Build A Better Box

There's a post over on Tim Ferris' blog site that poses the question (and I'm paraphrasing here), "What sort of behavior should people stop doing?"  It started with a story of his about author Will Bowen - a minister from Kansas City - who launched the idea of a purple wrist bracelet to wear as a reminder to stop complaining. Be sure to read the full text of the post; it's quite interesting.

At any rate, Tim's challenge to readers was to consider other behaviors to stop.  And several good ones were suggested.

I already mentioned this as a comment to his post, but here's a good behavior *I* think is important to get away from: Stop passing the buck.

People should be more willing to be accountable for their own actions, take responsibility, and not automatically lay blame on someone else (or someTHING else, at times.)  Especially common in the workplace, passing the buck can be counter-productive and can demonstrate a lack of integrity, maturity, honor, and leadership.  While one may see this practice as merely a self-preserving escape route, it also represents a bit of negative testimony to that person's character.

Which would you rather hear: "The mess up with the new system? Bob was really more to blame than I" -or- "Although others may have been involved, I was part of the problem and I'm willing to share in the responsibility." 

If this were in a vendor-client situation, how well would this bode for either party?  A vendor or provider of true character would be willing to accept responsibility.  And this applies to clients who fail in their share of the team effort, as well.  In any mutually beneficial collaborative effort, success is dependent upon honesty, accountability, and good communication.

I think it's generally more respectable to stand up and take your lumps.   You'll look better for it.

Imagine this scenario: Your roof is caving in. It is riddled with leaks that - with each rain - slowly seep through the weathered, cracking shingles and rot away the plywood beneath. In time, the plywood yields to the weakness it suffers through continual water exposure, allowing the leaks to attack the structural integrity of the support beams and joists holding everything up. With every passing season, the problem gets worse and worse - exacerbated by each new rain, each new drought, each new ice storm. The pending financial burden increases, as does the risk to the rest of the house and its contents.

Tar patch is applied; spare shingles - like so many Bandaids - are tacked into place here and there; in one section, perhaps a tarp is affixed. Quick, inexpensive, short-term measures are taken - ostensibly as a reactionary tactic. The real solution is one that you don't want to face: a roof replacement. Had the problem been addressed a couple of years ago, it might have only meant re-shingling. But now - since so much water damage has occured - the plywood needs replacing, and possible attention to the joists beneath. The new costs? Significantly higher. Wait another year or two, and the ceiling wallboard will need replacing. Keep waiting, and the wallboard will eventually fall down.

So why not do the repairs? "Too expensive," you say. "Don't have that kind of money; it's not in the budget. It's cheaper to keep patching for now, and I'll deal with the problem tomorrow." Well, tomorrow comes, and more damage is done. The looming grand total for the cost of ultimate repair grows higher, and higher, and higher. And like a seemingly irreparable budget deficit or impossibly high credit card balance, "a little more damage" won't make a bit of difference in the big picture.

Until the roof finally caves in. Then you kick into panic mode. You'll gladly spend whatever it takes to fix things... and now.

Does this scenario sound all too familiar? At our company, we've seen many projects come in as a result of similar "panic situations" from clients. We need to fix their proverbial damaged roofs, and they are panicking. They are not always rational. They are in survival mode. And they are scrambling - too - to justify the cost of repair.

One of our missions is to try and pre-empt panic situations; to educate and create true value in addressing a potentially bad situation before it escalates. We try and show that a short-term expense to attack a business problem today can yield substantive rewards tomorrow.

Why wait? Be proactive - not reactive. The ultimate cost of ignorance can far exceed the cost of prevention.

Usually around this time of year, as the holiday season often sends our staff and clients into relative hibernation, we often reflect back on the past year.  We think about what we have accomplished and with whom we have formed new relationships.  We also look toward the coming year: what we might improve upon, expand and develop, or change out altogether.  Along these lines, here are a few resolutions to think about when looking forward to another great year:

1. Renew old friendships. Get in touch with inactive or semi-active clients, associates with whom you haven’t spoken recently, or good vendors of record. Shoot the breeze and simply catch up on what’s been going on in their world and yours. No need to even discuss business or the prospects of working together soon; in fact, you might even choose to avoid it – the call may seem too self-serving. When a relationship is strong enough, the business will follow naturally – when and if appropriate. Your clients and vendors will appreciate the call, and it'll get you back in the front half of their minds.

