Specialization

Specialization is what made the industrial revolution possible.  Or, more accurately, its what made the industrial revolution so impactful in society.  Specialization allows people to get very good at a relatively small set of skills.  Then, combining that specialized skill set with the skills of others, you can form the Captain Planet of industry.  Working in harmony, a group of specialists can accomplish things that a group of generalists may not.

This has lead to a feeling in the world that specialists are more important than generalists.  SME, or Subject Matter Expert, is an important title in many organizations.  They have concentrated some specific area of knowledge in one person while making them available to the entire institution to spread the wealth.

There are two big problems with this thinking, though.  First, concentrating knowledge like that leads to a culture that values knowledge hoarding rather than knowledge sharing.  An SME is only as valuable as his knowledge, and if he keeps sharing and educating, he may eventually work himself out of a job.  Additionally, having more knowledge that others gives you a special status or power.  Keeping that power is another reason some people are reluctant to spread learning around an organization.

Second, specialization really impacts the ability to think critically and laterally.  I believe that the more diverse your experience, the better the skills at problem solving.  That doesn't just apply to specific fields, but also across them.  Knowledge of linguistics may help with math.  Chemistry may help with business.  Cross-training enables your mind to connect seemingly unrelated concepts into new ideas that may change the world.

So I implore you, do not overlook the importance of the broad thinkers in your organization.  If, for no other reason, than some day you will depend on them to provide the direction and leadership that all companies need.

Present-Fighting vs. Future-Fighting

In business, there are two very important sets of responsibilities.  The first focuses on day-to-day operations.  It is very important that things don't go out of whack, because no one likes change.  Your customers will be mad, your boss will be disappointed, your coworkers may be disdainful, your house plant will wilt and regulators may slap handcuffs on someone.  I'm going to call it present-fighting mode, because your job is to maintain the status quo.  Sadly, this has nothing to do with boxing gifts. :(

The second focuses on the future.  What is the future, you ask?  No one knows, and that's why it is important to think about it.  Unfortunately for those engaged in firefighting, the future will bring change and people will have to adapt.  You should be thinking about future change some of the time, so you don't get blindsided.  You're preventing yourself from being marginalized, rather than making others happy.  Here we'll call it future-fighting, because you need to find the prevent the new status quo from gobbling you up like a grue.  


At my experience level and age, most people I know are focused on present-fighting.  That is their job and there is a lot to be said for doing your job well.  Doing your job poorly, for example, will get you fired.  No one asks the lower-level people to look at anything outside the here-and-now, so few people do.  But you need to!  You need to devote at least some time, like 30 minutes per day, to thinking about and planning for the future.  As you move up in an organization, future-fighting becomes more important and can lead you as high as you want to go.

Infographic Resumes

I've just been introduced to the amazing world of infographic resumes.  I'm so impressed that people decided their resume needed a little spice, and decided to personalize and visualize them.  An infographic resume is a picture containing the thousand words that is your work history.  Of course, there are often additional words to explain the pie chart, but I'm not counting those.

From what I've seen, most of the infographic resumes are done by graphic artists.  They have the artists eye to create something visual and enticing, and the skill to make it happen.  Oh, I've seen a few from engineers or computer programmers, but the skills required definitely hide themselves well in non-artist professions.

I've thought about creating my own.  There are a ton of different graph types that would make short work of my entire work history.  But I'd want it to be representative of me, as well.  So... it would need something like a labyrinth with a single path picked out.  Or maybe a juggling club.  Or my own personal logo, which I've been working on.

These resumes are great for those who want to show off their personality and have jobs that could encourage that.  One purpose of a resume is to get an initial interview, and an infographic resume would succeed splendidly, if I was the HR manager.  Just don't overdo it, or expect that a visual resume with pictures of fluffy bunnies skipping in the meadow will get you a job as an exterminator.

Choosing a business opportunity

Having just finished my graduate degree in Business, this one is particularly close to my heart.  I am now in a position I've never had before - people are coming to me with their ideas and asking me to be a part of them.    It's exciting - because I get jazzed by other people's passions - and scary - because I'd be responsible for the fulfillment or derailment of another person's dreams.  If I want to be involved, I need to pick something and go with it.  So how do you choose one opportunity over another?

