Is your organization filled with Teflon or Velcro?
What do I mean with
that question?
Teflon organizations don't let negatives get them down.
They don't allow the comments of others to stick, but instead get the
meaning across and then roll off. These are cultures where those from
the outside can't understand how plainly and sometimes bluntly people
can speak the truth. These cultures can also be ones that move faster
with less friction. The downside is that positive comments can also roll
off too fast and should stick a little longer.
Velcro cultures are
just the opposite. Everything sticks and nothing is easy to move. One
small comment can be debated and fretted over forever and then
everything gets jammed up. Funny thing about a Velcro culture is that
the negatives still stick way more than the positives. The positives,
are almost like the Teflon culture in that they get drowned out and
ignored quickly, because there are so many negatives sticking around.
Which is your culture?
Which are you supporting inside of the culture?
Friday, December 20, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Slipping In!
Could there be any more talk about all things monitoring us? Phone
records, cameras, satellites, listening devices. Yes, they are all
there and aren't going away. But, we also personally benefit from all
the technology that is letting everyone slip in around us.
A big electronic seller this season is going to be wireless speakers. Sonos has their Sonos 1 down to a very reasonable price point and is receiving (wirelessly I might add) great reviews. We love for technology to slip into our world. We are not that far away from being able to walk into our homes and wave our hands and we watch the house come alive. We like when technology seamlessly becomes friendly and useful.
As I write this, I just watched a fox (ironic, huh?) slip down our ice covered street and into the bushed behind our house.
When, and if, we can have our products and services feel like they just slipped. like a fox, into our lives, like they were always there, then we know we have made it!
A big electronic seller this season is going to be wireless speakers. Sonos has their Sonos 1 down to a very reasonable price point and is receiving (wirelessly I might add) great reviews. We love for technology to slip into our world. We are not that far away from being able to walk into our homes and wave our hands and we watch the house come alive. We like when technology seamlessly becomes friendly and useful.
As I write this, I just watched a fox (ironic, huh?) slip down our ice covered street and into the bushed behind our house.
When, and if, we can have our products and services feel like they just slipped. like a fox, into our lives, like they were always there, then we know we have made it!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
I Got Your Back!
It's always great to have someone who has your back, regardless of what
you do and the mistakes you make. Even better is to have someone who
looks forward for you and gives you guidance on what to do next, paving
the way for you to assure that you only get the best. As you read this,
are you thinking this is your boss? Your mentor? That would be nice,
but unfortunately, those people also have their own lives and careers to
watch over first.
This morning it was reported that William Morris Endeavor will pay $2.3B for the purchase of IMG. That's $2.3B of having the backs of others. Oh don't we all wish we had an "agent" who we could call on and allow them to manage our careers so we could just go do what we are good at doing, without the usual petty concerns of the office? But, that's not in the cards for most of us.
But, what we can do is think like we have an agent. We can start asking ourselves what would would we do today if we were our agent. That extra thought could be worth a lot.
If WME sees $2.3B in managing others, we can surely see value in the 100% managing of ourselves.
This morning it was reported that William Morris Endeavor will pay $2.3B for the purchase of IMG. That's $2.3B of having the backs of others. Oh don't we all wish we had an "agent" who we could call on and allow them to manage our careers so we could just go do what we are good at doing, without the usual petty concerns of the office? But, that's not in the cards for most of us.
But, what we can do is think like we have an agent. We can start asking ourselves what would would we do today if we were our agent. That extra thought could be worth a lot.
If WME sees $2.3B in managing others, we can surely see value in the 100% managing of ourselves.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
The Heat Seekers Will Always Be There First!
Beyonce surprised everyone (well maybe Jay Z knew) with her new album
last week. With no marketing, no pre-hype build up, no leaks, no radio
promotional copies, no early singles, she just released a full album
with music videos prepared and all. With her record breaking sales of
828,773 albums sold on itunes in the first 3 days, she proved that the
heat seekers still are out there.
We think we need to prime the market to get the hard core fans the people who want what they can't get to be there first. Beyonce proves that the "heat seekers", the ones who want it first, show up no matter when and how they hear about it. The PS4 and the XBox One also both saw their heat seeking fans this holiday season. The videogame consoles have to tell everyone well ahead of time because they need the developers to be building games that will play on them when they are shipped, but I suspect that if everything could be kept under wraps (like Beyonce did), that they too could prove that the heat seekers will always be there.
Do you know who your heat seekers are in your business?
We think we need to prime the market to get the hard core fans the people who want what they can't get to be there first. Beyonce proves that the "heat seekers", the ones who want it first, show up no matter when and how they hear about it. The PS4 and the XBox One also both saw their heat seeking fans this holiday season. The videogame consoles have to tell everyone well ahead of time because they need the developers to be building games that will play on them when they are shipped, but I suspect that if everything could be kept under wraps (like Beyonce did), that they too could prove that the heat seekers will always be there.
