Titles do not create great brands. It’s great performances produced by people who contribute like “owners” regardless of what it says on their business cards.
Cab drivers are some of the most interesting people you'll ever meet. And some of the most knowledgeable about the places you visit for business or leisure. be super nice to them, chat them up, and get them to tell you a good story. it'll make your ride to and from the airport a great one, and they probably won't try to stiff you.They'll also treat you extra nice, which always sets the stage for a great check-in at your hotel or at your airline terminal. Trust me, the doorman at whatever hotel you're going to will take his cues from how well your cabbie treats you as he drops you off. They have radar for stuff like this.
It's fascinating to me how much people open up to you when you engage them with curiosity and enthusiasm. And the upgrades... Wow. The upgrades. Turning on a little charm goes a long way to helping human touchpoints everywhere create a remarkable brand experience for you everywhere you go.
And wearing big Hollywood sunglasses at all times seems to help, for some strange reason.
Go figure.
Labels: customer experience, relationships, taxis, touchpoints, travel
Back from Fort Lauderdale: Some thoughts on personal branding
Published 20080516 by Olivier Blanchard.
Sorry for the blogless week, everyone. Internet connectivity was pretty-much inexistent at the Westin Diplomat in Fort Lauderdale, and I found myself pulling 16+ hour days all week.
Granted, a little bit of that time was spent meditating about Microsoft distribution strategy while enjoying long early morning swims in the crystal clear blue Atlantic. If that doesn't sound like work, maybe you're right... but it is. Meshed with the triathlon training thing, and the healthy lifestyle thing, and a deep rooted need to spend as much time as possible connecting with the ocean, this is part of my process: meet with peers and business owners, identify problems, understand the opportunities these problems present to me, and figure out ways to a) create a killer solution, and b) monetize it for my company and its partners. It's a process that's part science and part black art. Some people prefer to work out the details sitting at a desk. Me, I find that getting away from the office, desk, laptop and phone helps me put the pieces together better and faster. Diving into the ocean is as good a place as any to spend 30-60 minutes letting my brain do its thing. Long rides and long runs in the country work pretty well too. Everyone who does this sort of thing has their own unique method. Hitting the piano, taking out the sailboat, turning on their PC, grabbing a white piece of paper and a pencil, going for a walk... Whatever works.
Anyway. Back to the 16+ hour days. There were cocktail parties after the sessions, and business dinners, and lunches and receptions... all work, all fun, the two meshed somehow in some strange corporate jetset cocktail culture lifestyle.
While the norm when not traveling is to work from 8am to 6pm and then go home, this week offered no such clear separation: Work was leisure. Leisure was work. While drinking 37s and Martinis at the office would be unacceptable, in this strange world of shmancy hotels and dinner jackets at breakfast, getting mildly sauced by 5pm in the hotel bar while talking business seemed perfectly acceptable.
Interesting divide between how we view work at the office, and work offsite in America these days.
Interesting divide between how we view work at the office, and work offsite in America these days.
The point here, if there is one, is that this very different business environment - seemingly devoid of the typical office rules - comes with its own set of unspoken laws, pitfalls and hidden traps. Just because the rules seem to be lax does not mean that there are no rules. The truth is that at this level in the game, you're swimming around in a shark tank. Everyone is watching. Everyone is waiting for you to fuck up. Welcome to the real world, where you're either the butt of someone's joke or the subject of their praises. Every relationship is at ts core a power play. Everyone is looking for an opportunity to move up the power chain, and every mistake you make helps them get there.
Having spent the better part of the week negotiating my way through very subtle mine fields - and watching a good number of people step on mine after mine, I figured it might be worth bringing up under the topic of personal branding.
Fact: In certain circles, a certain level of sophistication goes a long way towards being accepted - or even respected - by peers and high level execs. No matter how great you are at your job, how smart, how professional and how valuable to your company, if you're somehow perceived as being too "country," too geeky, too socially "limited," you might actually be hurting your career.
Consider this: Good looking people get promoted more often and faster than average or even unattractive people, regardless of ability. Knowing how to dress, speak, carry yourself and charm people are all essential skills. Whether fair or not, the guy with the greasy hair who dresses like a dork and doesn't know how to pronounce half of the menu at a 4-star restaurant has set a very low and perpetual ceiling for himself. Period.
Likewise, your personal brand affects the brand of the company you work for, whether it is your own, or someone else's. The way you dress, the way you speak, the way you act, the way you carry yourself - all of these things are part of that brand marriage between you and whatever logo is printed on your business card.
If you get shitfaced at a conference and make an ass of yourself, you're done. You may not get fired, but your reputation will be tarnished. Why? Because you'll forever be the guy who couldn't control his drinking and fell in the fountain in front of half the industry. They'll be telling that story behind your back for years, and even though your boss won't ever mention it during your annual reviews, it will live in the back of everyone's minds long after you've all moved on and retired. This is the kind of stuff that will hurt you. No question.
And because of your association with the brand you serve, your company's ability to make smart, professional, effective decisions will always be in question - because your ability to make these types of decisions will always be put in question.
Even if you aren't the type to get raking drunk at business parties, you may be shooting yourself in the foot by not developing your personal brand - on a superficial level, sure, but nevertheless.
Here are some basic rules of business/social savvy that will help you bridge the gap between the office, the business party, and how to kick ass at offsite events like conferences and business business summits:
1. Dress up, not down: Sure, you're flying South to Miami for your next conference... but that doesn't mean that wearing shorts and Magnum P.I. shirts is acceptable. In the summer, get yourself a khaki suit or a white dinner jacket, and stand out from the rest of the shmoes by dressing up but without being too stuffy. Leave the jeans at home. Browse a GQ. Find simple ways to look elegant and professional without looking like you're trying.
2. Know what drinks to order. If you're a guy, avoid anything that sounds tropical (Sex On The Beach, Blue Coconut, etc.) Stick to the basics: Vodka Tonic, Cuba Libre (Rum & Coke), Gin & Tonic, Bloody Mary, etc. For extra style points, order a 37 if the sun is still out, and a Floyd Browne if it's getting late. Beer is okay if the event is very casual, but ordering a simple cocktail does add a certain air of sophistication and good taste. Sorry, my Southern Baptist friends... I guess you'll have to settle for soft drinks. No worries.
Fact: In certain circles, a certain level of sophistication goes a long way towards being accepted - or even respected - by peers and high level execs. No matter how great you are at your job, how smart, how professional and how valuable to your company, if you're somehow perceived as being too "country," too geeky, too socially "limited," you might actually be hurting your career.