2. Start new friendships. Introduce yourself at networking events and other business functions, or ask a mutual colleague to get you introduced. And – just as when doing due diligence with old friendships – it’s often best to try and start relationships from a back door approach: connect in ways other than with the direct intention of looking for work. If you share a common interest of antique cars with a potential client, for example, you might strike up a friendship through your mutual hobby. You’ll get to know more about one another outside the context strictly of “sales”. And again, as the relationship grows, so will the foundation for working together.

3. Clean house. As I often write about in terms of “building a better box”, consider everything “inside the box” you already have – from staff, to equipment and technology, to available vendors and external resources, to current lines of business. Look at the processes and models you employ in running your business on a day-to-day basis. Take a look quite literally at the places within and around your offices: where can you reduce clutter and maximize efficient use of space?

4. Do a makeover. Sometimes building a better box can involve a little facelift. And it doesn’t always take much. If appropriate to your own company or place of business, simply introducing some new colors, a few pieces of furniture, wall hangings or carpets, or better lighting can make a huge difference in the character of a work place. You’ll feel re-energized and so will your clients, staff, and visiting associates.

5. The ears have it. How often do you meet with your staff, clients, and key business providers? And how often do you discuss their needs and concerns, before they come to you to talk? If you wait until that point, you may be in a more reactionary situation, where problems have escalated greater than might have been necessary. Regular dialog with everyone from vendors to clients to staff can help intercept issues before they arise, and enable you to be in a more proactive position.

6. Grow what you do well. It’s common sense, but place the main developmental focus for the coming year on the things you and your company do best. If there is something you do better than anyone else, keep improving upon it to stay the leader. Remember, being in the #1 position always means #2 is hot on your trail; and #2 always works harder to be the front runner than most #1s do to stay there.

7. Stop doing what you don’t do well, or else fix it. More common sense, but if your company is spending too much effort in an area that isn’t paying off – financially or otherwise – it might be time to hang it up. If you aren’t a competitive force in the marketplace for a certain service, and it adds little to no overall beneficial basis for including it in your palette of offerings, it can often be better simply to stop expending the effort with it. Unless you can find practical solutions to setting sail, best to tow that particular ship back to harbor and concentrate on the rest of the fleet. In the end, you’ll save time and resources, focus and streamline your brand, and sleep better at night. (And we can all use more sleep.)

8. Look around. How often do you really look at your competitors? Do you fully understand what they do well and don’t do well? How are they expanding, growing, or scaling back? How are they developing and fostering relationships? What techniques do they use to pursue and perhaps acquire business that you miss out on?  In the new year, plan to devote more effort to examining what the rest of the field is up to.

9. Ask the deep questions. Do you help drive your market or does it drive you? When considering your competition, how reactionary are you to what they do? Are you a leader or a follower? Does your client list reflect those who seek you out merely as a commodity provider, or an overall solution provider? How often do clients and associates look to you for the expert advice? Are you the “go to” resource in the biz?

…and finally:

10. Hear ye, hear ye! Make it a point to increase your marketing and PR efforts. If you don’t do much, start now. If you already do it, then do more. Nobody ever knows your name too well (unless you’re OJ Simpson or Britney Spears.)
 
Thanks for reading, and I wish everyone a healthy, productive, and creative 2008.

--Steve

Over on LinkedIn recently, it was asked if golf still made the best choice for business networking. This was the gist of my reply:

As an avid good-weather golfer (as opposed to bad weather?) I find a day out on the links to be a great opportunity for several reasons. But not all these reasons are exclusive to golf, of course. You can get to know your clients, business partners, suppliers, and other associates outside the normal "work" context. You let your hair down a bit and tend to relax, feeling a bit like a high school kid playing hooky. And in terms of skill, one need not be a pro to mesh well on a course. Also, with the competitive nature of the game, it's an excellent way to see how your clients or business associates handle themselves under pressure, or how they treat competition itself.

