Take Me To Your Leader… Tribes by Seth Godin

Seth Godin has done it again - written an amazing, fresh, relevant, and useful book I love.  This time it is Tribes - a book about the importance of leadership.  The book is probably the least “marketing” oriented book Seth has written, focusing instead on addressing the much broader topic of leading other human beings.

The book talks a great deal about the importance of overcoming fear in the pursuit of innovation.  In today’s world, I am fully convinced that the old ways of “go along and get along” can only lead to a slow death - whether that applies to education, business, marketing, non-profits, or any other facet of life.  Today, the rewards go to the risk takers, the creators, and the innovators who are willing to step up with a vision and lead others toward realizing it.

Here is an excerpt from one of the passages on The Elements of Leadership:

• Leaders challenge the status quo.
• Leaders create a culture around their goal and involve others.
• Leaders have an extraordinary amount of curiousity about the world they are trying to change.
• Leaders use charisma (in a variety of forms) to attract and motivate followers.
• Leaders communicate their vision of the future.
• Leaders commit to a vision of the future and make decisions based on that commitment.
• Leaders connect their followers to one another.

The book also discusses numerous ways that individuals can levarage the web, blogs, and tools like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Squidoo, and others to build a tribe of followers.  Seth outlines numerous examples of others who have successfully built a tribe, and highlights simple strategies for following in their footsteps and leading with yours.

Not only is it a great book, but I even got a free copy of it.  I had pre-ordered the book on Amazon a few months ago.  Two weeks ago, a surprise advance copy showed up on my doorstep.  Seth sent them out to people who ordered early so that we could have a sneak peak at the book.  Talk about engaging the Tirbe.  The one I paid for showed up last Tuesday, and I quickly gave it to a friend to read… and the Tribe grows.

Thank you to Seth for continuing to be an inspiration to me, for providing me with countless great ideas, and for motivating me with your words and actions to be a leader with mine.

Amazon.com: Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us: Seth Godin: Books

Rockin The Vote on My Day Off

This is my favorite time of the year in Ohio, as the leaves change, jeans and sweatshirts get unpacked, football and baseball are getting interesting,  the nights are cool, and autumn is in its full glory.   Yesterday was a beautiful, and unseasonably warm day for October in Ohio, and I took the day off from work.

I spent the morning tinkering around the house, working on projects, cleaning up old messes, and trying to get a little more organized.  It always feels great to have everything in place - even if it is only for a day or two.

In the afternoon, we loaded up the kids and headed off to the board of elections to vote.  This year, Ohio is allowing early voting, something that I think is wonderful.  In a typical election, there is no way that I would be able to stand in line with my kids for hours and vote.  They can only wait so long, and would end up having a horrible experience.  In short, they would not get to see democracy in action.  Early voting changes that.

We showed up at the board of elections at 1:30, filled out some papers, and completed the whole process of voting in about 15 minutes.  There was no line, no hassle, and no problem.  Best of all, my children got to experience what it is like to vote.  My daughter has asked countless questions about the elections, and is very engaged in the idea of democracy.  It made me proud to see her be so enchanted with the voting process - which many just take for granted.

I hope that you will choose to vote this year, as I believe that it is something that every American should do - regardless of ideology.  We are blessed to live in a country where all voices can be heard.  For Ohioans, I highly recommend taking advantage of early voting.  It is too easy not to.

Complimenting My Guitar…

On Sunday, WalMart complimented my guitar, while Target did not.  Those who have heard me play would probably ask “why anyone would compliment my guitar?” No I am not talking about the “nice playing” type of compliment, but rather the idea of selling complimentary products.  This concept was illustrated to me over the weekend as I made trips to both big box retailers.  Allow me to explain.

Sunday morning the family and I headed to Target to pick up some groceries.  We typically pick up the stuff in cans and boxes at Target because it is substantially cheaper that anywhere else - not to mention Target often  has some cool new items to check out.   Well, as we made our way through the store, I remembered that I was in need of a new guitar cord.  The old one shorted out.  So, knowing that they have a few instruments in the back corner of the store, I assumed that surely they would have what I needed.  Alas I was mistaken…

Now the point of this post is not about Target, WalMart, or any other specific retailer.  I just use them to illustrate a point about something I observed.  Target had amplifiers, keyboards, electric guitars, tuners, and even guitar effects pedals, but they did not have a guitar cord.  This would seem to be an assumptive sale for anyone purchasing any of the aforementioned products, as they all require cords to work.  Thus Target is not only leaving easy money on the table by not carrying guitar cords, they are going to force me to go elsewhere to get it.