Consider this: Good looking people get promoted more often and faster than average or even unattractive people, regardless of ability. Knowing how to dress, speak, carry yourself and charm people are all essential skills. Whether fair or not, the guy with the greasy hair who dresses like a dork and doesn't know how to pronounce half of the menu at a 4-star restaurant has set a very low and perpetual ceiling for himself. Period.
Likewise, your personal brand affects the brand of the company you work for, whether it is your own, or someone else's. The way you dress, the way you speak, the way you act, the way you carry yourself - all of these things are part of that brand marriage between you and whatever logo is printed on your business card.
If you get shitfaced at a conference and make an ass of yourself, you're done. You may not get fired, but your reputation will be tarnished. Why? Because you'll forever be the guy who couldn't control his drinking and fell in the fountain in front of half the industry. They'll be telling that story behind your back for years, and even though your boss won't ever mention it during your annual reviews, it will live in the back of everyone's minds long after you've all moved on and retired. This is the kind of stuff that will hurt you. No question.
And because of your association with the brand you serve, your company's ability to make smart, professional, effective decisions will always be in question - because your ability to make these types of decisions will always be put in question.
Even if you aren't the type to get raking drunk at business parties, you may be shooting yourself in the foot by not developing your personal brand - on a superficial level, sure, but nevertheless.
Here are some basic rules of business/social savvy that will help you bridge the gap between the office, the business party, and how to kick ass at offsite events like conferences and business business summits:
1. Dress up, not down: Sure, you're flying South to Miami for your next conference... but that doesn't mean that wearing shorts and Magnum P.I. shirts is acceptable. In the summer, get yourself a khaki suit or a white dinner jacket, and stand out from the rest of the shmoes by dressing up but without being too stuffy. Leave the jeans at home. Browse a GQ. Find simple ways to look elegant and professional without looking like you're trying.
2. Know what drinks to order. If you're a guy, avoid anything that sounds tropical (Sex On The Beach, Blue Coconut, etc.) Stick to the basics: Vodka Tonic, Cuba Libre (Rum & Coke), Gin & Tonic, Bloody Mary, etc. For extra style points, order a 37 if the sun is still out, and a Floyd Browne if it's getting late. Beer is okay if the event is very casual, but ordering a simple cocktail does add a certain air of sophistication and good taste. Sorry, my Southern Baptist friends... I guess you'll have to settle for soft drinks. No worries.
Because I couldn't find a decent cocktail in Ft. Lauderdale to save my life, I created my own. Here they are, just in case you're traveling soon and need a break from the same old same old:
The 37: In a tumbler 2/3 full of ice cubes, pour 1/2 tonic with 1/8 gin, 1/8 vodka citron, 1/8 rum, and 1/8 triple-sec. Add two lime wedges and one lemon wedge. Stir and enjoy. Perfect pre-dinner drink. Looks good, tastes remarkably like 7-up, and you will impress everyone with your awesome continental cocktail-designing prowess.
The Floyd Browne: In a Whisky glass, pour 1/3 cognac and 2/3 irish cream on the rocks. Best for late night chats into the wee hours. (Subjects optional, but I would recommend branding, politics, and marketing strategy.) Also known as a "French orgasm" when you mix the two ingredients 1/2 & 1/2, but not everyone will find the name all that charming.
3. Do not do shots. Do NOT do shots. Just don't. You aren't in college anymore.
4. If you must do shots, order a round for EVERYONE. Do not get drunk or buzzed. Always remain in control of your sobriety at all times. A gentleman and true professional) stays sober. Period.
5. Stay sober, no matter what. Know your limits. Do not get drunk at a busines event. Ever. Just because everyone else is doesn't mean you should. Be better than the rest.
6. Get to your meetings on time - or better yet, early. Have an agenda. Take copious notes. Turn each meeting or session into a call to action. Plan a follow-up. Thank your guests or hosts for taking the time to be with you. Be super damn friendly and polite.
7. Stand when a woman walks into the room. If it's a big room, don't. I'd put the radius of having to get up at about 15 feet. When a woman gets up from a conference table - or dinner table - get up too. It's a thing.
8. If there is a short line to get into a room or elevator, invite everyone to enter ahead of you. This works great for elevators. Being a gentleman is easy and everyone digs it. The elevator won't leave without you.
9. Offer to buy. (Dinner, drinks, coffee, breakfast, whatever.) Even if you don't want to, offer.
10. Shine your shoes.
11. Unless you have a massive gut, buy pants with no pleats.
12. Sports coats. Dinner jackets. Wear them.
13. Golf shirts belong on the golf course. Short sleeved dress shirts belong in the 1970's. Dress like you mean it.
14. Get yourself a good writing instrument.
15. Stand up straight. Sit up straight. Don't slouch.
16. Chew with your mouth closed.
17. If coffee is served, opt for the ceramic coffee cups instead of the paper cups. a)your coffee will taste a whole lot better, and b) you will look and feel a whole lot more sophisticated. Using a real spoon instead of some plastic or wood stirry thing will complete the experience.
18. Heck, try tea instead, and give it a little bit of cream. It's how the Brits do it, and it tastes awesome. Good conversation starter as well.
19. Invest in nice accessories: Timepiece, writing instrument, eyewear, mobile device. Little details like those go a long way. I'm not suggesting bling. Bling sucks. Look for style and subtle sophistication.
20. Mobile phones + belt clips/holsters: um... no. You're not a construction worker. Leave the toolbelt in the back of the truck there, Bubba. (A dinner jacket or sport coat's inside breast pocket comes in handy now, doesn't it.)
21. Know your shit. Be the most knowledgeable guy at the table. Always. No exceptions.
22. No matter how knowledgeable you are, listen more than you speak. Ask questions. Don't cut people off. Steer the conversation to a point. Or two. Or three. But no more per hour.
23. Divorce and separation stories don't make the best conversations in a business setting, even if the atmosphere seems casual. Don't go there.
24. Sexual Harassment rules apply to all business and social settings, regardless of how many miles you are from the office or how late it is in the day. Business conferences are not meat markets. Have some decorum. Exercise discretion, common sense, and professionalism.
25. No matter how much alcohol you have ingested the night before, come morning, you must show no sign, no hint of the evening's debauchery. Be crisp, be fresh, be ready to own the world. Show up late or not at all, and you're just a chump who can't hold his liquor and doesn't have enough sense to know it.
26. A quick hello, handshake and super brief introduction as you walk by works better than an awkward bullshit conversation. ("So, like... what do you do?" Bleh.) Learn how to work a room. (Enter, pick a spot where you want to end up, and make a point to say hi to two or three people on your way there. If you look like you're on your way to going somewhere, you can pull this off.)
