Neat Idea

The local library had a neat fund raising idea.

Instead of asking for money, they'll sell you a book. You get first dibbs on checking the book out and they put your name in the book.

Know you have an emotional investment. We "have" a book at the library that we share with others. Way more fun than just giving them money. We've been changed from by-standers to participants.

The Problem With Failure

is that it so often looks like "dumb-ass."


A lot of the literature on Innovation bemoans the fact that people are not willing to take risks. That people won't "think-out-of-the-box."

What the literature does not do well is explain why this is so.

People stick to the tried and true because it is a high percentage way to stay out of trouble.

People want more control over their environment. They want the good jobs and the good pay. The people who get the good jobs and the good pay are the ones that deliver the good results. Not the ones that screw up.

The problem is that learning also looks a lot like screwing up. In hindsight it's very easy to see what things shouldn't have been done.

The good news is that diligence is a great counter-measure to something new. When trying out something new the trick is to check on progress early and often so that serious damage may be avoided.

Case in point is the picture posted above. I was running the gas out of the trimmer in order to store it for winter. I did secure the trimmer so that it wouldn't move around, but in hindsight, I should have checked on it in shorter intervals (also doing this outside of the garage would have helped) to prevent the trimmer from attacking the drywall.

Inflection Points

The other day I was in the pool doing a workout. The plan called for some speedwork; to do some up tempo laps in order to push the anerobic performance envelope.

I pushed myself hard and completed the 100yd repeats in about 1:45 min.

Unfortunately for me after I had completed my planned workout I still had time left. I figured I would mail in the rest of the workout as I was plumb tired.

So I just went easy, working on "perfect" form instead of worrying about the time. For the next 100yd I posted a time of 1:45min.

By perfecting my form I was able to spend less energy and finish in the same amount of time.

There was still more time left in my workout so I went after another 100yd. This time focusing on lengthening my stroke, keeping my form, and forgetting about my time.

Heck, I already just posted a time equal to my fastest time and didn't even have to try that hard. Enough accomplished.

My time on the last 100yd was 1:36min. The best time of my life for 100yd and it came as a result of the least amount of effort expended.

I didn't pour any energy into waste, focused it all on form (also known as the right things) and got amazing results.

I think business is the same way.

Previously I posted this chart (Link) that shows that you can get better performance by both increasing or decreasing the amount of orgaizational trust.


If you yell at people for results you will get better performance (in the short term) because you are focused. If you build organizational trust in the long term you get breakthrough performance.

The trick then is building that organizational trust (the right things). How do you that?

An organization is just a goup of people working together. They interact with each other through dialog. The answer then to building organization trust is by having the right dialog.

What's the right dialong? The ability to have difficult conversations with people in a manner that maintains there self-respect is the business equivilent of swimming with good form.

You don't need to work harder, but you need to be able to talk about the hard things.

Eliminate Mistakes

"We didn't do all the smartest things. We didn't do anything really dumb." - Warren Buffet

The typical business plan encompasses the following steps.

1. Develop a focus
2. Develop an action plan
3. Relentlessly execute on what needs to be done.

Not much to argue with here.

But what about the things that you need to stop doing?

If we do everything on that list will we be successful?

Studies have shown that exercise (the doing) alone won't lead to weight loss. Even though you have developed a focus (exercise more), developed and action plan (sign up for the gym and go on Tuesdays), and executed what needed to be done (go to the gym) you won't necessarily achieve your goal. You also have to stop eating the donuts and drinking the booze.

Business is the same way. In addition to doing some smart things you need to not do anything really dumb.

So I would change the plan a little bit.

1. Develop a focus
2. Develop an action / non-action plan (things we will keep doing / stop doing)
3. Instill self discipline to do only what needs to be done.

Seriously

I'm a big fan of the saying, "Don't Ask Don't Get".

And I try to keep an open mind.

But sometimes things happen that just don't even come close to making the mark.

Exhibit A this e-mail I received to review a book:

For Immediate Release

Runes: Explore Their Deeper Meaning

FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, December XX, 2009 – The study of runes can be difficult and challenging, but it can also be immensely rewarding. Designed for any reader who has the desire to interact with the Norse Gods and Goddesses on an authentic level, Runes: Theory & Practice will enable a beginner to effectively use the Norse runes, but will also challenge the experienced rune-worker and provide them with a deeper and more complete understanding of these mysteries.

Runes: Theory & Practice is the first book of its kind. Drawing upon Galina Krasskova’s many years of experience as a rune-worker, the book offers detailed descriptions of the nature and lessons of each rune, and a systematic methodology for learning to access them.

The book explores each rune not only from a historical viewpoint, but also from the perspective of the modern practitioner. Runes: Theory & Practice presents a protocol of practice that, if followed diligently, will help any rune-worker avoid many of the common pitfalls associated with rune-work.

Runes: Theory & Practice specifically addresses the runes as living spirits and provides guidance on developing a working relationship with these otherworldly allies.

Runes: Theory & Practice (EAN 978-1-60163-085-8, pages: 224, price: $14.99) was published by New Page Books. The book is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon.com, and many other booksellers.

For more information about Runes: Theory & Practice and other new releases, visit the Website of the publisher, New Page Books, at www.NewPageBooks.com.

Unflappability

I think that one of the keys of leadership is unflapability. To be able to remain calm as everything around you dissolves.

In reality there is no downside to this approach. You may be in a losing situation no matter what you do, but how does bemoaning the fact that the sky is falling help?

Remaining calm isn't as easy as it sounds because unless you've been conditioned to handle stress (the guys who I worked with at Kodak who were Army Infantry in Vietnam were unflappable) you're body reacts for you. It increases heart rate, secrets adrenalin, and gets you ready to run screaming from the room. All very flappable behavior.

The trick, when you feel your body prepare for take off is to take some deep breaths. This allows you time to catch yourself so you can fake it until you make it.

Self Healing Lightbulbs

The freezer light, in the fridge that came with the house, now stays on all the time after three years of flickering.

Whale Facts

Things that quite possibly only interest me....

But What About Cars Driven By Airline Pilots
Many things can cause an aircraft to crash. According to Boeing, more than half of all serious incidents are down to "flight crew error". A sixth are caused by mechanical faults, 13 percent by the weather and the rest by factors such as terrorism, air traffic control problems, bird-strikes and poor maintenance.

If you look at deaths per million journeys or per million hours - the more meaningful figures used by the airline insurance industry - flying fares rather less well, coming out worse than car or train travel, but still safer than cycling or motorcycling.1

It's Ok, It Will Help Me Get A Job In Today's Economy
New numbers from the U.S. Education Department show that federal student-loan disbursements-the total amount borrowed by students and received by schools-in the 2008-09 academic year grew about 25% over the previous year, to $75.1 billion.

Today, two-thirds of college students borrow to pay for college, and their average debt load is $23,186 by the time they graduate, according to an analysis of the government's National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, conducted by financial-aid expert Mark Kantrowitz. Only a dozen years earlier, according to the study, 58% of students borrowed to pay for college, and the average amount borrowed was $13,172.2


Notes:
1. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=vn20090816064008701C405808
2. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204731804574388682129316614.html