The Kiss Business too (2)

SobCon 07 in a large nutshell

For all who (like me) had to stay at home instead of going to Chicago Friday 11 May and Saturday 12 May you can read everything that happened there "To take your blogging to the next level" at:

Jason Alba (at Just another JASONALBa Blog).

Jason has written 10, yes 10 wonderful posts about the convention, making you feel you where there after all!

Thanks Jason, but I do wonder if you got any sleep at all?

(Jason is also the person behind the JibberJobber online job-seekers and networkers tool)

sobcon07
Read more about SOBCon 07 from the various attenders (Jeez, still very jealous!, but getting a better picture of the event with every post I read)

Clear the Decks Desk!

One of the contributions to the 'Ultimate Guide of Productivity' is about tidiness (Colleen at Communicatrix wrote that fine and practical one). After some very busy weeks I finally managed to find some time for a 'regular' clear out of my inbox (as part of clearing my real and virtual desk)

Hidden in there was the announcement of The Director's Centre Spring-newsletter (email from Friday 13 April - wow, was I so far behind?)
One of the topics of the newsletter is (IMHO) a very worthwhile to share article by Robert Craven:

What Does Every Modern Company Want Now?
"We all want to know the reply when we cry out the challenge: "What is it that every so-called company wants right now?"

Robert lists questions which (well, most) business people ask themselves (or ask their business consultant) on how to grow the business. They are not really questions, demands would be more appropriate: "we WANT this and we WANT that".
Like "we WANT customers and employees who are loyal; we WANT commitment; we WANT corridors jam-packed with customers"

But you can't demand grow, can you? Growing, properly and sustainable growth, comes from

1. working hard
2. working smart!

And in the end it is all down to "How we treat the customer". (Now, where did I hear that before?).

Robert's end-line speaks for itself:
"It makes sense to deliver a remarkable customer experience!"

(Edit: just checked my Google reader and what other gem do I find on building a great business people will love:

Adam - Monk at Work - Kayce starts a workshop: BPL : Business People Love)

Laurie Philp - Sparks

Laurie Philp - Speaker - Trainer - Magician - sends out a weekly 'Sparks' (I know Laurie for years now and have attended various of his workshops - talk about fun!)

This week's SPARKS I would like to share because what if you can use it indeed?

"Two words to expand your thinking.

The quality of your life is the quality of your questions.
It's strange but true that people who ask better questions have better lives.

So rather than use "why me?" "why now?"

Have an experiment and try using "what if?"

The question "what if?" is the key to opening your possibility thinking.

"What if we could do that?"
"What if there were no restrictions?"
"What if we could make it-bigger-smaller-faster?"

What if you use this idea?"

How do you think?

Run off my feet, taking a break

The last few days weeks have been are very busy, so many things to do, to organise, to prepare, to write, to read.

But I'm having fun! (Still preparing the last bits for a 10 minute presentation early tomorrow morning in front 35 other businesses, almost ready). I decided to have a real coffee-break and read up on some newsletters.

Low and behold: Lee Fowler's weekly newsletter brought another gem for the Ultimate guide to Productivity I'm more than willing to follow up on (part of the article below):

The average hardworking person is already at 100% of their capacity and the jobs, tasks and responsibilities keep piling up. Realising that there will never be enough time to do everything you want to do is liberating. It means that you're now free to prioritise.

Many of us prioritise in the same way which leaves us drained of energy, frustrated and under even more pressure than we were before. That's because we so often think it's best to start with some of those little jobs to 'get them out of the way'. The problem is most of those little jobs are unfulfilling and therefore when they're completed we feel unfulfilled. If you just did loads of little tasks in the day and asked yourself at the end of the day what you achieved you wouldn't be able to easily sum it up in your mind. You'd get the feeling that you've been busy doing nothing.

A better way is to look at what needs to be done and chose something that will make you feel accomplished and do that first. Take a few minutes each day in relaxed solitude to think over what needs to be done, just for that day. Doing this will allow your subconscious to prioritise and work on insights and ideas that may save you effort and time once you get started on the day ahead. Then you have a feeling of worth that will drive you on to do another task. So at the end of the day, after working at 100% of your capacity and not getting everything done, you'll be able to look back at the day and say, 'well I got such-and-such done today.' Celebrate that achievement and you will look forward to tomorrow with enthusiasm.

(ding! magazine)

Thanks for sharing this with us Lee.

(now, where did I place my note cards for tomorrow morning?)

What I learned from my mentors

On the 1st of May Robert Hruzek started his group writing project "What I learned from______(Du'oh! and don't forget to fill in the blank! - No Mr Bob, we won't) and kicked the project off himself with what he learned from a light-switch. I've been invited to contribute my own little piece and hopefully am JIT (just in time - been a bit busy this week).

So, ok, my mentors. I'm very fortunate to have met two of the most kindest persons you can imagine in times I was, well to put it bluntly, out of my debt. With hindsight they are very much alike also: both have an accountancy background, but both 'specialise' (excel) in consultancy roles, both are those special kind of persons you feel comfortable with straight away- knowing at once they have that unique integrity you so rarely meet - and both are 'quiet' givers.

Givers of knowledge, givers of sharing their own experiences, givers of trust.

I met Jos over 18 years ago when he was appointed as outside IT-consultant in the company I worked for to get the software (and hardware) up to scratch. My job (non-management) had a lot to do with the computer (I even remember those big, noisy mainframes beginning 80's - and I even still know some MSDos). My manager (old boys club) wasn't having any of it and that didn't make things easier to 'upgrade' and 'update'.
Jos made sure my experiences of the old ways and ideas for new ways were taken into account (and bless him, not even taking the 'credits' for it himself).

When we moved to the UK and our first 'venture' went absolutely pear shaped (wrong stubborn partners) we got stuck (and that's just for starters: money lost, confidence lost, jobs lost, future lost?). We didn't know where to turn, what to do, how to 'survive'.

Then there was Richard C. Accountant, business consultant, BNI Ashford member, quiet friend, quiet listener, quiet guide to a new future. He taught me to believe in myself again by showing (drawing it out even on 2 A4's) what we had done so far; that the failure of the first business wasn't something we had caused - on the contrary he even now keeps insisting, we had kept it going for so much longer than thought possible; we still had our specific knowledge, skills and talents, those weren't lost.
In short: a shoulder to cry on, a hankie given, a pat on the back received and then upwards and onwards with bright, splendid, simple, bold, workable and achievable ideas.

I owe both men a lot. What I learned most from them was believe and trust in myself - they did and do.
And if they (who I both respect so very much) did and do, how could/can I not do the same?

Not doing so would be a betrayal of everything they have given and still give me.