"Oh hey (name optional). Olivier Blanchard, with SYNNEX. (Handshake.) How are you liking the conference so far? (Let the person answer.) Cool. Listen, great meeting you. (Point to the bar or the coffee station.) I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want something? (Chances are, they'll say no. In that case:) All right. Now I have to go find my peoples before they get themselves in trouble. See you later. Great meeting you!" (If they say yes, find out what, go get it, bring it back, and ask them what they do. The rest of the conversation will take care of itself.)
27. Pink shirt. Buy one. Trust me on this.
28. Don't be a loud phone talker. If you must be, go be by yourself somewhere.
29. Pants should be fitted. Jackets too.
30. Send frequent but concise emails or txt updates to your boss. yes, even into the evening. They can read them the next day if they've logged off. Reminding them that you're working your ass off and that you're on a mission won't hurt.
31. The cash gets folded and goes in the front trouser pocket.
32. The tie comes off after 6pm. The jacket stays.
33. Have a schedule and stick to it.
34. Travel in style. James Bond looks cool doing it. So can you. Don't look like a tourist. Even in airports, your brand is alive and in full display. be the best dressed guy on the plane, and the best dressed guy checking in to your hotel. (You'll get treated 10x better, which is a nice plus.)
36. Always elevate the professional level of a room.
The point of all of this is: Even after hours, you represent your business and your professional personal brand at all times. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because you're out having dinner or drinks or coffee after your conference sessions are over, you can act as if you were at home with your buddies. You aren't. People's judgment of you doesn't end at 5pm. Your brand is always on.
As long as someone is watching, reading or listening, your brand is on. Your every move is being scrutinized. And once you realize that, it isn't a stretch to realize that you are either creating a positive image of yourself, or a negative one.
Everything you do that your peers and bosses see goes into one of two buckets: The good bucket, or the bad bucket.
Be aware. Don't make bad decisions. Plan to fill up the good bucket and keep it full at all times.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
4. If you must do shots, order a round for EVERYONE. Do not get drunk or buzzed. Always remain in control of your sobriety at all times. A gentleman and true professional) stays sober. Period.
5. Stay sober, no matter what. Know your limits. Do not get drunk at a busines event. Ever. Just because everyone else is doesn't mean you should. Be better than the rest.
6. Get to your meetings on time - or better yet, early. Have an agenda. Take copious notes. Turn each meeting or session into a call to action. Plan a follow-up. Thank your guests or hosts for taking the time to be with you. Be super damn friendly and polite.
7. Stand when a woman walks into the room. If it's a big room, don't. I'd put the radius of having to get up at about 15 feet. When a woman gets up from a conference table - or dinner table - get up too. It's a thing.
8. If there is a short line to get into a room or elevator, invite everyone to enter ahead of you. This works great for elevators. Being a gentleman is easy and everyone digs it. The elevator won't leave without you.
9. Offer to buy. (Dinner, drinks, coffee, breakfast, whatever.) Even if you don't want to, offer.
10. Shine your shoes.
11. Unless you have a massive gut, buy pants with no pleats.
12. Sports coats. Dinner jackets. Wear them.
13. Golf shirts belong on the golf course. Short sleeved dress shirts belong in the 1970's. Dress like you mean it.
14. Get yourself a good writing instrument.
15. Stand up straight. Sit up straight. Don't slouch.
16. Chew with your mouth closed.
17. If coffee is served, opt for the ceramic coffee cups instead of the paper cups. a)your coffee will taste a whole lot better, and b) you will look and feel a whole lot more sophisticated. Using a real spoon instead of some plastic or wood stirry thing will complete the experience.
18. Heck, try tea instead, and give it a little bit of cream. It's how the Brits do it, and it tastes awesome. Good conversation starter as well.
19. Invest in nice accessories: Timepiece, writing instrument, eyewear, mobile device. Little details like those go a long way. I'm not suggesting bling. Bling sucks. Look for style and subtle sophistication.
20. Mobile phones + belt clips/holsters: um... no. You're not a construction worker. Leave the toolbelt in the back of the truck there, Bubba. (A dinner jacket or sport coat's inside breast pocket comes in handy now, doesn't it.)
21. Know your shit. Be the most knowledgeable guy at the table. Always. No exceptions.
22. No matter how knowledgeable you are, listen more than you speak. Ask questions. Don't cut people off. Steer the conversation to a point. Or two. Or three. But no more per hour.
23. Divorce and separation stories don't make the best conversations in a business setting, even if the atmosphere seems casual. Don't go there.
24. Sexual Harassment rules apply to all business and social settings, regardless of how many miles you are from the office or how late it is in the day. Business conferences are not meat markets. Have some decorum. Exercise discretion, common sense, and professionalism.
25. No matter how much alcohol you have ingested the night before, come morning, you must show no sign, no hint of the evening's debauchery. Be crisp, be fresh, be ready to own the world. Show up late or not at all, and you're just a chump who can't hold his liquor and doesn't have enough sense to know it.
26. A quick hello, handshake and super brief introduction as you walk by works better than an awkward bullshit conversation. ("So, like... what do you do?" Bleh.) Learn how to work a room. (Enter, pick a spot where you want to end up, and make a point to say hi to two or three people on your way there. If you look like you're on your way to going somewhere, you can pull this off.)
"Oh hey (name optional). Olivier Blanchard, with SYNNEX. (Handshake.) How are you liking the conference so far? (Let the person answer.) Cool. Listen, great meeting you. (Point to the bar or the coffee station.) I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want something? (Chances are, they'll say no. In that case:) All right. Now I have to go find my peoples before they get themselves in trouble. See you later. Great meeting you!" (If they say yes, find out what, go get it, bring it back, and ask them what they do. The rest of the conversation will take care of itself.)
27. Pink shirt. Buy one. Trust me on this.
28. Don't be a loud phone talker. If you must be, go be by yourself somewhere.
29. Pants should be fitted. Jackets too.
30. Send frequent but concise emails or txt updates to your boss. yes, even into the evening. They can read them the next day if they've logged off. Reminding them that you're working your ass off and that you're on a mission won't hurt.
31. The cash gets folded and goes in the front trouser pocket.
32. The tie comes off after 6pm. The jacket stays.
33. Have a schedule and stick to it.
34. Travel in style. James Bond looks cool doing it. So can you. Don't look like a tourist. Even in airports, your brand is alive and in full display. be the best dressed guy on the plane, and the best dressed guy checking in to your hotel. (You'll get treated 10x better, which is a nice plus.)