Questions to ask yourself

What you really need to succeed is the right attitude.  To do that, you need to find a path that matches you as a person.  Some introspection is required (in my case about 5 years), but these questions are well worth it.  

• Where do I want to be in 5 years?  10?  20?  
• What kind of work setting do I like?  Structured?  Unbound?  Secure?  Shifting?
• What is most important to me in life?  
• Is there anything I won't do?  Too dangerous?  Too disgusting?  Against my personal code?  
• What am I good at?  
• What do my family and friends think about my choices so far?  

Those questions above are certainly not comprehensive about planning your direction in life, but they are a great start.  Now that you have that all sorted out, you can start planning your future. 

What opportunities are available to me?  

This is really a function of your network of friends and family.  It is difficult to find a new job or other opportunity without the aid of your network.  In fact, many schools, including mine, tout the quality and reach of their network as part of the admissions process.  It is much easier to talk to people you already know than find work in a completely new geography.  

Which involve people I can work with?  

The people are super important.  Without a great team, an enterprise can't succeed.  Unfortunately, they can also kill the enterprise, if they are in the wrong positions.  Be sure (or at least pretty sure) that your partners are competent or able to learn, and good people.  You're going to be working with them for quite a long time, if things go well.  

Where can I make money?  

For me, this is one of the least important.  Yes, there are certain things you can do that won't make money.  But those are few and far between.  I know lots of people do things that I would have guessed wouldn't make poodle spit, but they have turned it into a career.  Don't be afraid to follow your dreams, because building custom cat towers can certainly be a full time job, if you do it right.  

Just do it!

Thank you, Corporate America, for reducing that awesome phrase to a tag line for shoes.  :(  But after you are pretty sure you have the right path, go for it!  Take the time to develop your contacts, try your hand at something new, and get involved.  It is crazy how easy it is to start something, if you know where you want to go in the future.  Or even if you don't know where to go, you can start something and see what it feels like.  

Best of luck in the future!  :)

Think hard before suing

Ah, law.  It is an imporant institution, but there are often better ways to handle a dispute.  I'm not trying to disuade you, but please be aware of the following items when deciding to take someone to court.

Its super expensive

I hope that everyone knows about how expensive it is to hire a lawyer.  Their rates are notoriously expensive, and can sometimes be measured in 5-minute increments.  Unfortunately, there also may be court costs associated with your suit, costs to pay off in the case of a loss, and the costs that may be passed on to you to pay for the other party's defense, if your lawsuit is frivolous.  In all, bringing a court case can cost tens of thousands to millions of dollars in fees alone.  

It will take forever

Another thing that lawsuits are notorious for is the time it takes to have them processed.  The courts are overworked, and they often have difficulty getting cases through their tight workload.  And schedule problems aside, there are a number of different motions you can make in court to get more time.  One example is the Motion to Extend Time, which allows a someone three weeks to submit an answer to an allegation.  

You have to put complete faith in a stranger's judgement

There are likely very people reading this who have a lawyer on retainer.  And hopefully very few who have so much contact with a lawyer that you would trust their judgement without a second thought.  For those of us who don't spend our time in court, we often have to trust that a lawyer has our best interests at heart and that we can trust their judgement when it comes to law matters.  I am terrible at accepting things I don't understand, so this is one of the strongest issues that might prevent me from executing a lawsuit.  

Any prospective business relationship is ruined

Lastly, there is a long-term consequence.  If you pursue a lawsuit, it is unlikely that the defendant will ever do business with you again.  You may even be on such poor terms that they begin to dissuade others from buying your product or service.  A lawsuit can be one of the most effective ways to burn bridges in history, so be sure before you do so.  

Why NOT to use business jargon

Jargon, basically, is a set of words used primarily by specialists for discussing a specific field of study.  Jargon is supposed to be made up of words that have very specific meanings to define exactly what you are trying to say.  But business jargon is often meant to confuse and mislead.

Bad reasons to use jargon

1. To sound smarter.
2. To cover that they don't know a better word.  
3. To make other people feel stupid.   
4. To fit into a group.
5. To evade difficult topics.