Do you know who your heat seekers are in your business?
Monday, December 16, 2013
Audacious and Outlandish Hope!
A
famous U.S. General said, "Hope is not a method." He is right and even
in my own company, I used to ban the word "hope" from being used in
concurrence with business plans and objectives. But, let's not
underestimate the power of hope for causing people to dream, imagine and
innovate.
If vision is "A description of those things not yet seen", then hope is the magnet that can get vision to come out of us.
If we hope for better, then we will be drawn to come up with our own ways to make it better. The word hope got overused politically and maybe we shy away from it now because we don't want to get labeled, but let's not give up on hope.
Audacious and outlandish hope may well be the breakthrough that you have been looking for (and hoping).
If vision is "A description of those things not yet seen", then hope is the magnet that can get vision to come out of us.
If we hope for better, then we will be drawn to come up with our own ways to make it better. The word hope got overused politically and maybe we shy away from it now because we don't want to get labeled, but let's not give up on hope.
Audacious and outlandish hope may well be the breakthrough that you have been looking for (and hoping).
Friday, December 13, 2013
Bottom and Top
It was on the front page and first story of every business paper, show,
blog and news site. General Motors promoted Mary Barra, to their CEO
role. The press wanted to make a big deal of Ms. Barra being the first
woman to helm a car company, and that is right and fine of them to do
this, but for me, the bigger story is that Ms. Barra is a 33-year
employee of General Motors who began her career there as an intern and
now is leading the company.
For those who are missing the amazing feat this is, consider that I believe it is harder to rise up from within a company to become CEO than it is for a Board to go to the outside and bring in someone new. Why, you may ask? Let's think about, "The grass is always greener on the other side". It's human nature to think that the new and shiny object is better. But even more so why it is hard to rise from within and go from the bottom to the top, is that people have history to deal with.
In her 33-year career, Ms. Barra must certainly have crossed paths a few times with people who wouldn't today endorse her for the job. She surely has made mistakes. It would be naive to think that she hasn't had a few choice words with people along the years, who might still hold a grudge. But, even so, she rose above the rest and made it through the gauntlet of time and experience to get to the top.
My hat is off to her today! Three cheers for the long-tenured and loyal who stay, believe, succeed and rise to the top!
For those who are missing the amazing feat this is, consider that I believe it is harder to rise up from within a company to become CEO than it is for a Board to go to the outside and bring in someone new. Why, you may ask? Let's think about, "The grass is always greener on the other side". It's human nature to think that the new and shiny object is better. But even more so why it is hard to rise from within and go from the bottom to the top, is that people have history to deal with.
In her 33-year career, Ms. Barra must certainly have crossed paths a few times with people who wouldn't today endorse her for the job. She surely has made mistakes. It would be naive to think that she hasn't had a few choice words with people along the years, who might still hold a grudge. But, even so, she rose above the rest and made it through the gauntlet of time and experience to get to the top.
My hat is off to her today! Three cheers for the long-tenured and loyal who stay, believe, succeed and rise to the top!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
What's Left Unsaid
I wrote yesterday of what a
slip of the tongue can do to bring a company and it's founder to a low
point, and in this case, the eventual ouster of the founder from the
company. We must be careful with our words. They matter and people are
always listening and looking for a tweet moment. But, just as powerful
are the words that we leave unsaid.
A few weeks ago I was asked by the CEO of one of the Boards I sit, to talk to a senior member of the executive team who had a job offer at another company. The CEO wanted to save the executive and so did I. As I listened on the phone to why the executive was considering leaving, it was not about what had been said to him, it was about what hadn't. In sports vernacular, this executive is a "franchise player". We have been building the company around him with him being a key player going forward. But, he didn't know that. Why? Because we never told him.
Here's the deal. Those that we love the most are many times the ones that we tell that to the least. We worry about those that we think need worry and we leave alone those who we feel are secure. But, no one is totally secure and everyone needs to be told that they are loved.
The holiday season, the end of the fiscal and calendar year is a good time to make a list (and check it twice) so that those who are important to you on your team, know it and feel your love.
A few weeks ago I was asked by the CEO of one of the Boards I sit, to talk to a senior member of the executive team who had a job offer at another company. The CEO wanted to save the executive and so did I. As I listened on the phone to why the executive was considering leaving, it was not about what had been said to him, it was about what hadn't. In sports vernacular, this executive is a "franchise player". We have been building the company around him with him being a key player going forward. But, he didn't know that. Why? Because we never told him.
Here's the deal. Those that we love the most are many times the ones that we tell that to the least. We worry about those that we think need worry and we leave alone those who we feel are secure. But, no one is totally secure and everyone needs to be told that they are loved.