Now I have personally have a guitar, but if I were in the market for a low end, new guitar, such as the ones they stock, I would now be forced to comparison shop with Target.  Even if I bought the guitar and amplifier at Taret, the need for a cord would take me to another store.  The other store would then have the opportunity through pricing, salesmanship, and promotion to talk me out of the Target purchase.   Suppose I drove around the corner to Guitar Center and discovered a better guitar for less, a more sophisticated amplifier for roughly the same amount, and the cord that I needed to make them work.  Now, suppose the sales professional is good enough to ask what the cord is for, and I tell him about my experience.  If that person were smart they could say something like - “Why don’t you buy the same guitar and amp here and I’ll throw in the cord for free - just return the other one for a refund at Target.”  Now they built customer loyalty, made a sale, and screwed the competition in the process.

Back to my story about Sunday.  The family and I had to run an errand later in the day that took us to WalMart - somewhere I rarely visit.  Again, I thought to look for the guitar cord, assuming that if Target sold instruments, so would WalMart.  I found some instruments in the Toy Section and there along side them was a guitar cord… which I bought.

Admittedly it was a convenience purchase.  I buy most musical gear at a music store.  Still, this story highlights the importance of complimentary products.  What do you sell that requires a complimentary product to make it work.  Could you offer something additional to keep people from going elsewhere?

Voices - Episode 8: Artie Isaac

In this episode of Voices, I speak with Artie Isaac - marketing strategist, founder of Young Isaac, and professor at The Ohio State University and Columbus College of Art and Design.  Among other things, Mr. Isaac teaches MBA students at The Ohio State University how to be more creative.

According to Artie Isaac, creativity is about living a better life, having a more fulfilling job, connecting more deeply with friends and family, achieving flow, being more mindful, and embracing the present moment.  Isaac claims that all of us have the ability to be more creative by making an effort to enhance our creative potential - much like exercise can improve your physical health.  It is work, but there are clear, positive results.

Some of the thoughts Artie Isaac shares in the podcast are his reasons for blogging, how he named his site, what inspires him, how he utilizes technology to increase day to day productivity, the 3 types of days and how to approach them, why he lives in Ohio, and what people can do to be more creative.

Thanks to Artie for being kind enough to take the time to participate in the podcast, for being open enough to share his wisdom, and for being brilliant enough to inspire others to achieve greatness.  It was a pleasure to meet him.

Listen and enjoy!

Net Cotton Content / On Life and Marketing, Creativity and Ethics

Living With Epilepsy

The September 2008 issue of Parents Magazine has a great article about a Massachusetts family and how they dealt with their son’s epilepsy.  (Unfortunately it was not posted on their web site, and did not turn up in numerous web searches.  Should you find a link please let me know)

The story centers around a young boy named Michael, who suffered from 2 types of seizures that sound very similar to those that my son experiences.  The similarities between the descriptions their lives to our day to day reality was striking.  Michael’s parents spoke about how their child suffered through hundreds of seuzures a day, and how they “got used to living in crisis mode.”

I don’t want to paint this as a negative story, as it was actually quite informative and inspiring.  As parents of a child with epilepsy, we are often asked what our family life is like.  This article really sheds light into much of what life is like for us, and I imagine what life must be like for many other families who have a child suffering through epilepsy.

Their story has a happy ending, as their son Michael has now been seizure free for some time thanks to the right medications, early detection, and a lot of luck.  I am thrilled for Michael and his family.  I imagine that having Michael seizure free must be a wonderful feeling - one I hope we might experience someday.  Reading this article helped to further that hope.

One thing that we definately share with Michael’s family is this.  Our experience, like theirs, has taught us not to sweat the small stuff in life any more.