36. Always elevate the professional level of a room.
The point of all of this is: Even after hours, you represent your business and your professional personal brand at all times. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because you're out having dinner or drinks or coffee after your conference sessions are over, you can act as if you were at home with your buddies. You aren't. People's judgment of you doesn't end at 5pm. Your brand is always on.
As long as someone is watching, reading or listening, your brand is on. Your every move is being scrutinized. And once you realize that, it isn't a stretch to realize that you are either creating a positive image of yourself, or a negative one.
Everything you do that your peers and bosses see goes into one of two buckets: The good bucket, or the bad bucket.
Be aware. Don't make bad decisions. Plan to fill up the good bucket and keep it full at all times.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
Labels: brand you, civilized behavior, cocktail culture, conference, personal branding, professionalism, style, travel
Fort Lauderdale, here I come!Labels: air travel, florida, microsoft, travel
Perhaps the worst example of product endorsement in the history of web advertising
Published 20080511 by Olivier Blanchard.
I was subjected to this horror earlier tonight while signing out out of my yahoo email and couldn't resist posting about it. Here'smy 90-second rant:Hey, FRS: This only works if the superstar athlete is a) still competing, b) 100% not tainted by doping allegations, and c) still a role model to anyone with half a soul.
Poor choice on all counts.
Looking forward to the Barry Bonds version of the ad.
Oh, and Lance... stick to selling Nike,Oakley and Trek. Everything else is off limits to you from now on.
Labels: bad ideas, horrible marketing, lance armstrong, web marketing
Come to think of it, let's just call movie critics as a whole "morons." How about this: Go see movies for yourselves, and make up your own minds as to whether or not they pushed the right buttons for you.But back to the Wachowski Brothers' Speed Racer: You may hear or read a lot of bad reviews about the film. Things being said will fall along the lines of..."Too cartoonish" or "too C.G.I.-looking," or the most annoying yet "looks more like a video game than a movie." Bleh.
Not to mention the fact that by catering its marketing to a VERY young audience, Speed Racer may not reach its audience and fail at the box office... which would be an awful shame, because it is actually a VERY good movie. You just have to a) completely embrace its style, b) leave your adult brain at home, c) embrace the insanely bold use of the medium, and d) understand the level to which this movie elevate the source material.
Yes, the movie looks like a video game in the sense that it looks nothing like our world. This may be one of the most colorful and purposely artificial movie you'll ever see. The look of the film, with its unapologetic overdose of bright colors, its unbelievably blue skies and the very unique artificial look is part of its genius.If you don't like the look of movies like "Sin City," "Moulin Rouge" or "300," the visual style of Speed Racer may not be your cup of tea either. If, however, you can appreciate a unique visual style that successfully bridges the gap between the original source material and the movie adaptation, you can easily look at Speed Racer as an art film - which it so clearly is.
The movie is completely over the top in every possible way. As a matter of fact, I would go as far as to say that the film is completely ridiculous. From the laugh-outloud chimp kung fu fantasies to Racer X punching another driver in the face while both cars are performing insane side-flip maneuvers at 500 kph, the movie completely embraces its cartoonish high octane nature - which is precisely why it scores. The Wachowski brothers obviously didn't hold back here - and actually went above and beyond what lesser writers & directors would have created. This movie is as far out there as it could possibly be, and it is refreshing as hell to see a movie so uncompromisingly edgy and full of child-like enthusiasm.
Surprisingly, Speed Racer is absolutely not a brainless visualfest. The script is surprisingly solid, and the actors absolutely kick ass. Just as Robert Downey Jr. elevates Ironman through his inspired portrayal of Tony Stark, Susan Sarandon and John Goodman infuse the movie with perfectly metered and stunning performances during key scenes late in the movie. These moments are absolutely priceless bits of movie-making and bring unexpected depth to an otherwise escapist underdog movie. Matthew Fox shines as Racer X, Emile Hirsch is completely believable and endearing as Speed Racer, and I must say that Christina Ricci is actually pretty hot as Trixie. The kid brother and the chimp are at occasionally annoying (probably not to an eight-year-old though), but overall, they made me laugh alot more than I care to admit.
The Brandbuilder blog isn't a movie review site, so I'll stop here... but I didn't want the bonehead reviews I've read today to negatively influence any of you - my readers - when it comes to this movie. Speed Racer is actually a work of genius. Most people probably won't get why or how, but then again, edgy doesn't appeal to most people. The masses will most likely look at Speed Racer purely as an over-the-top cartoonish movie version of a bad 1980's anime series, aimed at pleasing little kids... but it is on every level an entertaining art film that blends stunningly rendered visual effects, lots of action, superb casting, solid character development, impressive acting, some pretty funny stuff, a classic underdog story, kung fu and chimp humor to create a very unique package.Mark my words: This flick is nothing short of a classic.
Even if you end up hating Speed Racer, you should go see it - chances are, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Bonus: Check out this article about the film's technical aspects in Wired.
Labels: fun with creativity, graphic design, movies, speed racer, style, vision
1. I need an aggressive and consistent training regimen in the pool.2. I need an aggressive and consistent training regimen on the bike.
3. I need an aggressive and consistent run training regimen.
4. Racing without being well prepared is a dumbass thing to do because it kind of hurts, and to top it all off, you don't win anything.
5. For me, the difference between being race-ready and or not in a sprint distance tri is about 10-12 minutes on the clock.
6. Some of the finest people I will ever know are triathletes. True class acts. Eric, Dave, Mendy, Julie, Janice, Holly, Roby, Beth, Jay, Hal... the list is long and I apologize if I didn't include you here. (You're on my long list.) I am VERY lucky to count these people as my friends.
7. There's no bullshit in triathlon. There is nowhere to hide. The clock doesn't lie.
8. Racing reveals every single flaw. There's no escaping it. What you do with those flaws is your choice - which is pretty eye-opening in and of itself.
9. Triathletes are a bunch of VERY fit and VERY twisted people.
Yeah, I had a blast.
Labels: hincapie triathlon team, sport, triathlon
This day in 1971, I was forcibly removed from my mother's womb by an unscrupulous "clope au bec" French OBGYN with a fetish for smelling dog's feet and slapped on the ass by a jaded and prickly old nurse with a nasty ether habit. Or so the story goes.Let's take an inventory of the last 37 years, shall we?