I've generally found that the way one carries oneself on the course is often a reflection of how one carries oneself off the course. Does he casually kick his ball a few feet to get a better lie, or does he take it on the chin and play it fairly from where it lies? And if he does move his ball, does he do so unabashedly, or does he do so surreptitiously - hoping no one will see his actions? Does he count every stroke after the hole is finished up, or does he fudge the math a bit? Does he take a "gimme" or Mulligan every chance he gets? Is he courteous to the other players, and does he have general respect for game play?

If one of the associates in your foursome knows the rules well - and acknowledges them to others - is he lenient to those who might be new to the game, helping them along the way? Or is he an unforgiving stickler, challenging that, "The only way to learn is the school of hard knocks!"

You can even tell much from the associates in your foursome by the way they carry themselves, the manner of their attire, and the condition with which they treat and keep their equipment. What is their posture and body language like? Are they generally sloppy in their stance and play - even if given credit for being a "newbie?" Are their clubs beat up and look as though they haven't been cleaned in five years? If everything is polished to a shine, and not a hair out of place or so much as a wrinkle in their pants, what might this say - good or bad - about the way in which they may conduct their business? (A psychoanalyst would have a field day here!)

Golf has always been a crossroads where those from all areas of business, and in all positions - from VPs to IT gurus - can converge. There are certain visceral aspects of the game that transcend salaries, job descriptions, and bank accounts. And there are few comparable platforms involving the elements of character, demeanor, strategic and tactical aptitude, and social graces that a day of business networking on a golf course can afford. (Plus, where else can one wear orange plaid pants and get away with it?)

Being an appropriate time of year - and being of partial Pilgrim and Native American descent - I'd been thinking about how we can all learn from some of the metaphors in the stories of the original settlers:

1. Particularly in a new market or surroundings, look to your peers for support. I've found our own industry - especially through trade associations and groups - to be generally quite helpful to each other. Newcomers can benefit greatly by getting involved, and can learn much from others in their field, from referrals on freelance help to advice on positioning and finding clients. The "enemy" need not always be seen as a threat; when on their familiar turf, they may actually be one of your best allies.

2. Collaborate. Just as with an old-fashioned barn raising, nothing gets done faster and more efficiently than teamwork. Every day we see smaller shops pooling their resources and best talents on a project - effectively also narrowing the field by one less "competitor" - with both shops reaping the rewards.

3. Trade/barter. OK, maybe we aren't exchanging horse shoes for sacks of grain these days, but the analogy is the same. Perhaps you or your company has a particular service you might offer someone in exchange for something they may offer. For example, rather than give something away on spec or pro bono, offer to trade for something of equal and useful value. Perhaps design services for marketing consulting, or help with strategy in exchange for Web or multimedia development. There is much value to put on the table in situations where no actual money needs change hands - particularly when there is no budget.

4. Know your neighbors. Be a dynamic component of your industry and market. Open the doors and get outside a little. Meet others in your field and learn their names. See who's doing what, and for whom. Have an open house. Attend a conference or local trade meeting. Join a panel or board. Send press releases. Have lunch or dinner with clients and your peers. Consider joining a good online business networking group, such as the outstanding LinkedIn. And when the world needs you, they'll know who you are and where to find you. Stagnation does not breed energy; it breeds anonymity.

The overarching lessons to be learned center on two common things: the senses of community and of collaboration. And these apply in not just our businesses, but in our everyday lives. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and thanks for reading.

It's interesting how much of our business resembles the game of Tetris. Most of us have played it at one time or another: that addicting little game with the simple premise of getting the most number of pieces to stack into place neatly, with as little free space open as possible, and under the clock. And as the game really heats up, the pieces fall faster and faster, forcing the player to make spot-on decisions at mind-blazing speed. Wait too long to decide on how and where to drop each piece, and they start piling up like a train wreck.

It's a good analogy, because projects can go the same course. The sooner it is to deadline time, the more details seem to come out of the woodwork. And they all need to be handled with razor precision to meet the immovable or even - God forbid - pushed up deadline. The good "players" are able to take each new hurdle as it gets thrown to them, and instantly deal with it in the blink of an eye - before things turn into that proverbial train wreck. Like intercepting a pass to go for the winning touchdown, there's no time to stand around and think.

The analogy also applies to things like conservation of motion (handling a few things simultaneously to save time - as long as no balls get dropped) and maximizing your staff or outside resources' time. Is everyone streamlined and working to an efficient capacity? If not, how can everyone be better utilized in their down time or between-project openings?