Why they're all terrible reasons

Because none of them is the reason jargon exists - to make things clearer!  Each of the reasons above is hiding truth for different reasons.  In one case, it is a weapon, in another a shield, and in another a white flag. Thankfully, I can keep using those metaphors because their use is too wide spread for them to become jargon.  

Words to Avoid

You can find a good list here.  Or here.  Or here.  Or any number of other places on the internet.  Personally, I despise the phrase touch base.  I think it has something to do with my dislike of baseball, though I'm not even sure that's where it comes from.  It gets more difficult when you try to avoid words that you learned had specific meanings, like I did in grad school, but don't have perfect synonyms.  ><

What you should say instead

Say Exactly What You Mean!!!  That's not so hard.  Putting your thoughts into easily understood sentences was something we learned before we entered junior high school.  Then, in the years of schooling since, we learned to be indirect when writing.  I, and everyone else, appreciates it when you say things succinctly and clearly.

Meeting Etiquitte

Meetings are a fact of life, unfortunately.  No matter what business you work in, private or public, for-profit or non-profit, people have to get together and talk.  That's all it is.  But in the business world, there are many unspoken rules about how a meeting runs and the etiquette surrounding it.

Deciding to have a Meeting

This is the most important step.  Meetings are formal requests to use someone else's time, and often require them to perform some work prior and after - making them a drain on the person.  A meeting also takes time away from other activities, so there is a very real opportunity cost to holding one.  Finally, you have to be sure that the topic of your meeting can be addressed best this way.  Not everything requires, or even benefits from, having everyone involved.

Setting up your Meeting

So you've decided to have a meeting.  There are x things you need to consider.  The attendees, time, and place.  

Choosing who you will invite involves both planning and politics.  First, be sure to invite the people who you absolutely need, such as contributors or approvers.  Without at least a portion of them attending, there is no purpose for your meeting.  The second group is determined by the interpersonal relationships and power structure.  Anyone who isn't a stakeholder and doesn't have the clout to get in the door can be overlooked.  But there may be people who may be offended if you don't invite them, even if they likely won't attend anyway.  Remember, meetings over nine people tend to be for communication, not work.  

The time and place will be determined by your attendees' availability.  When setting up meetings, first find out if someone else controls the calendars, and, second, have two or three time frames (2-3 hours) in which you can make it.  Be more flexible with your schedule the more important it is to have a certain attendee.

The Meeting

First, show up on time!  It is not hard to do, if you schedule properly.  And, in the USA at least, it is impolite to be late.  For me personally, it is one of my biggest pet peeves, and will sour me on a first impression.  

In the meeting, if you are in charge, be in charge.  Make sure to tell the group what the purpose of the meeting is.  Have an agenda, to make sure you address important points. Moderate discussions to make sure they don't run too long.  Respect the thoughts of those in the room.  Respect everyone's time.  

And if you're the attendee, be helpful and productive.  Try to be familiar with the meeting topic and agenda (if available).  When the meeting is called to order, sit down and give your attention to the moderator.  Respect the thoughts of others.  Be helpful when asked questions.  Give your best when asked to address a problem.  Don't be rowdy.  Just be well-behaved!

Post-Meeting

Responsibilities after a meeting really depend on the culture of the organization.  An emailed thank you may be appropriate.  Many attendees appreciate minutes.  Agreed action items should have timely follow-up.  At the very least, thank the attendees for their time.  Time is so valuable!  

Defining your customer

For some companies, the question "Who is your customer?" strikes them as too simple.  They sell to everyone. They sell to people with two feet (everyone).  They sell to people concerned with money (almost everyone).  People with a home (everyone).  People in the United States (not everyone, but still pretty big).  You should definitely have something more substantial than that!

Benefits of a Defined Customer

• You can really get to know exactly what your customer wants.  This applies to all of the marketing concerns - price, product, promotion, placement.  
• You can reduce spending on advertising and promotions by targeting where and when your customer is most receptive.  
• Your employees have a clear idea of who will buy, making them better able to focus.  
• You can calculate the value of a customer, and decide how much you want to spend on each. 
• Your people will have a better idea of what you do.  
• If you do it well, others may gravitate to your offering just because it has a strong, desirable image.  

