Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

Coming to you live from St. Louis where I ended my week of travel. 

 

I had a fantastic time in Atlanta with one of my favorite clients launching a leadership initiative that has a chance to move the potential success factor off the map!  The key will be the commitment from the organizations leaders and the organization itself in developing an accountability factor that spreads to EVERYONE.  Chances look good.

 

In St. Louis I had the honor of being part of a program for emerging financial service leaders.  I introduced them to the ELITE CLIENT CYCLE, a process for leveraging your top customers.

 

No time to catch my breath as I head out to Las Vegas on Monday where I am part of a due diligence team planning a major meeting in 2010. 

 

I am also going to take a tour of ZAPPOS, one of my recent case studies.

 

 

 

HEY, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER –CREATIVEVENTURE

 

AND ON FACEBOOK – STEPHEN HARVILL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

One of the new leadership ideas for organizations should be to “know the greater business community”.  This is a critical idea.  Think of it simply as “knowing what the hell is going on.” 

 

The idea that information can lead to knowledge and that knowledge connects to motion is strong enough to part of EVERY company’s mantra. 

 

How do you do this?  With the bombardment of information blasting our cranium, how do we know what’s important?  How do we filter all the junk?  Where do we find the best source of information?

 

I had a conversation with a speaker recently who bragged to me that he read 4 newspapers every morning and listed them all.  He then asked me which ones I read.  I said – NONE.  Oh, I might read USA Today if it was in front of my hotel room when I get up, but that’s it (except for the traditional Sunday morning ritual of reading the paper).  Newspapers are too general for me.  I want specific info that falls in my realm of interest.  So, here is how I stay in touch:

 

• Newspapers on line:  The NY Times and Wall Street Journal have great on-line versions that have their headlines listed with a 1 paragraph summary.  I decide what interests me and read it.
• Springwise:  A great newsletter about worldwide emerging business trends:  http://springwise.com/weekly/2009-09-23.htm
• Google Alerts:  Type in any info you want to read and Google will send you a daily clip email full of only the stuff that interests you.
• Wharton School of Business Newsletter:  Really good stuff from smart folks.    knowledge@wharton.upenn.edu
• Client Newsletters:  Any of my clients that have newsletters I make sure I read EVERY TIME it’s sent.
• Twitter:  I follow really smart people who post really smart stuff everyday.

 

That’s just a piece of my daily reading, but enough to get you started.  The key is that you don’t have to read EVERYTHING, but instead choose your stuff wisely!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:    Surrogates:  I am a Bruce Willis fan and will give it a look this weekend.  Just need a little entertainment time to send my brain on a short vacation.

 

NetFlix Fans:  Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:   I actually just met someone who had not only never scene this classic, they had NEVER HEARD OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

TV:    Thank God for DVR.  My travel schedule has me missing all my favorites, but I get to see them when I get home.  The House MD 2 hour premier was FANTASTIC.  Hopefully his new world view will take.  Looking forward to seeing the Mentalist when I get a second back home.  Both shows are worthy some space on your DVR.

 

BOOKS:  Ground Zero   – By F. Paul Wilson :    The latest in the Repairman Jack series was just released.  Only one more left before he stops writing this great character.

 

MUSIC:   The latest from the greatness of Colin Hay. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCUvrbybtIA&feature=related    

 

WEB SITES:   Create customized merchandise. 

 

 

   www.Zazzle.com    

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

 

Time for CANDY NEWS!

 

• 15 of the top-20 selling candy bars are made by two companies, Hershey’s and Mars.
• More candy bars were invented between 1920 and 1930 than ever in history – Baby Ruth, Charleston Chew, Mounds, Milky Way, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Bit-O-Honey, Mr. Goodbar, Butterfinger and Snickers all made their debut.
• According to a Purdue University Study  it takes 252 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
• Austin, Charlotte and San Antonio lead the US in Halloween spending – $53 per household.
• M&M’s are the most popular candy sold in the US with all of us spending $425 million a year.
• And, just in case you were wondering, there are 22 M&M Colors.

 

 

And it seems so close as he reaches out his hand

But we are never quite as close as we are lead to understand.

Dreaming of Michelangelo – Counting Crows

 

 

 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.

