Week of October 26, 2009

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

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

This week, my wandering ways finds me in the chilly wilds of Minneapolis, where I get to introduce my Repeatable Successful Acts (RSA) platform as a new aspect of the sales process.  I have been looking forward to working with these people for a long time.   Discussion extended over a long period, looking for the right opportunity.  A little patience in a volatile market can come in handy!

 

The November newsletter is in the works and with a little quiet time I should have it out next week.

 

This trip makes the debut of my new Dell micro-notebook computer.  Weighing in at only 2.2 lbs it is a road warriors dream.  It is very basic, but will do anything you would need while traveling.  Email, internet access and Office software coupled with a VGA output for projecting and I am hoping it will relieve me of lugging around what now feels like a computer brick!

 

Next week should give me a little catch up time with a quick trip to New York thrown in where I will actually be auditioning my content and unusual style to a committee who is putting together a large number of 2010 programs that will connect a national education initiative.

 

My videos at creativeventures.com have been down lately, but should be returning this week!  Thanks John!  You can also now find me on YouTube.

 

Hey, as Ellis Paul says; “the world ain’t slowin down for no one.”

 

 

 

HEY, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER –CREATIVEVENTURE

 

AND ON FACEBOOK – STEPHEN HARVILL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

The idea of INTENTFUL OUTCOME is a critical piece to your planning strategy.  Can you define the exact outcome you are looking for in any piece of your evolving strategy?

 

You should be fully focused on a well defined future that YOU are working towards.  Can you list the connections between the cause you are driving and the effect you need to become reality?  This idea of intentful outcome is what drives outcome.  It impacts everything, from the budget to the next meeting you have on the calendar.  Without this type of thinking you are allowing things to just “happen”.

 

Here is a simple primer in this type of thinking:

 

·        The Psychology of Judgment:  As you are planning you are constantly judging, both on a conscious and unconscious level.  You are injecting opinion in your thinking.  This is OK, but it can also stall your thinking.  Allow your idea to expand beyond your initial opinion.  Add a little time between thinking about the issue and implanting your plan.  This allows your judgment to expand.  Remember – TIME NEVER OUTWEIGHS THOUGHT.

·        The Return to Why:  Start your intent by asking “why?”  Why are we having this meeting?  Why is this a piece of the budget?  Why are we marketing to this segment?  Get your whiteboard ready and create the “grand list”.  It is the visualization of intent.  By answering why you can define your initial intent.  This gives you direction and you should plan all aspects of the action around a laser-like focus on your response.  Here’s a bonus idea – ask everyone involved in the project the same “why” question.

·        The Purpose:  I ask all my clients AFTER attending a meeting; “what was your purpose for this use of time?”  It’s very important to define the action as a use of time, as a user of resources to help everyone recognize that time is a tangible asset.  The answer usually gives me all I need to know about the process that drove the meeting.  More often than not, I find the answer somewhat unfocused and clearly not achieving the INTENDED OUTCOME.

 

Planning creates intent and intent is a direction to outcome!

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:    Paranormal Activity:  This is a cultural phenomenon.  Made for about $10,000 and already grossing over $32 million this very scary thriller is the talk of the movie industry.  It has a very limited release but I’ll bet you can find it.  Said to be as scary as anything you have seen, it is not my “tub of popcorn” but I wanted it on the table for your weekend choices.

 

NetFlix Fans:  Get Shorty:   This is one of Laura’s favorite movies and she will stop the remote dead in its tracks when it is on.

 

TV:    Believe it or not, as much as I like TV, I have been working on so many projects that I have fallen behind (that and an exhaustive travel schedule).  So what’s on my DVR is really important.  The line up includes:  Monk, Lie to Me, The Mentalist, and Leverage.  What, NO HOUSE MD.  Of course, I NEVER MISS HOUSE.

 

BOOKS:  Pursuit of Honor – By Flynn:    The new Mitch Rapp thriller has hit the market!  I love these books and can’t wait to get in on my Kindle!

 

MUSIC:   My friend David Wilcox is in town this weekend and I will be hustling back from Minneapolis and heading straight from the airport to the concert.   Here is something new from David and it’s filled with his playful view of the universe!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqEAG5o-LFU        

 

WEB SITES:   Here you go sports fans: 

 

 

 www.lockerblogger.com    

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

 

A couple of things:

 

• On my late Sunday flight back from California I was dressed in my typical “going home” uniform of Levi’s, black t-shirt, but this time I threw on my HOUSE MD hat.  During our unplanned landing in Abilene (storms in the Big D), a woman came up from coach and honestly asked me if I was Hugh Laurie.  She thought I was House!  What a fantastic moment!  I wanted so much to say “yes” but alas I told the truth only to be confronted with the accusation that I was lying!  I told her Laurie was a Brit and she said” yes, but he speaks like an American on the show”.  Funny stuff!
• Let me get this straight – Two Northwest Air pilots get into a heated discussion and fly 600 miles past their destination before an alert flight attendant bangs on the cockpit door to get their attention!  They failed to answer an urgent stream of radio blasts from everyone on the ground and NORAD was ready to scramble fighter jets to see what the hell was going on.  Now I am one for a good argument (one of my favorite intellectual pastimes) but geez guys, land the damn plane first!
• Somali pirates are back with a vengeance taking three ships in a week!  There have been over 178 pirate attacks this year with 36 ships hijacked.  They are currently holding 7 ships and 165 crew member’s hostage.  It is estimated they have pocketed over $38 million in ransoms.  Maritime law does not allow commercial ships to arm themselves, but hey guys it might be time to pick up some flintlocks!

 

Music makes me blissfully aware

David Wilcox

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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