Creating Segments

The key is to segment the total market into chunks you feel you can serve well.  I'd suggest starting with a geographic region, such as the USA or New York City.  Then you can further subdivide that group into smaller segments that fit your product.  You can use combinations of the following factors, or any other way of distinguishing people that makes sense.  They generally fall into two categories.

• Demographics - age, sex, race, income
• Psychographics -  personality, values, attitudes, interests, lifestyles

There have been many text books and business books written about the customer. I suggest you give your customer some thought, and if you want to get deeper into talking about your customer, start by reading the wikipedia page about Market Segmentation.  If you really want to get deep into it, the book Market Segmentation: How to do it, how to profit from it by Malcolm McDonald is a great, thorough text.  

What is money?

Money, of course, is why most people are involved in business.  At its basest level, it is anything that represents the value of a person's actions.  In the case of the USA, that means green slips of paper.  Canada, it was multi-colored slips of paper.  In Yap, they use giant stones.  Seashells, silver, food.  What makes thedollar, yen, and euro special is that they don't have any purpose beyond representing a person's value to society - and money allows people to exchange it.

Power

To some, money represents power.  It has long been known that the people who have the most money tend to have everything they want - even things that are not for sale.  It can get people to do things they wouldn't normally do.  The phrase "Everybody has a price" refers to the cost required to get people to do something they wouldn't normally by paying them enormous sums of money.  And with enormous wealth, often comes the ability to break the law and receive a reduced punishment, even for such heinous crimes as murder.  

Living

While money does sometimes bring out the worst in people, it is a strong means to the end of living in our society.  The capitalist system works under the assumption that every action should receive a reward based on the demand for that.  Companies pay people for their services in the form of employment.  Employees pay companies for food from a store.  Each person, in theory, receives money from the market that is comparable to what the market will pay for their services.  So you need to use and be familiar with money to live.  Caves in the woods are no longer prevalent in North America.  

Side-item

Then there is the concept that you should do what you love.  If you find something that the market will reward, and that you love to do, you will do your job for pure enjoyment, and the money will be just a side benefit.  This represents the ideal strategy because it reduces the severity of the word "work" to the fun of the world "play."  

Tool of Oppression?

The problem with money is that it tends to accumulate over time.  And that means that people who have made a lot of money, and are prudent, can continue making more and more money, passing it on to their descendants.  And where there is no money, it is difficult for people to achieve.  Which is one reason why the black minority in this country isn't making drastic financial steps, even 40+ years after what some consider the "end" of the African-American Civil Rights Movement.  

I like money.  From what I've learned, I believe that it enabled the world to grow beyond a few small city-states through trade.  We just have to make sure that it isn't also our downfall.  

Challenges

Challenges in Business

There are many different definitions of challenges, and it is amazing how many apply to business.  In my mind, it is the single most important word you can have in your vocabulary when dealing with business.  First, it is:


A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking

Welcome to a job that offers a challenge!  The zest of a tough fight, well fought!  It is exhilarating and energizing.  It reminds you of your own strength and the power of your will.  And the definition above is certainly descriptive of today's business arena.  With improved efficiency, large corporations, and cost-cutting, you may be challenged every day to keep yourself employed and the company on the track to success.  For some, it is more... It's: 

A call to engage in a contest, fight, or competition

Business challenges you to succeed.  It beckons you with the promise of the fun you can have testing your skills.  That test of skills can be decided, with a winner and a loser.  And best of all, it doesn't have to be decided by you!  The market will act as the referee and you can really bare you teeth.  And you'll need everyone behind you, so challenge is also: 

To summon to action, effort, or use; stimulate

Challenge your people to do their best work, and you will likely get it.  People revel in the knowledge that they can do something great, and are united in the cause to do something great.  Make sure they don't let the stimulus slip.  Keep pushing, and your company will grow big and strong.  You'll be a challenger!

One who competes against the holder of a title or championship

Personal motivation, leadership, management advice, goal - Challenge is a huge part of business.  Remember that as you lament the difficulty of your job.  And also as you seek to improve it.  