 

 

 

 

Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

I spent the early part of the week in Chicago working with a fantastic group on their planning process.  I introduced the Elegant Simplicity model (strategic planning for any project in 3 steps), helped facilitate them through the idea and use of the model and worked with them on the next steps.  FANTASTIC!  An added bonus was dinner with friends on Sunday night under a blanket of stars on a perfect early fall evening.

 

Then back to Dallas to bust hump getting ready for three trips in the next 12 days!

 

Making sure all the elements are in place to create dynamic experiences that revolve around IMPACT.

 

It looks like I will be heading across the pond to London for a new client and project.  Kind of exciting.

 

Next week has me back to Atlanta and then to St. Louis where I get to present a completely updated and revised program on leveraging your elite clients.

 

Go Horns, Hogs and Cowboys!

 

 

 

HEY, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER –CREATIVEVENTURE

 

AND ON FACEBOOK – STEPHEN HARVILL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

I recently read some ideas from Mats Laderhausen, former big wig with McDonalds and thought you would find it interesting.  I have added my own twist here and there.

 

• The most important single aspect of any business is TRUST:  Strangely enough, no one spends much time on it.  Meetings are not called to discuss our trust factor with our customers or our own people.  Strategic focus is not given to trust and there sure as heck is not a line item in any budget I have ever seen called “trust” (might be a good thing for Washington DC to add!).
• Big ideas are the source of competitive advantage:  Spend some focused time on ideas.  In fact I suggest that every year you have an off-site meeting dedicated to the development of new ideas.  Send out idea homework.  Get your people THINKING!
• Focus is business rocket fuel:  As a leader it is your job to make sure focus is intently driven to those areas that will provide the biggest return.  If sales are one focus (duh) what are you doing to keep it “front of mind” of your team?  Do you have a sales blog?  Do you provide a weekly sales tip?  Do you have sales roundtables?  Better get going!

 

I was on a role there and ALMOST added a 4^th point.  Can’t imagine how many emails I would have received if I had gone past 3!

 

I hear Bob King (strength coach extraordinaire) recently say: “I used to tell my goes don’t just make something happen, instead, make a play.”  Love this because it says focus on WHAT you are doing.  The three ideas above should be part of your focus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:    9:  This animated feature is getting such good press and Laura has her annual weekend with her friends, providing me with an opportunity to see it.  Also, The Informant with Matt Damon is out and will be a must see.

 

NetFlix Fans:  Sphere:   An all-star sci-fi flick that I just watched again and remembered how much I liked it.

 

TV:    So much going on.  Forget everything else and remember that the new season of the best show on TV – House MD starts with a two hour show on Monday night.  Most other shows also get their season openers this week also.  Monk finally starts the last story arc with solving the murder of his wife.  Psyche makes me laugh every week and the Mentalist will get going again.

 

BOOKS:  The Killing Artist   – By Daniel Silva :    This is my first Silva book and I am being introduced to his hero, Gabriel Allon.  A really good read, full of history and suspense.

 

MUSIC:   Keb Mo is the REAL thing!  Enjoy 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIwtzsvaVIM   

 

WEB SITES:   Looking for a little help with your spirit?  Pretty cool place to add to your journey.

 

 

   http://soulcurrymagazine.com/sc/   

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

 

Economic good news appears to be a constant South of Normal player.  Here you go:

 

• The Federal Reserve reported Americans net worth increased by $2 trillion to $53 trillion in the second quarter.  This is the first time in two years it has gone up with gains in stocks, mutual funds and real estate values leading the way.  HUH?  Stock, mutual funds and real estate values leading the way.  Guess the media didn’t feel that was very important to report.
• Net claims for jobless benefits fell by 12,000.  Economists expected an INCREASE.  This is the 3^rd weekly decline in the last four weeks.  Economists now say that the economic recovery is beginning to show up in unemployment.  Again, where the hell is the media reporting this!
• Housing starts were up 1.5% in August.  Hello, anyone listening?

 

Guess my point is, sure we are not out of the woods, but positive economic news is simply not very sexy!

 

 

It is not the strongest or the most intelligent that survive, but instead the ones most adaptable to change.

Charles Darwin.

 

 

 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.