Places where I've lived:
Paris, France
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Brussels, Belgium
Madrid, Spain
Landrum, SC (USA)
Lorient, France
Bram, France
Cannes, France
Greenville, SC (USA)
Countries I've visited (in addition to the above, obviously):
UK, Luxemburg, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Bosnia, Monaco, Senegal, Egypt, Djibouti, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Bahamas, Mexico.
Jobs I've had (in no particular order):
Naval Officer, Photographer, Copywriter, Product Manager, Sandwich Artist, Professional student, Ranch Hand, Retail Monkey, Carpenter, door-to-door Salesman, Sales Manager, Brand Manager, Marketing Director, Marketing Consultant, Magazine Editor, blogger.
Time spent sleeping: 12 years, 4 months
Time spent working: 5 years
Time sitting in front of the TV: 5 years
Pounds of food consumed: 15,000
Liters (of various beverages) consumed: 28,000
Words written or typed: Somewhere north of 9,000,000.
Cars owned: 5
Bicycles owned: 14
Here's to another year biting the dust.
photo: yours truly with the paternal grandparent unit. Paris, circa 1980.
Post #3 from Seth Godin's blog this week.
No, I am not on Seth's payroll. Stop asking me.
Here it goes:
The first rule of b2b selling:
If it gets to the RFP stage, you lost.Great business to business marketers (and profitable ones) make the sale long before that happens.
The RFP is an organizational punt, it's a way of saying, "it's all a commodity, we can't decide, cheap guy wins."
The cheap guy, of course, never wins.
Yes, yes, and yes. If you don't already know this, learn it now and remember it always.
And by the way, the best agencies/contractors/consultants/whatever will ALWAYS turn down RFPs. Here's why: If we have to audition for you, a) you don't know what you want, b) you don't care enough about it to know who the best man/woman for the job is, and c) a and b together = you wasting our time. End of story.
Seth scores again.
Labels: b2b, brand valuation, building value, RFP, Seth Godin
I should have stuck to the training plan.
Going into one of the most competitive races in South Carolina with maybe 5 miles of accidental running in the last two months, maybe two miles of swimming in as much time, and no real bike training other than a few long rides is probably not the best idea in the world.
Am I fit? Yes. Am I lean? Getting there, yes. Am I race ready? Absolutely not. Not even close. This is going to be a VERY rough race for yours truly. I'm just hoping to survive.
This is NOT how I wanted to start off the season. Even for me, this is a pretty slack way to pop the cherry on this year's triathlon schedule.
This is what happens when you take a management job with a Fortune 500 company, sure, but that isn't the whole story. All groaning and moaning and butterflies aside, here are some cold hard truths about my utterly demented psyche:
Come Saturday morning, standing on the edge of the water at Lake Hartwell, surrounded by hundreds of men and women far better prepared than I am this time around, worried and nervous and drowzy from not having slept all that well, I will be sporting a possum-eating grin from ear to ear, and I will relish every damn second of the experience.
There was a time when I did come prepared for these things, when I walked away with age group awards and bragging rights, and single-digit rankings. But I was bored. Every race bled into the next. Each season became indistinguishable from the previous one. I eventually lost interest and checked out of the sport for almost two years, opting instead to photograph the races instead of participating in them.
In my own sick, twisted way, not training ensures that I will show up unprepared and nervous and full of self doubt, because at the core of my love for triathlon is the need to challenge myself. To test my will and my body. To overcome the unknown.
Hell, to overcome. Period.
Which is why the last two weeks at work, as challenging and stressful as they have been, as unpleasant and frustrating and time-consuming, have been my best yet.
The truth of the thing is that as much as I love to bitch about being stressed out, as much as I long to hang out on a Mediterranean beach drinking Orangina all day, I am at my best under pressure. I know this. I don't like to admit it and certainly don't want to give my boss an excuse to keep me under impossible deadlines indefinitely, but yeah, I'm one of those freaks who lives for thos impossible deadlines. The painful, uncertain races. The most ambitious projects.
I like the gauntlet. No... I love the gauntlet.
So this Saturday, let it be understood that I won't be walking away with any trophies. My finish time at the Clemson Triathlon will be decent at best, but probably pretty average. I will grit my teeth when the results get posted, and I will kick myself in the ass for weeks for not having trained for it. Months, even. But deep down in my heart, I will know that there was a reason why I opted to skip the runs and the swims to instead work on powerpoint presentations and project proposals and business plans.
It won't be because I want to kick ass at my job. (I could do both the job thing and the triathlon thing if I really wanted to.) No, the real reason is that I like to dig myself in a hole just to see if I can climb out. And how. And how well. I'm sure there's a name for this kind of pathos in psychotherapist circles. And I'm sure I could deconstruct it if I really wanted to take the time. A lurking father complex, a hint of narcissism, a dash of masochism, a spoonful of quirky curiosity, a pinch of social anxiety... Whatever. Who cares. It is what it is.
I guess the way I justify it to myself is this: It isn't like we have to go out and hunt mammoths anymore. We don't have to outsmart man-eating sabertooths. And that's too damn bad. Our foes these days are rush hour traffic jams and telemarketing calls during dinner and obtuse aftercare nazis. Twisted guys like me, we need more to get the juices flowing. Some guys are adrenaline junkies. Me, I'm a stress junkie. That's all it boils down to.
My job, my schedule, my showing up at races unprepared, my tackling public speaking engagements without notes... It's all part of my little life game. Knowing that I am at my best under stress, I find ways to create the stress.
Sick and twisted? Me? You bet.
See you at Clemson Saturday. I'll be the guy with the grin sweating bullets and breathing really hard. ;D
Labels: pathos, triathlon, twisted in the head
I hate to keep coming back to Seth Godin, but whatever. Here we are.
Published 20080508 by Olivier Blanchard.
So... in a perfect world, I would occasionally bring you a bit of insight or two from Seth Godin's blog every few months or so, but the world is far from perfect. Hence, here we are: Two pieces from Seth's blog in as many days. Sue me for wanting to share. Here it is:
Just got some work back from a new copyeditor hired by my publisher. She did a flawless job. She also wrecked my work. Totally wrecked it.
By sanding off every edge, removing every idiom, making each and every fact literally correct, she made it boring and dry and mechanical.
If they have licenses for copyeditors, she should have hers revoked.
I need to be really clear. She's not at fault. She did exactly what she was supposed to do. The fault lies in the job description, not the job. If the job description of your lawyer or boss or editor or client is to make sure everything is pure and perfect and proven and beyond reproach, they are making things worse, not better. (Unless you're in the vaccine business).
Almost everything you do has some sort of copyediting filter. It might be the legal eagle or the graphic supervisor or the customer service police. They're excellent at making round things fit perfectly through round holes.