Your Workspace

I'm sorry for the lapse, all.  I have a strategy for not letting that happen again.  ><

Now, on to something truly important to a businessperson - the office.  Your office is any work space that belongs to you.  It can be a traditional four-walls-and-a-door office, a cubicle, a desk sitting in the warehouse, or a room in your home.  The key is that it is yours.  You spend your time there, it reflects on you as a person, and you should make sure others perceive what you want them to.  Below I've given you some tips on how to furnish your office to best effect.  

Keep your office tidy

No one likes to be neck-deep in unfiled papers and folders.  For many, it makes it more difficult to get work done because things are getting misplaced.  Or, if you're naturally untidy, it means that four months from now a coworker is going to ask for a report from today, and you'll have to dig through three inches of papers to find it.  But more importantly, people perceive a tidy desk as indicative of a tidy mind.  When your office is organized, people believe you are as well.  It doesn't take much time to maintain, once you've done it, so make it a regular part of your end-of-day routine.  

Picture say 1000 words... about you!

The pictures, paintings, photos, printouts, etc. of your office will tell people a lot about what you value.  If you have an entire wall covered in pictures of heavy metal bands from the 80's, you won't get much respect.  On the other hand, if you cover the entire office area with work memorabilia, charts, and graphs, people will think you have no life outside work.  You want a balance represented in your office.  Consider adding a few photos of your family or friends.  A couple nice prints of your favorite painting are good conversation pieces and make the walls less bare.  My personal favorite is to dedicate one wall to drawings of important concepts.  A mix like that will show both your professional and personal side, while still remaining modest.  

Furniture Arrangement as Personal Feng Shui

The furniture in your office may be nailed to the floor or otherwise immovable.  But there are things you can change to suit your self.  Putting the couple chairs far away from your desk suggests you welcome visitors.  A potted plant can make the place warmer with its life.  And if you can move your furniture around, all the better! Then visitors can see how independent and creative you can be with your space.  And how strongly you can exert your sense of control!  

Room use sends a message, too!

So far I've talked about how you set up and decorate your office.  But you also have to think how you'll use it. If you are always busy with individual work and can't (don't like to be) bothered, you can keep your door closed and/or turn you desk to face away from the door.  If you like to have everything printed out and at your fingertips, your desk may be completely full (but still tidy!).  If you want to have lots of visitors, put a candy dish just inside your door - everyone will stop to say hello and eat M&Ms.  

Just as your appearance says volumes, so does your work space.  A person's office is their sanctuary and their fortress, providing a safe anchor spot at work.  Treat it as if it is a part of you, and it will reinforce your message with power.  

Organizational Purpose

I've been flooded with discussions on strategy lately.  And one of the main questions that comes up is along the lines of "What is the purpose of the organization?"  Organization, of course, can mean any group of people - not necessarily a for-profit corporation.  It can as small as a two-man garage band or as large as Wal-Mart.

I'm a firm believer that every organization needs a purpose, no matter how small.  Purpose can be anything.  It could be to make music, to enjoy the company of friends, mutual protection, or any number of other reasons.  The most common in business is "to make money," which was the mantra pushed in a book I read, The Goal.  Making money is a key to survival, but it can't be the only reason for an organization's existence.  BUT...

Problems with Organizations Focused on Making Money

• Wouldn't be a very rewarding place to work.  
• Output would tend to reflect only high-reward opportunities. 
• Ignores new opportunities.
• Can breed unethical and/or illegal behavior.  
• Creates a hostile, driven work environment.
• Don't make a true impact on the world (for good or evil).  

That last one is the key.  You really want to make a difference in the world, and an organization is the best way to do it. It enlists others and gives them something to strive for.  The whole is greater than the sum of its parts is no more obvious than in a smooth-running organization.  

Here are some organizational purposes.  

1. To make easy-to-use, aesthetically pleasing technology
2. To help people suffering from the ills of third-world life.  
3. To maintain and distribute common goods.  
4. To provide convenient drug and convenience stores.  
5. To provide high-quality baked goods and meals containing them.   
6. To protect the United States.  

