve this.

Every minute of our day is another move on the chess board. Will we make our moves reactively and defensively, or proactively and on top of the game? Keep in mind the above three things, and you'll live a life of greater control.  And our businesses and personal lives will thrive for it.

 

I have one of those ubiquitous rubber bracelets on my left wrist, my particular one stating, “Life Happens”.  It was a small gift from an insurance client of ours.  I started wearing it a few months ago as a reminder that, indeed, life does “happen”.  But it need not simply happen to us.  In fact, although we are often dealt whatever cards might be next in the stack, we do have a great deal of control over how we choose to respond and act; we play the hand we have, and we can play it to the best of our ability.  Each new card is a challenge presented, and usually a test of our skills, character, and judgment.

As in life, our businesses are run by decisions – great and small.  We are confronted with a myriad obstacles and opportunities.  Like a computer flowchart or decision tree, a crossroads lurks around every bend, and it is up to us as to which path we’ll venture down.  Rarely is our path forced upon us.

At times, we are presented with compelling challenges that defy our experience and business skills.  Sometimes, when logic fails to guide us, we go by an inner compass – our gut.  In short, we follow our heart.  Instinct acts as our guide in the absence of knowledge.

From what I’ve seen over the years, some very good decisions wind up being made almost purely on instinct – a deeply driving force that plays our cards for us, when our own two hands fail to act.  The more often you are able to follow this instinct and achieve success through it, the more confident and secure you will become in making sound future decisions.  And finding true fulfillment means pacifying your heart, not your head.

Here’s your challenge: each day, do something purely from your soul… and see where it takes you.  It just may lead you to a rewarding new place.

Many years ago, I read an article in the Hartford Courant that initially appalled me, after seeing the headline and the first paragraph or so of the article. A group of Tibetan monks was visiting Trinity College in Hartford and created a display of a traditional mandala - an oft elaborate piece of artwork created on a surface (typically the floor) out of brightly colored sand, arranged in intricate patterns and designs. Part way through the process of their creation, a handful of local punks burst into the room, ran onto the floor where the mandala lay, and kicked the sand all over - destroying days of painstaking and delicate work.

As I read further, however, my attitude changed. I progressed from being upset and angered by the callous and cruel intentions of those kids, and the malicious act they'd committed, to a feeling of inspiration and renewed spirit.  Why? Because of the monks' reaction to what happened to them and their artwork. What they said and how they responded made an indelible impression on me, with the lesson staying with me ever since.  How did the monks react?  What did they do in the face of such frustration?  They did the only logical, productive, and positive thing they knew how to do: they forgave the youths and went back to work, starting a new mandala from scratch.  It was even suggested that the monks thanked those youths for the wonderful opportunity with which they'd been presented: as the creation of the mandala is a journey and an expression of their Buddhist faith, the monks felt they'd been blessed with the opportunity to venture on yet another journey.  After all, after the mandala would be completed, the journey would be over.  Such a "tragedy" allowed them a chance at a new enlightening experience.  As many times as someone might destroy the mandala, so said the monks, they'd only start over again.  And this - they said - can never be taken away, no matter how many times their work might be ruined.  The chance at creating something new - new journeys - is something they would always have, and this brings peace.

A bit of irony is that the destruction of a mandala and equally as important to the ritual as the construction.  In this sense, the youths who destroyed the mandala were unwittingly helping in being part of the process.  It teaches not to be too attached to fleeting things; to appreciate the here and now - and value the things that stay with us, long after the proverbial sand is gone.

What a wonderful set of lessons there are to be learned from this story!  Next time you sense a loss - from a thing, an account, an opportunity, or even a relationship - picture the new doors that are opened where old ones are closed.  We don't live in a vacuum, and any open gap is soon filled.  In business, if we lose a client, we soon find a new one.  If the market conditions take a turn for the worse, we re-strategize and make course corrections. 

When we all got into our chosen fields of business, we did so because of two reasons: the journey and the destination.  Regardless of the industry, and regardless of our own unique goals, all of us share this fundamental motivation.  While most would agree that becoming successful and secure are reasonable goals for a destination, few ever choose a path unfitting of their internal value compass and vision.  We enjoy our work!  If we don't, we better get out. No one gets up each morning looking forward to hating their day.  And few entrepreneurs say to themselves, "I hate everything about my work and I can't wait to just get rich so I can stop trying."  If this were true more often than not, many of today's most successful people would simply retire.  But what do we see?  We see successful people who thrive on the experiences of their journeys.  For them, they never fully arrive.  They simply love the travel.  And it is this passion, this love for their journeys, that makes and keeps them successful. 

Success comes in many flavors.  It may be material, such as wealth or more toys in the garage.  It may be about personal growth or creative achievements.  It may be about connecting with people and sharing what we have to offer.  But for the truly enlightened, our success is measured by the richness and depth of the journeys themselves.  Regardless, one thing remains true: none of our goals - our destinations - will happen without the journey.  And it is the chance we are all empowered with to explore and pursue these journeys that is the greatest blessing of all.