Boring and ignored is fine with them, because no one complains.
Fortunately, copy editors have a remedy. It's a word called STET. Which means, "leave it alone, it was fine." Time to teach that to your editors, wherever they may be. Maybe there should be a t-shirt.
If all you want is safe, have baby food for dinner. Just leave me out of it.
Seen it happen. I've never had to punch anyone in the eyeball for sanding off any of my work's edges, but I've spent many a sleepless night re-writing pieces or reworking images or layouts that a subordinate or contractor completely stripped of any semblance of an edge... or style... or voice. It always sucks. And you always end up feeling sorry for the poor kid who screwed the pooch, because ultimately, maybe it wasn't entirely their fault. (How the hell are they supposed to know how to write like me or edit images the way I envisioned it when I shot them?) Design is a very personal thing. Designers are usually control freaks for a reason.
And workaholics.
And compulsive perfectionists.
I feel your pain, Seth.
Labels: design, perfectionism, Seth Godin, working with others
Seth Godin wrote something smart and cool again the other day (he tends to do that):Make big promises; overdeliver.
If you can define great marketing in fewer words than that, you win.
"Big promises": treating people with respect, improving self-esteem, delivering results, contacting as often as you say you will but not more, including side effects in your planning, delivering joy, meeting spec, being on time, connecting people to one another, delivering consistency, offering value and on and on. Caring. The stories involved in your promises matter. That's often what people are buying.
This is the first place that the equation breaks down. Marketers often make big promises that appear to be unrealistic or are delivered in ways that don't match the worldview of the prospect. Marketers get carried away with themselves and focused on their greatness and forget to tell a story that people enjoy believing.
And sometimes, they make promises that are too small to get our attention. Boring promises are hardly worth making.
"Overdeliver" means doing more than you said you would, which is the secret to word of mouth.
Here, of course, the pitfall is obvious. You made too big a promise and you did your best, but no, you didn't overdeliver, not really. You didn't amaze and delight and yes, stun me with the incredible results of your offering.
Just because it's only four words doesn't mean it's easy!
Bake this into your qwan.
(Don't ask me what qwan is. Please. Just don't.)
Labels: being the best, brand promise, professionalism, promises, shock and awe
Road Rage has nothing to do with branding, but I can't let this go untouched.
Published 20080507 by Olivier Blanchard.
Some jackass tried to take out a group of 50 cyclists with his car today - and pretty much succeeded.From the Sunday Morning Herald:
Witnesses to the crash have told smh.com.au the group of about up to 60 professional cyclists were riding south on Southern Cross Drive, just south of Dacey Avenue, Mascot about 6.30am when a driver, agitated with being held up, accelerated in front of the pack and then slammed on his brakes.
One of the group said the motorists was "worrying" the rear of the pack, then overtook, pulled in front and slammed on his brakes, giving the riders no time to stop.
The resulting smash forced a semitrailer to lock up, jackknife and screech to a halt behind the cyclists while cars had to swerve to avoid them."Everyone's slammed into each other ... there were broken bikes - wheels busted and wheels snapped - and people lying on the road."
"Three female cyclists took the brunt of the accident, careering into the back of the braking vehicle, several of them being thrown into the air landing on the boot and roof of the car."
The best part:
It is understood (the authorities) know who the driver of the car is, and are attempting to contact him now.It is expected he will be charged, including with failing to stop at the scene of an accident and negligent or dangerous driving.
There was no doubt the driver of the dark blue Ford Falcon - described by other witnesses as in his 30s with a female passenger - had done it deliberately, she said.
That's right. The dude sped off and left the scene of the accident.
Read all about it here.
I hope to god that son of a bitch gets charged with 50 counts of attempted murder, not just negligent driving. I can understand road rage, but this is just insane.
I'm sure that if some nutcase decided to mow down a crowd of pedestrians for the same reason (they were in his way and he was in a hurry), the authorities would be just a tad more outraged.
Negligent driving. Give me a break.
Hat tip to Gavin Heaton.
What passes for indulgence today was once the most basic definition of what it means to be civilized.Time to bring some of the old ways back.
Notes on the title: Twitter's 140 character limit is already starting to rewire my brain thus: Whatever I have to say, I'd better make it quick and make it stick.
As much as I hate to admit it, not every damn thought deserves a 30,000 word blog post.
Labels: civilized behavior
Great post over at Brains on Fire about taglines. Go join in.In his post, Spike shares a pretty important rule when conjuring up a tagline (for your your business or for your unfortunate client): "Never use a tagline that just anyone can use. Ever."
Excellent advice - and he offers some pretty great examples to make his point.I would take things a step further and offer “kill your tagline and bury it deep in the woods somewhere, where no one will ever think to look for it.”
Gucci, Starbucks, RayBan, Yves St. Laurent, Cartier and Bentley may have taglines, but I’d venture to say no one knows what they are. Why? Because a strong brand doesn’t need to explain itself through a tagline.
I hate taglines with a passion. They almost always suck, and rarely add anything to the brand they are supposed to serve.
A few exceptions to put this comment in perspective:
HBO - It isn’t TV. It’s HBO.
VW - Drivers Wanted.
Apple - Think Different.
Why do these taglines work? Because these brands are market disruptors and game changers - and therefore need a little extra definition here and there. Beyond that, creating taglines for most companies is a complete waste of time. The fact that most taglines are boring and interchangeable more than illustrates that point.
Labels: brand insights, horrible marketing, taglines
I was just reminded of this post over at Servant Of Chaos and thought it might be worth posting here. Why? Because if you work around other people, it's bound to become pretty damn relevant every once in a while.Can Working With Stupid People Kill You?
I was forwarded an article the other day that claimed that "idiots in the office are just as hazardous to your health as cigarettes". And while the article was at least a little tongue-in-cheek (or perhaps fictitious even), it did make me think ...
There are many frustrations to be found in any job. And when you are dealing with "creative" people, or worse, a "creative process", then the stress levels can rise pretty quickly. It is easy to dismiss the mis-communications, misunderstandings and "creative differences" as a "left or right brain thing". But Johnnie Moore points out a great in-depth post by Kathy Sierra, that explains how our brains learn to adapt to the behaviours and situations to which we are exposed. EVEN to those behaviours that we don't like or WANT to mimic.
So not only can stupid people cause you to "explode", they can make you become idiotic in the process.
For those interested ... here is the "article".
Oh, and by the way, the answer to the question is yes. Absolutely.