The article also features the following facts about Epilepsy: (Taken from the Parents article)

• The Brain is made up of 100 Billion nerve cells, which communicate with each other and the rest of the body.
• A seizure is triggered by abnormal electrical activity that causes a change in sensation, movement, behavior or consciousness.
• Doctors diagnose epilepsy after a child has two or more unprovoked seizures, which means that they aren’t caused by something external, such as a fever.
• Epilepsy is actually an umbrella term covering many diseases and syndromes.
• Epilepsy affects about 3 million people in the United States, and 45,000 children are diagnosed with epilepsy each year.
• There are 30 types of seizures, which can last from a few seconds to two minutes or longer.  In rare cases, they can be fatal.
• Drugs, surgery, or a special high fat / low-carb diet are effective in about 80% of cases.  Kids may be good candidates for surgery if their seuzures - unlike Michael’s - can’t be controlled with medication and are caused in a specific area of the brain.

If you would like to learn more about epilepsy or need help dealing with epilepsy, please visit the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio at www.ohioepilepsy.org

The Epilepsy Foundation is always looking for volunteers.   If you would like to join in the fight against epilepsy, please visit the volunteer page of the EFWO site.

If I Was In Charge of… NBC

Next February, good old fashioned broadcast television - the kind delivered by the combination of aluminum foil and rabbit ears that sits atop of my old school analog set - will cease to exist.  The Federal government is mandating that television networks broadcast solely in digital signals. Thus, if you are like me, you will need to get yourself a digital converter soon.  Still, I think this turn of events in conjunction with the tough economic times we face might just open up a new opportunity for Network television.  Follow along while I briefly explain my reasoning.

Recently I used the $40.00 voucher from the government to purchase a second digital converter for my home.  I bought it at Target, and it ended up costing me $10.00 after the voucher.  As I was buying it, a guy in line who identified himself only as a Television Executive, asked me if I really viewed television strictly over the air.  I proudly replied yes.  He was dumbfounded.  He could not believe that I was able to manage with only network television to guide me.

This got me thinking, why would I need cable at all?  With my digital receiver I now have over 30 stations, all for free.  I have more than 10 versions of PBS - covering kids programming, cooking and arts, travel, state government, and traditional programming.  Not only that, but local stations also offer multiple channels for me to enjoy.

Now that got me thinking even further…  With the expanded bandwidth afforded by digital broadcast television, why would the networks need cable or satellite for distribution?  The answer is they don’t.

So, if I was in charge of NBC, I would create 100 niche channels and make them available for broadcast through the local stations.  Music, sports, finance, politics, gardening, gossip, talk and more - all for free.  Why would I do this?

Well the whole point of commercial television is to sell ads.  If I can attract people to my content, I can sell more ads.  If people can give choices without having to make them pay, they should be interested - especially now as family budgets are stretched to the limit.  By being the first network to embrace this move, NBC could take a dominant role in the new niches that will emerge in the digital broadcast space. (note that you can substitute CBS, ABC, or FOX and it still works).

Look at your most recent cable or satellite bill and then tell me you would not be interested in having all the networks embrace this potential opportunity.  Imagine having 100, 200, 400 digital channels all for free.  Imagine having over $1000.00 back in your pocket at the end of the year - how is that for a stimulus package?

No, cable and satellite are not goint away.  No, I would not pull programming from them… yet.  What I would do is take advantage of tough times, federal mandates, vouchers, digital technology, analog televisions that still work, and mounting consumer frustration to take advantage of what might well be the biggest opportunity to come to television in years.

What would you do if you were in charge of NBC or another television network?

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko

Looking for a little inspiration to move you forward in your career.  How about a comic book?  The Adventures of Johnny Bunko is the latest book by author Dan Pink, who also penned A Whole New Mind - another of my favorites.  The book is done entirely in the popular style of Japanese animation known as Manga.  Who knew that manga could be so enlightening?  The characters are particularly funny, with career counseling coming from a fairy who appears when the main character breaks open carry out chopsticks.  Not exactly the run of the mill career guide.

The book is an easy read, makes some very meaningful points about how to approach your professional career, and the comic book format makes it particular enjoyable to read.

There are 6 key points outlined in the book.  Here they are with a few extra notes to add context.