If you were to play Tetris, how would you score? And if you and your staff were to play as a team, is the communication of the group strong enough to drop each piece into place as neatly and elegantly as possible?

Think about it.

Most of the time, it's true: get a passionate, great idea in your head, and the execution to bring it to life sometimes seems effortless. Sometimes things just click, and everything just flows - as if things are being channeled by divine intervention. It's a magical feeling we can all relate to.

Then there are the times when things seem forced. When it seems like more work than usual; when the idea in your head seems to wander around aimlessly in an unfocused stupor. You're just going through the motions. You're uninspired - merely painting by numbers, just waiting for it to all be over with. Just get it done, you think.

In my spare time, I enjoy writing music. Which doesn't happen often these days (one business and two kids later.) But many years ago, when I was getting into the industry, I remember hearing about those who had full-time jobs as staff songwriters. I recall thinking, "How great it would be to write music all day and get paid for it!" Until I really thought long and hard about it; and until I got into a business that demands such high levels of creativity on a regular basis. I wrestled with the concept that someone would actually go in to their "office", sit down, and crank out a hit song on demand. Then go home at the end of the day, only to do it all over again the next.

Yet, in our business, we do this every day. We have artists and editors and creative thinkers who - on demand - need to create great work for our clients. Is it possible to just snap one's fingers and say, "Thou shall create... go!" Not always easy, yet it must be done. How does everyone stay inspired? How can it just be "turned on" when needed? And how does it keep feeling like a passion, and not merely a job to do?

For me, I find inspiration in others. I feel the energy radiating from them while they are in the midst of their work, and I feel their inspiration. And inspiration begets inspiration. Many of us on our team feel the same way, and it's what keeps everyone fueled up - all the time. It's the "power of proximity" - the vibe you get from the group that you don't get working in isolation. Our team feels this energy, and when our clients are with us, they feel it too.

And that feels good.

If you look around at who the real stand-outs are in your market, it's sometimes easy to see what they're doing right. We all spend a load of time examining how they got there, and comparing ourselves with those who've achieved a higher rung on the ladder. But it's no accident how the leaders gained their success: it takes bold vision, sound strategy, and first-rate tactics to get to the top. But you say you don't have that kind of time, energy, or resources? Here's a simpler plan: become an expert in all the things they surely aren't doing, and it'll all start making sense as to what they most likely are doing.

10. Follow the Leader: Do exactly what everyone else is. Don't differentiate. Why take chances? Just ride the coattails of the masses. And since you'll be a follower instead of a leader, you won't have to worry about all that bothersome hard work involved in being a brand innovator.

9. Use fear. It's a great motivator, so be sure the scare the pants off everyone you can into signing on with what you are offering. It's cool to be a bully, and it doesn't even matter what you are selling: cram it down their throat with market intimidation. Then see how long you last.

8. And while you're at it, why not belittle your audience? Make them feel like they'll be the laughing stock of society if they don't get with the program. You owe it to them to make them realize they'll be a total loser unless they're on board with you. After all, who wants to be a loser?

7. Use loads of negative promotion. Talk about all the down sides of not using your services and offerings instead of all the positive reasons. Bad-mouth your competition, and burn as many bridges among your peers as you can. People don't like bad stuff of any kind, so be sure to use reverse psychology whenever possible. This way, even if you have nothing good to say about yourself, at least you can spend all your time talking about the stuff you aren't.

6. Ignore your audience. Don't listen to what they are saying - about what they want, about how they feel, about how they live, listen, and learn. Be reckless! Do your own thing. Hey, what do they know, anyway? The power of a million voices can't be that telling... can they?

5. Ignore your own brand. Most of the experts will tell you that market perception is what ultimately dictates and defines your brand. But why listen to them? Hey, you know more about your business than those experts do, right? If the world thinks you're blue, but you insist you're red, then place all your chips on red, and get ready to rake in the green. (And if you think I'm actually serious, then plan on the only green you'll ever be seeing to be the moss gathering on that never-to-roll-again stone you once called Your Business.)

4. Don't worry about vision. If you're nowhere near the level of success you feel you can reach, then you're probably doing a great job of looking just far enough down the road to make the next month's rent payment. Long-term planning takes insight and a strong sense of direction. Save it for the big guys.

