Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .
IN OUR WORLD
A great week in my neck of the woods as all my client work was Dallas based! No plane trip for me this week.
I am finally back to whatever passes for normal for me, leaving the damn stomach flu in the not so distant past. Nothing makes you more grateful for your health than the memory of being sick.
Most of my work this week was focused on the creative process of developing new ideas and associated presentations for clients launching core strategies in March. This is a patterned process for me. Research, storyboards, development of a raw deck (nothing fancy), creation of a “master deck” and then the culling of the deck down to the visually journey I will use to introduce or reinforce the idea.
I also had the opportunity to work on teams with my local clients that span industries as varied as retail, education, manufacturing and entertainment. Thank God for a fluid mind!
Next week its back on the road again.
By the way, final count on the number of movie lists I sent out this year – 371!
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THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nothing stops an idea dead in its tracks like fear. As Paul said in the epic science fiction trilogy DUNE – “Fear is the mind killer”.
Fear is a core issue in any decision making model. It dictates the way people approach choice. Most decision making models center on judgment and choice. How do you develop your needs model for making judgment and then how do you connect that judgment to making a choice, a decision. If you have a fear based model that buries you in uncertainty, your ability to move forward is hampered at every opportunity.
If at the beginning of a choice you have an unrealistic goal that acts as your filter for your decision making model you are very likely to shy away from decisions. How can you make a right choice when the goal is absurd? “The customer is always right”, is one of my favorite dumbass goals. It is so dishonest that to make decisions with it as your primary goal filter dooms you to failure. Everyone knows that nothing and I mean nothing is “always” when people are involved. How can one make a good decision when foundation is wrong? It builds a fear based model. Try this instead – “we work towards making our customers delighted.” Now I can make a decision that works in a direction and provides latitude for my ideas.
So what can you do to limit your fear, to forge ahead in making decisions? Here are a couple of ideas from my decision making model:
RATIONAL: This is the process driven idea. Heck, it was good enough for Plato and Benjamin Franklin who used a simple Pro’s and Con’s list. There are three parts – Assess / Decide / Action. Take it one step at a time. I’m not talking about simple decisions like what to have for lunch or what parking place to take; I’m talking about those big things that keep you up at night. Try this simple idea and see if it helps you see the best choice.
INTUITIVE: You are already familiar with this model. You often refer to it as your “gut feeling”. There is a ton of value in this aspect of decision making. Think about it for a moment. Your experiences, both good and bad frame how you “feel” about an issue. You often go through this rolodex of your past in a lightning minute. Stop, pause, and take a little time to listen to that “still small voice”, it more than often speaks the truth!
Try the “combo special” – build your rational model, think about it and then go with your gut feeling.
ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIES: Shutter Island: Believe it or not, I’m not a huge Scorsese fan, BUT this looks like a creepy good time.
NetFlix Fans: Slap shot: A fantastic hockey movie staring a very athletic Paul Newman. Funny and full of action.
TV: It is ALL ABOUT THE OLYMPICS! I love the winter games and watching the downhill, moguls, short track speed skating, the half pipe and other nutso sports is as good as it gets. BUT, can we limit the saturation of figure skating??
BOOKS: The Power of Pause – Guilmartin: This book is a perfect companion to the ideas on decision making. It deals with the need to slow down in the decision making process.
MUSIC: I’m in an Austin frame of mind and here is a FANTASTIC solo, acoustic version of the greatness of Bob Schneider with 40 Dogs (Romeo and Juliet).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xpY3vrdCZQ
WEB SITES: Want to figure out how to so something? Check out this web site.
SOUTH OF NORMAL
I know the news about the economy can knock you to your knees, BUT here are a few rays of sunshine that appear South of Normal, at least South of the “New Normal” (Tom Langseth):
- John Deere has raised its fiscal outlook for 2010 as demand for large farm equipment is on the rise.
- Whole Foods Markets raised its 2010 fiscal targets with same store sales (a key metric) up over 7%.
- Housing starts rose 2.8 % in January, the largest jump since July of 2009.
- The Empire State Index (measures New York regions manufacturing activity) rose to its highest level in 4 months according to the Federal Reserve Bank. It beat all the forecasts.
So, enjoy a few rays of sunshine.
Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com
Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.
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