1. There Is No Plan - I know this one very well, having been involved in companies that have gone through downsizing, mergers, acquisitions and other assorted craziness.  Pink asserts that you can either make “safe” decisions that may lead to something better someday, or make decisions that lead to the opportunities to learn exciting new things, build skills, and enjoy life now.
2. Think Strengths, Not Weaknesses - Pink references Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, one of my favorite authors, and discusses the idea of leveraging that which you love and are good at to make a living.  Instead of trying to improve upon that which you despise or struggle with, focus on your strong points.  This will ultimately lead to a job where you can achieve “flow” on a regular basis - with time flying by as you enjoy and are engaged in what you do.
3. It’s Not About You - The most valuable people use their talents to bring out the best in others.  If you want to improve your life, start by improving someone else’s.
4. Persistence Trumps Talent - The best of the best are those who stick with it in the tough times.  For musicians and athletes alike, it comes down to practicing hard every day.  The same is true in business.
5. Make Excellent Mistakes - Too many people get hung up on trying to avoid failure at all costs.  In doing so, they never try anything new.  It is ok to fail, as long as it gets you closer to excellence.
6. Leave An Imprint - Life is short.  Do something that matters.

Whether you like business books or not, this one is a must read.  It is so different from most of what is out there and presents the message in such an innovative way, that you are sure to think a little differently about work by the time you get done reading it.

Ja Mata

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko

Mr. Speaker, Welcome to the Blogosphere!

Ohio’s Speaker of the House,  Jon Husted, has launched a blog (using Wordpress of course.)  I think this is great, and I hope that other public officials take note.  I have met Representative Husted a few times, and he seems to be a great person.  Jon is a young man, but carries himself with a calm that many seasoned politicians never achieve.   He is very passionate about his job, and very focused on improving the economy in Ohio, and in Dayton. Don’t be surprised to see his name mentioned as a future candidate for Governor.

While I disagree with him on some issues, I have a deep respect for his approach to the political process and his accomplishments. I have heard him actually say several nice things about Governor Strickland, who is on the opposite side of the aisle from him, and when Jon speaks he regularly talks about the need to find common ground and use common sense.

I look forward to reading his posts and watching him engage with the public in this forum.  Well done Mr. Speaker.

Jonhusted’s Weblog

High Five

The wired how to wiki is awesome.  You can learn how to do just about everything on this site.  Among this month’s featured “how to’s” is “how to throw the perfect high five.” The article is short, funny, and valuable if you are looking to improve your ability to slap some skin.  It features basic high five instructions, and alternative versions of high fives including “The Todd” - named for the notorious high-fiving, freaky character from the brilliant show Scrubs.   They even include this highlight clip from YouTube featuring the best of The Todd.

Just below that is a high five described as the “21 Jump Street.”  The picture makes me laugh, as it shows the rediculous huddle high five from that rediculous late 80’s show.  I actually remember people doing things like that, which is scary.  Better yet, they have the Top Gun high five too.  Oh, the 80’s…

Anyway, do yourself a favor and bookmark the wired how to wiki, or better yet subscribe to the feed and get updates as they appear.  Hive five to that!

High-Five - Wired How-To Wiki

Farewell Marley

Long before the book came out, there was Marley (my dog) and me.  I wanted to write a quick post to say farewell to Marley, who passed away earlier this week.  Marley lived a long and good life, and was a great dog.  I got her from a friend while I was in college.  She was a very rambunctious puppy, and his room mates were treating her very poorly.  He asked me if I would take her, because he just did not know what to do with her.  I agreed to take Shayna (her original name), and was rewarded with an absolutely awesome dog.  The first thing I did was change her name to Marley, the moniker by which she would carry the rest of her long life.

She survived countless college parties, lengthy excursions ( after escaping from my apartment ) through the Wright State Library and Rike Hall.  Miraculously, she always managed to make it back home - sometimes through the aid of friends who would help me search around campus for her.  Sure, she could be a challenge at times, but she was always a loyal and loving Beagle.

Through many of my ups and downs, Marley was there.  A loyal companion.  Later in life, as work forced me into jobs where I needed to travel extensively, my parents adopted Marley.  This arrangement quickly became permanent, as my mother and father decided it was nice to have her around.  They didn’t want to give her back, and she had it made in the shade.  So as a result, I got to see Marley plenty, and my folks got to enjoy many years with her too.

In recent months Marley’s health began to deteriorate, as tends to happen with old dogs.  Still, she lived a long and full life of 16 years, and she taught me so much in the process.  Marley, wherever you are, let me say to you one last time “good girl.”  You were a great dog.

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