Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .
IN OUR WORLD
A short work week, even for me as I actually did NO work on Memorial Day! First time in recent memory.
I add two new clients this week. It’s really exciting and not that common when I find a prospect that makes it through my filter and we develop a joint level of excitement about the proposed projects! Makes me way JAZZED. Both will take until the fall to get ready and kick off in September and October.
I have spent a huge amount of time this week on research and design for a project that has resulted from a very successful PERSONAL BRANDING project for a large sales force. Having finished the launch in half of their key offices the client is already seeing new behaviors that are starting to show results. I am amazed at the level of accountability the sales force is being held to with regard to the new personal branding elements of their sales process. The traction of an idea is directly related to the level of accountability that the practitioner is held to. To gain even faster and more specific traction, involve those impacted in the development of the idea. I am also creating a new platform presentation on this very different and powerful view of the impact of a strong personal branding strategy for sales forces everywhere.
Next week I am back to Orlando where the Repeatable Successful Acts platform again takes center stage.
Also, my youngest son, Colin, is due back from his year in Spain. It will be a big welcome home celebration.
HEY, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER –CREATIVEVENTURE
AND ON FACEBOOK – STEPHEN HARVILL!
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Don’t you understand I already have a plan? I’m waiting for my real life to begin.
Colin Hay
One of the great road blocks to getting things done is what I call – The Right Wait. This is the belief that everything must be in place before you can begin anything. Think of this along the lines of The Myth of 100% that I have written and spoken about in the past. If you wait in the wonderland of everything has to be just right, you will delay or never start a project.
What often causes this fear of starting (most commonly the fear that the idea will fail) is the individualization of the risk. One person shoulders the responsibility which rapidly becomes the burden.
It becomes a PUSH project. One person is pushing the idea. People respond to pushes just like they respond to being pushed. People have a tendency to resist or even push back. The more resistance and backward pressure, the less likely you are to move the idea forward and the more likely you are to retreat to look for The Right Wait. This is also the home of “buy in”, or I want your engagement in an idea you had nothing to do with.
Here is a quick idea. Change the PUSH to a PULL. Look for opportunities early on in the idea launch to involve people. The best idea is to involve people in the impact zone of the idea. By pulling ideas, both positive and critical at the beginning you gain traction. The PULL strategy even works when an idea stalls and needs some forward motion.
The better your PULL strategy the more likely you are to start an idea and make adjustments (all ideas need adjustments) as you move forward.
There seldom is a RIGHT WAIT. Ideas need motion. Give it to them!
ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIES: Killers: Another afternoon of mindless entertainment.
NetFlix Fans: The Limits of Control: This is one of those movies I started to watch late one night and become mesmerized by it’s slow pace and virtual lack of dialog. It centers on a courier, sent on a mysterious mission in Spain. Weird, but I could not turn it off.
TV: The summer run of shows on the USA Network has begun, YEA! This brings the ousted spy show Burn Notice and the personalized doctor show Royal Pains back to Thursday nights. The NBA finals also reunite two old and bitter rivals as the LA Lakers take on their arch nemesis the Boston Celtics.
BOOKS: The Wisdom of Bee’s – By O’Malley. An interesting take on looking at business based on how bee’s organize and operate. Bees look wide and deep, meaning they think long term. When flowers are thin, they don’t downsize, they look for new sources.
MUSIC: Some years back my friend Wayne introduced me to the solo career of Colin Hay (perhaps remembered from Men at Work fame). Since then I have consumed as many of his songs as possible. Full of wisdom and wonderful melodies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCUvrbybtIA&feature=related
WEB SITES: A MUST BOOKMARK.
http://www.stoyko.net/fugitiveknowledge/
SOUTH OF NORMAL
There is a new ride at the insane Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas. I guess the three roller coaster rides on the top of the 1,149 foot tower of a hotel didn’t provide enough of an adrenaline rush, so they added the SKYJUMP.
You basically jump off the 108th floor with a harness on and do a 14 second free fall at a rate of drop of 60 ft. per second. This is the highest controlled fall experience in the world! Unlike a bungee chord jump where the end launches you back up, this ends in a soft controlled landing (or is supposed to anyway).
It is a “solo” experience and will set you back $100. BUT, here is the deal, if one time didn’t do it for you, you can get a second jump for a package rate of $150!
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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