What do you think about the Chicago Cubs?  Fox News?  Your local high school?  

-sjk

My Answers:

1. Apple
2. Red Cross
3. Government
4. Walgreens
5. Panera Bread
6. U.S. Army

Setting Boundaries in Business

I've been involved in several projects, and the one thing that keeps coming up is the scope.  It is supposed to draw the line about where the project can and can't go.  Boundaries help determine where people should spend their time.  And its great for focused creativity.

Benefits

Drive Decisions

Similar to a vision statement, the scope of a project allows people to make tactical decisions about how to proceed on a project without direct supervision.  When people are unclear about the next move, referencing the scope helps.  Boundaries keep people from wandering from the vision.  It keeps them from regularly chasing new distractions and forces them to focus on the task at hand.

Focused Creativity

Creativity, too, can benefit from some limitations.  Often I've been told that you shouldn't take any idea out of the running during the brainstorming phase, and I agree with that.  But you need to start with some boundaries on the brainstorming phase itself, or the mind wont' have any place to begin.  For example, if I said "Let's discuss how to make money," your mind may go blank.  It would be more helpful to say "How do we use our people's skills in a different way to make money?"  Now you have something to analyze (the people), making for a more fertile discussion.

Comfort

We should never forget the psychological benefits of boundaries - that they make people comfortable.  You may view this as either positive or negative, but people feel safe when they know the boundaries of their life.  that is why changing jobs, corporate restructuring, and new product launches can be very stressful.  

Downsides

The greatest downside to using boundaries is in overuse.  People will resist innovative ideas specifically because they are outside their current boundary.  They allow great ideas to pass, often to their chagrin, because they can't aren't open to the possibility.  Or they may see its potential, but use their job scope to prevent it from moving forward.

-sjk

Four tactics to improve relationships with representatives from other specialties

At work, almost everyone is required to work regularly with others.  They need to collaborate on requirements, align execution, and work closely on followup and maintenance.  But 50 years ago, companies started to fragment, and divide up by function.  And its causing massive difficulties for some, as they try to bridge the gap between functions in their organizations.  A few reminders that can help you work well with others:  

1. They are protective of their domain.   
2. They already have a full workload.  
3. They have a different culture that is specific to their function, department, etc.  
4. They might not know what the heck you're talking about, or the reasons behind what they do understand.  

It's important to understand the above lessons.  If you want some steps to follow to help build a good relationship, the following worked for me:  

1. Treat them as equals.  They are less likely to be threatened.  
2. Don't formally demand much of their time unless its very, very, very, very important.  
3. Try to learn elements of their culture, including jokes and acronyms.  
4. Learn how to talk with people like them.  People are unique, but many of them are quite similar.  

Do you have any other little tricks that you think would help others to relate to people representing other functions?  

-sjk

5 Differences between Marketing and Sales

In my experience, there is often a correlation drawn between Marketing and Sales.  In fact, in some organizations, they are put into the same functional silo.  Traditionally, they are distinct functions, which can require significantly different skill sets. 

First, lets start of by discussing what they are. 

• Marketing is any activity that influences the customer opinion of your product or service.  This includes everything from sales to advertising to fulfillment to customer service.  

• Sales is the act of pursuing and completing the goods exchange with the customer.  That means it includes the entire sales cycle of finding prospects, pitching, and closing.  That is the end of the sales function in many companies. 

Whenever I talk about "Marketing" or "Sales" below, I specifically refer to the people within the function, not the actual function itself.  Below I've listed some of the key differences between Marketing and Sales.  When you read these, think about how they relate to the definitions I gave above.  

Sales brings in money directly - Marketing brings in brand awareness and recognition.

The first, most important, difference to consider is what they bring to the organization.  Sales, of course, brings cash.  And without cash, your company would grind to a halt quicker than you can start a chant by saying "Chapter?"... and waiting for a response.  Marketing works to get your brand into the mind of the customer.  Without it, you may get sales, but they will be significantly less, especially in B2C.  

Sales talks directly with customers - Marketing influences markets. 

