I’d probably call it Appelos...hybrid Apple and Zappos
It has nothing to do with computers or an internet store. It’s about their obsessions...
Apple- quality, innovation, design, spirit, growing the tribe
Zappos- employee care, employee dream fulfillment, customer engagement, pursuit of happiness
Obviously, both organizations have been very successful on every measure. But, they also both started at zero and went through serious dips before emerging into what we know today. The key takeaway is how they stuck to their core values and developed obsessions around them. They survived and made progress by ignoring popular trends and advice and simply (but not easily) doing flawless work. They executed their obsessions...and continue to do so.
Lesson...Write down your purpose, what you stand for. Develop obsessions and execute. There, that’s your business plan. Please go do something remarkable.
What Did You Do to Move Your Organization Forward in 2010?
Whether you work for yourself or for a company of 5,000...the question is the same. This is the simplest form of the annual performance review. If you're honest with yourself, you can get a lot from the answer. If you think you might cheat a little, ask five or ten other people that are close to you. By the way, the same principle can and should be applied to how you did with friends and family.
Idea Tanks
For me, there are certain places that just seem to foster better thinking...my idea tanks. Moving vehicles happen to be at the top of the list. I suppose it’s because I’m forced into fewer activities and distractions while in them. No kids or colleagues asking for a favor, no surfing the internet (although you can do that for a small fortune on most planes now), etc. It’s an office which forces me to focus on what’s gong on in my mind vs. worrying about what might interrupt me next.
I guess there are tons of idea tanks. Some people probably use hammocks, or a small corner of the beach. In any form, they breed creativity. Where’s yours?
Sorry, gotta go, we’re about to land.
Less
Three takeaways from a presentation I attended today...
1. Standing behind a podium takes a lot away from the presentation...makes you look less confident.
2. There's no need for slides if you have great content and a compelling delivery.
3. Less is better- less words, shorter sentences...make your point quickly...no one has the time for more.
Enough said...
5 Things
What are you doing to move your organization forward? What are the people around you doing? What about the candidate being considered to join your company...what did she do at her last company to get them ahead? No matter when or how often you ask, it's always the most important thing to know....what are we doing?
Try implementing a 5 things report to get everyone focused on the idea of measurable progress. List the 5 things you're doing right now that will measurably move the organization forward...to get it a step closer to achieving overarching objectives like building an audience of loyal raving fans, reducing waste by 5% or improving employee retention. Release a new list regularly, on whatever schedule feels right...weekly seems to work well for most. Start handing yours out to your boss, peers and subordinates. Don't ask for theirs. After awhile, you'll get some in return. Hopefully, you'll start a shift in the culture of participation and measuring progress.