 

 

 

 

Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

Just back from Atlanta where I had the honor of teaching Interpersonal Communications to a group of top sales producers.  Fantastic group that really participated in all the interactive exercises.  I barely have time to catch my breath and it’s off to Chicago to introduce my strategic planning template to a new organization. 

 

I am in the “busy” season and it is a tough challenge for me to keep up.  Takes really strong planning and a focus on what’s important and what can wait.

 

Big things on the horizon include, launching a new and re-imagined leadership initiative, planning a major 2010 sales meeting, working as a team member on two web site redesigns for clients (such a hoot, considering I’m so far behind on my web site revision), a couple of platform presentations and a possible big trip to London.

 

Despite the Everest sized tasks that lay ahead, I can’t wait for them to happen!

 

 

 

HEY, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER –CREATIVEVENTURE

 

AND ON FACEBOOK – STEPHEN HARVILL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

During a recent business dinner I sat at table with some very successful executives and the conversation turned towards the latest generation to hit the job market.  They went on and on about how they feel “entitled”, how they are trapped in an electronic world devoid of real experience and so on. You know the stereotypical type of stuff they read about in the paper, but really haven’t experience themselves.  I bit my tongue and when a space opened I asked them, when was the last time they personally hired anyone?  You guessed, NEVER.

 

Here is the deal.  They didn’t understand the difference between different and bad. 

 

Dr. Andrea Lunsford at Stanford just finished an exhaustive study of the writing habits of today’s students and discovered it was not bad, it was just different.

 

• Young people today write more than ANY generation in the past.
• Their on-line social life takes place almost entirely in “text” communication.
• Before the internet MOST Americans never wrote anything unless it was assigned.
• They are experts at writing for their audience and assessing their audience’s needs.
• They have become experts in brevity, a kind of haiku like precision of transferring an idea.

 

This is just DIFFERENT, not bad. 

 

Among our new generation lie the leaders of tomorrow who are bringing a whole new way to see the world.  I recommend you get on board!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:    Whiteout:  Kind of a throw away movie weekend, but I did read the graphic novel that this movie is based on.

 

NetFlix Fans:  Silverado:   At dinner in Atlanta we were visiting about favorite westerns and though this is kind of a “pulp” western lacking in the true grit of more realistic films, I love it!

 

TV:    The US Open is down to the wire with great matches ahead.  It will have my entire TV attention.  Couple that with the start of the NFL season and it is a sports junkie’s dream time.  I am awaiting, with as little patience as possible, the start of the NEW House MD season.

 

BOOKS:  Getting to Plan B   – By Mullins/Komisar :    Interesting book that creates a business “dashboard” to help focus your activities on only essential actions. 

 

MUSIC:   I really like Jack Johnson and was listening to him flying home recently.  Here is a live version of Breakdown. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QtNSJLkurk  

 

WEB SITES:   Gotta love this idea in today’s world.

 

 

http://www.positivityblog.com/      

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

 

The cash dispensing, last hope for a few bucks to get you where ever you are headed or whatever you think you need, ATM machines have a lot of interesting facts:

 

·        The first mechanical cash dispensing machine was installed in the US in 1939!

·        There are over 400,000 ATM machines in active us in the US.

·        85% of all global transactions are handled in cash.

·        239 ATM’s are installed daily across the planet.

·        Most of the money dispensed in ATM’s has enough cocaine on it to register on the most basic police test.

 

 

There are good days and bad days and going half mad days.

Jimmy Buffett

 

 

 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.

Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

As unbelievable as it might sound, I actually hit all my milestones for the projects I have “in play”!  What a crazy week to make that a reality. 

 

Four completely new, customized programs for 4 different clients are in the final stages of completion.  These are INTRODUCTION programs where I will launch custom ideas for internal strategic application.  These become IDEA LAUNCH PADS.  Here is what that means:

 

• Storyboards complete.  This is my process of taking the idea from floating around in my head to gaining its first physical manifestation.  It is usually a series of sketches on long roles of butcher paper that end up covering every inch of wall space available.  Then I “thoughtfully reduce” down to core content.
• Master Deck Text:  I then transfer the sketches to a Master Deck of power point slides containing only the text for the content.
• Master Deck Visual:  The program then begins to come alive as I add pictures, graphics and video to the Master Deck creating a large file containing the visual journey.
• Master Deck Filter:  I then filter or select the slides that will make the final presentation based on the custom needs of the client and the time frame for delivery.
• Interactive Opportunities:  The final Master Deck will create interactive opportunities for which I will design the exercises that take the idea to direct application.