Labels: adaptation, idiocracy, idiots, working with others
Roby is back from his tour in the Stan!!! Copious celebratory beer drinking ahead.
Published by Olivier Blanchard.
Yep, our friend Roby is back in the States looking all healthy and whatnot. His war isn't over yet, but he is back for a little while, which is pretty damn cool. It seems that only yesterday, we were waving goodbye and wondering if he'd make it back in one piece. (Not that we ever doubted he would. This isn't his first time doing the military thing after all.)If you're going to be at the Clemson Triathlon this weekend, you might even score a Roby sighting. (Word on the street is he'll be the runner in a team relay. Hmmm. The plot thickens!)
Anyway, welcome back Roby! Good to have you back.
I'm sure Roby will start lining up graphic design and photography projects in a few weeks, so if you want to get to the front of the line, go to www.f360photo.com and follow the links to his very own section of the site (his contact info will be there).
PS: I hear there will be a war photography book in the works very soon. More info on that in a few weeks. If you're thinking "autographed coffee table book," we're on the same page.
Now stop wasting time reading this blog post and go kick ass on the project you SHOULD be working on right now. Go on! Shoo!
;)
Labels: Afghanistan, Army, military, photography, Roby, triathlon, war
YESSSSSSSS!!!! My Zune-powered rockstar lifestyle finally hits the fast lane!!!!
Published by Olivier Blanchard.
While the whole world is sporting ubiquitous iPods (dare I call them "the uniform?"), the more intrepid among us have adopted Zune as our media player of choice. (Case in point, OC's Bear has a pretty kickass Zune of his that has been the secret envy of his colleagues for almost a year now.)
I myself have indulged in the luxury of the Generation-2 80G Zune (dubbed StealthZuneZero in case you're ever within range of my wireless). My Zune has become not only my personal music library (an increasingly respectable one at that), but also a convenient home for my photographic portfolio. Great for traveling, driving around town, and generally feeling cool and hip and all... but the lack of a convenient way to use my Zune to watch video was starting to become a nagging issue with me.
I mean... here I am, on flight after flight to Seattle or San Francisco or LA, and every time, an aisle neighbor pulls out an ipod and watches some kind of movie or TV show on it while I am stuck listening to music. (I could have been watching videos this whole time, but the process of converting DVDs to portable format was too daunting for an OCD pup like me to even consider tackling.
Sigh.
Well, those days are over. The Social has finally caught up with the rest of the world. From Cnet news.com:
A year and a half after debuting its first Zune, Microsoft is finally offering some content that makes use of that big color screen.
The software maker is releasing an update Tuesday to its Zune service that adds a video store with about 800 TV show episodes from NBC Universal, MTV, and a couple of other producers. For the moment, though, the store is far smaller than the TV options from iTunes or even from Microsoft's own Xbox Live Marketplace and offers no feature films.
"We feel it is more important and--customers tell us--to focus on short programming first," said Julio Estrada, general manager of Microsoft's Zune Social unit.
Microsoft still has some ways to go before I am 100% happy with what is arguably a very convoluted and limited video uploading situation, but this announcement makes me happy. Very happy... because it means it won't be long now before this little speedbump is way, waaaaaay behind us.
The wife and kids (also Zunauts) will be excited to hear about this as well to be sure.
"Think Different" is cool and all, but go ahead and BE different: Get yourself a Zune.
Labels: microsoft, the social, zune, zune video
"When reading GQ outside in the sun during your lunch break becomes a hedonistic act of rebellion, you know you've really hit rock bottom."
- Olivier "I will never EVER read GQ, EVER" Blanchard
Labels: acts of rebellion, corporate culture, corporate ecosystem, GQ, lunch break, reading, the printed word
OC4 is live.
click here if you know what's good for you.
Labels: greenville blogs, orange coat, orange yeti, web design
Ironman Scores, Marvel brand hits new high. The lessons are obvious.
Published 20080504 by Olivier Blanchard.
I've never been a huge fan of Ironman. When it comes to superheroes, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Frank Miller's work with Batman (The Dark Knight, for starters), Spidey, and the X-Men (mostly Wolverine). Ironman though... eh. He was kind of a secondary superhero in a lot of ways. Not much of a point. Billionaire genius builds metal rocket suit, fights crime for fun. Bleh.
But that changed when I saw the first trailer for the motion picture version - which finally came out this weekend. Score #1: Casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Score #2: Letting fans/geeks make the movie. Score #3: A great set of trailers. (In sharp contrast with Indiana Jones 4, which so far has a horrendous trailer.)
Anyhoo. The trailer started getting excited about the movie, and I have been anticipating it ever since. I excitedely took the family to see it over the weekend, and... well... I was a bit nervous about it. It's Ironman, after all. How good can it be? I bought my tickets with a mixture of excitement and apprehension: What if it sucked? What if even Robert Downey Jr. and director John Favreau couldn't save a second-rate superhero in his first attempt at becoming a big screen success? (Remember Daredevil? Nuff said.)
But from the very opening scene (great editing), my fears evaporated into thin air. Ironman was rock solid, and yeah, Robert Downey Junior is without a doubt one of the coolest actors in Hollywood. Always has been. He shines so brightly as Tony Stark that he singlehandedly takes what could have been (should have been) an okay Marvel superhero flick into one of the best Marvel movie franchises to date. Don't believe me? Check out these review snippets from Rotten Tomatoes:
"Robert Downey Jr. nails Iron Man. More apropros, change nails to welds. For it is Downey who most significantly raises the quality bar of 'Iron Man' to the classic level of fellow comic book heroes Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. Welcome, new franchise."
"Move over, Superman. This lush, high-octane playboy never tasted so good. Iron Man has not only etched itself the mark of one of the best-reviewed films so far in 2008 but also one of the highest-rated superhero movies of all time."
"Robert Downey Jr., full-swing back into his acting genius, is exceptional as Iron Man. Life for Tony Stark is cool, and you can almost image him doing the Charlie Chaplin waddle across his workshop."
"This might be the most relevant superhero tale we have yet seen."
"Robert Downey Jr. delivers a knockout performance that alone is worth the price of admission to watch."
"It's Robert Downey Jr., having triumphed over his substance abuse battle, who puts the pedal to the metal and scores the freshest new franchise going."
"The best superhero movie since Spider-Man 2. Robert Downey Jr is the film's best special effect."
"Downey could have taken a tragic tack. But he has fun just figuring out how to make the armor suit work. His sarcasm and almost drunken Tony Curtis body language transform the scenes of Iron Man."