The holiday season, the end of the fiscal and calendar year is a good time to make a list (and check it twice) so that those who are important to you on your team, know it and feel your love.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
It's All Good....Until It Isn't
The company Lululemon
looked unstoppable. Stores opened regularly and became profitable in
short order. Their consumers were loyal, almost cult-like loyal. Wall
Street loved them. Other than being pricey, what was there not to like
about Lulelemon?.
And then, their then CEO and Chairman, Dennis Wilson made one slip of the tongue and then Lululemon went from sweet to bitter. You can look up the disparaging comment he made about his customers whose thighs were larger. This was in the context of why their new set of yoga pants were too sheer (turned out to be a manufacturing problem, not a consumer size problem...duh). One slip of the tongue and it can all fall apart. Wilson is out of the company now, the company that he co-founded.
As the famous Hill Street Blues quote said, "Let's be careful out there." We are on the front lines all the time in our companies. We have to think and act like mature leaders as one slip can be the beginning of a long and hard fall.
And then, their then CEO and Chairman, Dennis Wilson made one slip of the tongue and then Lululemon went from sweet to bitter. You can look up the disparaging comment he made about his customers whose thighs were larger. This was in the context of why their new set of yoga pants were too sheer (turned out to be a manufacturing problem, not a consumer size problem...duh). One slip of the tongue and it can all fall apart. Wilson is out of the company now, the company that he co-founded.
As the famous Hill Street Blues quote said, "Let's be careful out there." We are on the front lines all the time in our companies. We have to think and act like mature leaders as one slip can be the beginning of a long and hard fall.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
GRAMMY Foundation 2013-14 Board Members' Favorite Holiday Albums of All Time
In this past week's GRAMMY Foundation Board Meeting, Senior Vice President, Kristen Madsen, asked each of us to name our favorite Holiday Albums of All-Time. This is the list. You can also check out the Spotify playlist I put together as well here: GRAMMY Foundation Board Favorite Holiday Albums
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
| Leroy Anderson | Sleigh Ride |
| Harry Belafonte | Wishing You a Merry Christmas |
| Andrea Bocelli | My Christmas |
| Mariah Carey | Merry Christmas |
| The Carpenters | Christmas Portrait |
| Ray Charles and Betty Carter | "Baby It’s Cold Outside" |
| Bing Crosby | Merry Christmas |
| Ella Fitzgerald | Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas |
| GRAMMY Camp New York kids | GRAMMY Camp Christmas Card |
| George Frideric Handel | Messiah |
| Dave Koz | A Smooth Jazz Christmas |
| Ramsey Lewis | Sound of Christmas |
| Nick Lowe | Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection For All The Family |
| Johnny Mathis | Merry Christmas |
| New Christies Minstrel | Christmas with the New Christy Minstrels |
| Frank Sinatra | A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra |
| Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby | Christmas Sing With Frank and Bing |
| St. Olaf's Choir | Christmas at St. Olaf: Rejoice, Give Thanks, and Sing |
| The Temptations | The Temptations Christmas Card |
| Various Artists | A Very Special Christmas (benefiting The Special Olympics) |
| Various Artists | Love Actually Soundtrack |
Monday, December 9, 2013
Timing
I was lunching in Los
Angeles last week with someone who said to me, "Gosh, if you guys were
doing SNOCAP now, you'd be sitting pretty." SNOCAP was the company I
ran from 2005- 2008 that was yes, ahead of its' time. And yes, this
former music attorney was right; if we were now running that company it
would be very important in the scheme of what is happening right now
within the industry. But, this is 2013, not 2008 and indeed timing made
a difference.
From my business experience, it is easy to be late, a lot harder to be early and really difficult to be right on time. But, that is what we have to strive to do with our products and services.
Business ideas that come too late are worthless. Those that come too early are expensive and ignored. Those that come just at the right time when the market is accepting and ready, well, those are the ones that we remember.
Each of us likely have something we are considering "rolling out", either externally, or even internally. The question we must ponder and be able to answer, is this the right timing? It's not easy to answer, but it is a question that must be answered and addressed honestly and boldly. Otherwise, we might be setting ourselves up for disappointment and/or failure.
From my business experience, it is easy to be late, a lot harder to be early and really difficult to be right on time. But, that is what we have to strive to do with our products and services.
Business ideas that come too late are worthless. Those that come too early are expensive and ignored. Those that come just at the right time when the market is accepting and ready, well, those are the ones that we remember.
Each of us likely have something we are considering "rolling out", either externally, or even internally. The question we must ponder and be able to answer, is this the right timing? It's not easy to answer, but it is a question that must be answered and addressed honestly and boldly. Otherwise, we might be setting ourselves up for disappointment and/or failure.
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