As a kid, I can recall some folks saying, "You know, if anyone wanted to take over the country, not a single gun would need to be fired.  Russia [or substitute whoever is our enemy du jour at any point in time] would simply have to walk right in and take over."  What was being referred to was the seemingly general state of apathy many people share.  Indeed, our society as a whole may be a nation of lovers, not fighters, and I think some of it stems from our self-satisfied state of affairs; times can be bad, but perhaps not bad enough - in our mind as a whole - to grab the muskets and fight (so to speak.)  While we remain loyal at large, we also often seek anonymity. We raise our voices, then often back down.  When asked, "May I have a volunteer from the audience," how many of us step forward?

We have a particular corporate client who seems to suffer a similar condition, albeit in a business context.  The good news is that several of their staff were aware of their oft fearful do-nothing attitude, and - as we know - the first step toward healing is self-awareness. The bad news is that the nature of their system prevented such healing, and many of these same people are no longer in the employ of this company - victims of the very thing they both feared and craved: change. As one former executive told me, it's as if everyone wants to wear shirts that match the wallpaper. Just stand against the wall and blend in, don't move, and don't draw attention to yourself. And another two weeks will pass, and - if you're lucky - you'll get another paycheck.

But it gets more interesting. If you performed above the call of duty, you'll have upstaged a higher-up, pissed them off, and gotten the boot. If you performed below expectation, well, that's under performing - and you'd be terminated. If you merely performed on par, then you'd clearly have brought nothing new to the table - and you're out.  And indeed, it sounds as though the squeaky wheel here did not get the grease; it got the axe.

In a progressive, willing-to-achieve-and-defend-themselves company, one that thrives on innovation, strength, and staying ahead of the pack, such things are not possible when based on a system of passivity, ambivalence, and fear.  Its vision and supportive infrastructure must be both conducive and receptive to new thought and bold execution.

Simply blending in means fading away.

OK, I admit it; this post is purely for fun.  So, what the heck is this thing and why is it here in my blog? Many of you may know I play the drums, and this is my latest creation: a custom-designed and -built electronic drum set. Since my band is an '80s-based tribute act, I wanted to feature the obvious references to the famous Simmons drums so popular back then, as well as the tip o' the hat to Eddie Van Halen's famous "Frankenstein" guitar.

What does this have to do with a business blog? Well, I see metaphor in everything; even this drum rig isn't immune.  And after reflecting on my experience building this monster, I started to see a few parallels.

It all started after a few years of lugging around a huge and heavy setup - back breaking to haul to and from gigs, and time consuming to set up and tear down. The concept of using PVC pipe as a frame had been in my head for a while, but I quickly thought of the idea of building it as a six-sided frame, to mimic the look of the classic old hexagonal Simmons drum pads I use.  I wanted something lighter weight, yet structurally sound, and visually interesting from a design standpoint.  After three months, this is what I came up with.

But it wasn't born out of chaos, just throwing darts to see what hit. Every step was planned - from the placement of the drums themselves, to the hidden internal wiring harness (Look, Ma, no wires!) to the dimensions of each piece. I made sketches of the vision I had in my head, made lists of all the ingredients, and calculated measurements of everything I knew would be needed to manifest the sketches into reality.  And, amazingly, this was my first and only attempt - no prototype, no Plan B, and very little waste and leftover material.

At each step along the way, I made sure to do a reality check; there was no point in being "outside the box" if it sacrificed the basic fundamental needs of my instrument: form could not replace function. As wild as this thing might look, I needed to use it just like a standard set of drums.  Our audience won't care how cool it looks if it impairs my performance, so it was important for me to be sure it played as well as it looked good. Every time a new component was added, or a new phase of the building took place, I continually sat inside the rig behind the drum pads to check for placement and comfort. By the time it was finished, there were no big surprises - since I'd done my ergonomics tests along the way.

In business, you can come up with the most interesting and off-the-wall ideas to implement, but it's critical to always gauge the benefits of these initiatives relative to the potential losses. Will design interfere with efficiency? Will a unique, creative approach only lead to lost productivity and revenue? And just as I tested the validity of each new addition to my drum creation, it's important that in any business situation, only one variable at a time is implemented.  It's nearly impossible to evaluate the individual effectiveness or impact of any new change if it's simultaneously put in place alongside other new changes. This is a commonly made mistake; building a better box smartly means to assemble it one measurable piece at a time.

And just as with my own project, recognize the importance of a well-defined plan. This drum rig didn't just "happen". Although sparked by a clear vision of the final outcome, there were plans in place to steer it from what could certainly have been a chaotic mess - with threefold the amount of investment of time and money - to an affordable, useful, and decidedly different way of expressing myself.  Truly, a better box.  And a six-sided one, at that.