3. Be #23 and be happy! Years ago, Snapple proclaimed they'd be quite content to just be #3 behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Let #1 and #2 spend all their efforts duking it out for pole position. #1 is always looking behind at the second place guy, and #2 is constantly looking to catch up to first place. No one ever gives credence to #3, so why would they ever take notice to #23? Plus, being that far behind the leader means you can do whatever the heck you want. It's like that kid in the back row of your high school social studies class who just sleeps all the way until the bell rings. Nobody's paying attention anyway. (Not even your market.)

2. Think old-school. Also, be sure your marketing budget isn't just completely arbitrary, but based on 1982 dollars. Remember when gas was only seventy-two cents a gallon, and a good car could be had for under ten grand? Things couldn't have changed that much in 25 years, right? Use outdated, obsolete sensibilities, too; do exactly what worked for you three decades ago. If it was good enough then, it's good enough now. Your market is exactly the same, right? So just stick with same-old, same-old. This way, the easiest thing to predict is failure.

1. Stay inside the same old box. Don't reinvent; it's unproven. Don't change; it's unfamiliar. And definitely don't start looking around outside the safety of your four little walls; you might start getting some bright ideas. And we all know what happens then: you might actually start reinvigorating yourself and standing out in your market. Then you'll have to deal with all that new business; and who wants that headache?

Be sure to follow these sure-fire techniques, and you'll always have an excuse for why you aren't a leader in your market.

The question of, "Is corporate video art?" is an oft-debated topic, and one that seems to be generating a buzz in the blog world. But to come to a more reasoned answer means also considering whether video itself is art. And I think most would agree it can be. From feature films, to artful documentaries, to brilliant advertising, video is merely a carrier for ideas. "Corporate" is simply one particular usage. So is it the added term "corporate" that would deny video the designation as "art"? And worse, is it simply accepted that a corporate video need not be artfully produced? Maybe this is why the industry has such a commonly bad stigma, and why so many producers are seemingly comfortable rising to a level of mere mediocrity with such videos.

Nearly everything has the potential to be art, since the very nature of art is subjective and open to individual interpretation. And a corporate video can be just as much an art form as any other medium or creation.

While some maintain that any functionality of art is a mere byproduct, I suggest it is the aspect of art that is the byproduct. Why? Because function is objective while art is subjective. A Frank Lloyd Wright house is first and foremost an irrefutably useful thing; it's a place in which to live and store stuff. Yet, subjectively, it is also considered artful to different extents by those who've witnessed it. But the objective nature of the house cannot be denied. There are many examples of artful "things", from furniture design to architecture.

But as all things have the possibility to be perceived as artful (eye of the beholder), not all art (created and intended solely as art) is necessarily useful. Not many human beings - unless they lacked even an ounce of emotional quotient - would suggest that a 1962 Ferrari GT is not at all art, but merely "a car." But there is little practical use for a painting by Monet other than to cover up a hole in a wall. At least the Ferrari can take you to the grocery store.

Still, I'd imagine there are few corporate videos out there that were created and intended as artful masterpieces first and foremost. Felini or Ingmar Bergman or Kubrik never woke up and said to himself, "Think I'll create a new masterpiece today. And today I shall work in a medium not yet explored: corporate video." In the world of corporate video, form definitely follows function. Nonetheless, anything created - if even with a prime intent of being useful and purposeful - can have the potential subjective quality of being "art" to those who might experience it, corporate communications notwithstanding.

Here's a corollary to the last post: don't make the dangerous mistake of giving too much away. Like the saying goes, "Why would someone buy the cow if the milk was free?" Too many people give away too much of their intellect free of charge. If a business consultant did this, he or she would be on the street faster than the first month's rent would be due. For the most part, any expert in their field is essentially a consultant at some level. Let your audience know that you have the goods; the know-how and experience to help them. Offer to meet and learn a bit about them and their need. Offer some references and case studies of past work. See if there's a good mutual fit. But be clear to them that your ideas, advice, and solutions have equity to both parties. In the strategy-tactics equation, this is the "blueprint" counterpart of building a new home. Nobody expects their architect to work free... so why would you?