"In the proficient hands of Jon Favreau, abetted by a magnificent performance by Robert Downey, Jr., not only does Iron Man pay off, but it raises the stakes for comic book movies to follow, as well as the entire summer film season."
Yet here it is. The cold hard truth that Hollywood studio execs need to read and re-read and learn from:
"Dangerously dependant on Robert Downey Jr. for entertainment. He throws a one-man party during every scene. But when he's off-screen, the film wilts. (Yes, even with Jeff Bridges' anti-Dude.) Re-cast, it would only be a shade better than Daredevil."Sure, the cgi is impressive, but without the superb casting and directing of Downey, the movie would not have been worth the $10 admission. Something Marvel must have figured out over the last year, when they decided to completely recast the "Hulk" Franchise for the upcoming Hulk sequel (The Incredible Hulk). Not that there was anything wrong with Eric Bana as Bruce Banner, but casting Edward Norton in the role for the sequel is pure genius. Too bad the cg design couldn't have been overhauled too.
Point: When first rate writers, actors and directors start lending their talents to movies based on comic book/graphic novels and take them seriously (as in "not just a mindless popcorn blockbuster cash cow) they raise the bar and wonderful things happen.
Spiderman 1 and 2.
300
Sin City.
And now Ironman.
Take my point and transpose it onto your brand or your agency's work: Are you really taking your latest campaign as seriously as you should? Are you really hiring and developing the very best talent you can? Are you as passionate about getting it right and making a splash as you should be? Are you really the brand development geek you could be? Should be? The design geek you should be? The wordsmithing geek you ought to be? The first rate art director you once dreamed of being?
Even if you aren't being paid like the A-list talent you hope to be, even if you don't have the fancy title and the cool business card and the cool office, are you really working it like Robert Downey Jr.? Taking an average movie script based on a silly second rate comic book superhero and elevating it to something remarkable, lasting and cool?
Or are you letting the source material, the client, the market or even your paycheck justify an half-assed effort on your part?
Half-assed efforts like Daredevil, Elektra, The Incredible Hulk (1) and X-Men 3, may make money, but they only serve to hurt the Marvel franchise. It's interesting to see how a studio, director, team of producers or a casting director can impact a brand so quickly: Botch a Marvel superhero movie, and the sum of its franchises starts slipping. Get one right, and the entire portfolio of Marvel franchises suddenly goes up in value. The same is true of Starbucks, Hyatt hotels, Volkswagen, Delta Airlines, or whatever brand or business you can think of: Every customer experience either erodes the value of your brand or elevates it.
Nobody gives a crap if you've worked for Miramax, Fox, Disney and Marvel if your projects have all been crap. Professionals rise to the top of their professions by taking even mediocre ideas, products, campaigns and projects, and elevating them to new heights. Period. Nobody is going to hand you a golden egg. They're going to hand you a heaping pile of steaming crap, and it's your job to turn it into a work of art. (And a lasting one at that.)
Some might call this alchemy. I call it my job. You call it your job. And that's what sets some of you apart from the rest. You can actually do this: Turn crap into gold. And people around you know it. (If they don't, what the hell are you waiting for? Show them!)
What you want to hear from your clients, bosses or audience EVERY SINGLE TIME you deliver a project is this: "I had no idea it would turn out this well."
And their next breath should sound a lot like a "wow."
Like many of you reading this blog, Robert Downey Jr. has always had the talent to rise to the very top of his profession. Unlike many of you, however, he didn't always have the right mental attitude, the right focus, the right amount of professional fortitude to put his tremendous talent to good use. Yet here he is, cleaned up, ready to make up for lost time, making a hell of a comeback, and handing a movie studio (and pop culture) a hell of a gift in the process. If he can pull that kind of comeback, knowing what hell he crawled out of, so can you. Stop half-assing. Stop hiding behind your "company culture," behind red tape, behind someone else's crappy work or behind an obtuse boss or client. Just kick ass. Period.
Just
kick
ass.
And go see Ironman. You'll have fun. Trust me.
Labels: being fearless, brand elevation, brand ownership, design, kicking ass, movies, project management, talent
Gorgeous search app. if you're looking for something a little more stylish than Google or Yahoo. Nothing cooler than functional eye candy. Searchme looks and feels like a cross between Minority Report and Flickr. I like. Above: playing with a BrandBuilder search.
Also, check out Trendpedia, which helps you search and compare trends in blogs. Below: A comparison between Apple, Whole Foods and Starbucks.
Hat tip to the very sharp Andy Woolard.
Bonus link (also from Andy): Muxtape. The coolest/geekiest way to spend a Friday evening cutting good old fashioned mix tapes for the object of your desire (like you used to in High School)... except in an mp3 world. Not at all branding or or business-related (aside from the throwback page design), but check it out anyway. You'll be glad you did.
Labels: applications, cool factor, links, search engines, web design
Awesome little post by Mike Wagner over at "Own Your Brand":
“What position did you play?” seemed like an innocent enough question coming from my six-year-old grandson. Basketball is on his mind, as it is everyone’s this time of year.
The conventional answer, “I played center.” says so little. I’d rather tell him what I accomplished for the team - it means more.My high school coach, in his “John Wooden-like” wisdom gave me an outcome to achieve. My position of “center” was just for the program.
We were a very short team competing against much taller teams. My assigned contribution was to get the opposing team’s center to foul out - Period. “How” was up to me.
Some of my opponents were temperamental and easy to frustrate into fouling me. Others were so confident they couldn’t wait to stuff the ball down my 5-foot, 11-inch frame every time I tried a shot - they were easy targets as well.
My position was “center” but my contribution was “strategic foul generation”.
In the business world, the word “title” is exchanged for “position”. People want to know what others do for a living - many reply with their title. But a title says so little!
In your career, it’s better to focus on the outcomes you bring to the team…
Contribution is more important than title – Titles mean a lot in the pecking order found in any organization or business community. However, in terms of ultimate brand impact, titles are about as substantial as cotton candy. Focus on your contribution regardless of title. You get “playing time” by contributing to wins - Titles come and go. When tough economic times require a hard look at “head count” how do you think decisions will be made - “We can’t let Jim go. We have to have an Assistant VP of Marketing!”? Not likely. To solidify your place on “the team” link your day-to-day outcomes to the brand’s success. You own the “how” of what you contribute - Own your outcomes. Don’t wait for someone to show you how - it may never happen. Find a way to deliver what the organization needs. Be creative. Be determined. People who know and own their contribution are what every team needs.
I have nothing to add. Perfect.
photo by christopher wray-mccann
Labels: brand ownership, contributing, sport, titles