 

You can see the design phase for any idea is a little involved and time consuming.  So now when I say I am in design phase, well, you kind of know what it means.

 

Next week I hit the road again for 8 straight weeks of travel!

 

Have a great Holiday weekend!

 

 

Here is the September newsletter:  http://www.creativeventures.com/Newsletter/200909.html

 

 

 

HEY, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER –CREATIVEVENTURE

 

AND ON FACEBOOK – STEPHEN HARVILL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Nothing speaks to the culture of an organization more so than the concept of “recovery”. 

Every company makes mistakes; it is as inevitable as falling during ski lessons.  A form of performance gravity grabs everyone.  It is the nature of doing.  Mistakes happen all the time.  It’s never about the mistake, but instead it’s about the recovery.  What do you DO to move forward, to engage the lesson, to cement the emotion of the moment into a relationship building experience.  Here’s what I’m talking about:

 

• The great blog, “Church of the Customer” recently told the story of Best Buys mistake on their web site where they had a little problem with a decimal.  They showed a large plasma TV for $9.99 instead of $999.  Well, an ocean of customers snapped out their trusty credit card and the next thing you know Best Buy is in a pickle.  They have a clause buried somewhere that says they are not accountable for price mistakes.  They pulled that text out and said sorry.  That was it!  Ben and Jackie at the Church site gave a couple of great recovery suggestions – Why not enter everyone’s name in a drawing and give away 10 of those TV’s to winners.  That would have been a great idea, but to do nothing.  Horrible recovery opportunity missed.

 

• With my son Dylan in town, we all went out to dinner last night.  I ordered my regular salad (one of my favorites in town) and it came DRENCHED in dressing.  It was inedible.  I picked at it and when our server returned I told him the problem.  He asked if I wanted another one that he assured me would be perfect.  In fact he said he would watch its preparation.  By that time it just didn’t sound good, so I passed.  He asked if I wanted anything else on the menu, no charge.  I said no thanks and enjoyed the company and conversation (Federer was on the big screen and his match kind of had my attention).  The manager then visited our table and apologized, asked if there was anything they could fix for me to go.  They removed the offending salad from my bill and through their elegant recovery assured my return business.

 

Look at your recovery policy.  Does it meet the ACUTAL need of the customer?  Does it move your business FORWARD or does it create a retreat?

 

Relationships are everything and many are cemented in recovery!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:    Extract:  From the same mind that gave us Office Space!  That’s good enough for me!

 

NetFlix Fans:  To Catch a Thief:   During one of my standard not sleeping periods, I got to watch this wonderful Alfred Hitchcock film.  A must see for anyone!

 

TV:    My son, Dylan was home for a couple of days from Austin and he introduced me to the Travel Channel show – Man vs. Food (Wednesday nights).  It’s about this crazy guy who takes on food eating challenges.  You know, eat the 60 oz. steak and win a t-shirt kind of thing you often see in eateries.  Very weird and funny.  He failed to eat a 12 egg omelet filled with chili that sat on top of a mountain of hash browns.  The amazing part was he got all the way down to about two bits and simply could not get them in his rather hearty mouth.

 

BOOKS:  In Pursuit of Elegance   – By May:    Interesting approach to finding the key bridges between your product and the “end user”.

 

MUSIC:   Every once in a while I stumble upon a musical talent that stops me in my tracks.  Well, that’s Andy McKee.  Simply, unbelievable! 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4

 

WEB SITES:   Really interesting stuff!

 

 

http://laughingsquid.com/      

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

 

OK, nothing and I mean NOTHING fits the South of Normal section like the Burning Man festival in Nevada.  In fact, I find that even I am without words to describe this annual desert gathering where an entire art filled city is built and then removed from existence for a couple of weeks every year.  This is such an interesting cultural phenomenon that I encourage you to spend some time the web site.  Simply as South of Normal as things get!

 

http://www.burningman.com/

 

 

There are good days and bad days and going half mad days.

Jimmy Buffett

 

 

 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.