Next, we have to discuss how each group connects with the customer.  Sales often has a direct line to the product buyer, be it end user, distributor, or other.  They hear the complaints and answer the objections.  Marketers work on a macro-scale.  They try to influence a group, from hundreds to millions, by broadcasting to the public and leading the company's actions. 

Sales is internally competitive -Marketing is unified.

Every company is unified around a message, and often Marketing is able to state that goal in the clearest way possible.  And a big part of their job is getting every customer-facing group to live their message.  They work together to convince others.  Sales is on the opposite spectrum.  They are chasing the same goal, but sales people are fiercely competitive.  A good sales person likes to stand alone, on their merits, because they have pride in their competitive sales skills.  

Sales capitalizes on Marketing - Marketing capitalizes on Operations.

One of the most interesting things to me about organizations is that sometimes individuals or groups can convince themselves that a certain function or skill set isn't as important as another.  But every group capitalizes on the skills of another to function well.  Sales needs Marketing to make the brand sticky in your mind.  Marketing needs Operations to fulfill the product promise implicit in the marketing message. 

Sales requires skill in selling - Marketing requires skill in marketing.

Sales skill involves a lot of procedure and memorization.  It also requires a personality that is dedicated, independent, and self-confident.  On the flip side, Marketing skills include trend tracking, number analysis, design, psychology, leadership, IT, and others.  In fact, Marketing people can have a variety of different skill backgrounds.  And their personalities can range across the board, and many different personalitiy types thrive.  

Conclusion

I want to remind you of the definitions of Marketing and Sales I gave at the beginning.  Marketing touches every point of customer interaction, while Sales is a very specific point of customer focus.  Their importance in formal organizations varies, but they are both indispensable. 

Do you have any other thoughts on how Marketing and Sales differ? 

Overcoming Adoption Apathy

Change management has been high on my personal list of business concepts for a while.  I've been really focused the last few weeks on overcoming adoption apathy - the feeling that sets in during any type of change initiative that prevents you from wanting to change anymore.

Source

I'm sure everyone has, at one point or another, wanted to change something about either themselves or someone else.  At the beginning, everyone sees the need to change.  They're excited about improving the situation.  You have buy-in from everyone.  But then after a few weeks or months, that great momentum diminishes.  People stop being excited about the change, because its actually taking place.  But because they're not paying attention, the actual change itself slows, stops, and may even reverse.  

Overcoming Adoption Apathy

Over the past few weeks, I've come up with my personal ideas for working through Adoption Apathy.  I've tried out several, and these are the tactics that seem to work best for me.  

• Approach the change tangentially.  When I think about an obstacle all the time, I get overwhelmed with the scale.  I do better just going about doing it, and forgetting about how big of a chore it is.    

• Have a secret change partner.  The most powerful push for me to work is when I know someone is counting on me, and they will recognize my work and accomplishment.  But your brain is wired so if you tell someone your goal, it will fill you with happy chemicals.  So you have to keep your goal to yourself, but know who you're hoping to get recognition from.  

• Keep it fresh.  Don't let the change be something you did last month.  Make changes in your plan that still meet your goal within the framework of your plan.  This keeps you engaged and excited about it.  

• Don't fret over failure.  Yes, you should set goals.  They should be B-HAGS (big hairy audacious goals) so you push yourself to the best of your abilities.  But meeting those goals is not life-or-death.  If you don't meet them, remember that the journey was important, too.  There will be another chance tomorrow.  

• A change plan doesn't work for everyone.  You have to know the people involved (yourself, employees, customers, etc.) to find a change plan that will work.  Just be aware that a single change plan, no matter how broad, will not touch everyone involved.  Work to adapt the plan to the individual, if you can.  

I hope that some of these help you.  Each individual and each group is different and needs different rules to make change happen.  If you have any other ideas, I'd love for you to post them in the comments below.  

-sjk

Robot Prototyping Program

I've talked about 3D printing (aka. Additive Manufacture) in other posts.  The "limits" there are often thought of the be only in your mind.  Of course that doesn't address the fact that you can't easily make moving arts in those additive manufacturing processes.  And you can't use every material for home 3D printers.  And you have to be a designer to get it all to work for you.  Wow, there are a lot of barriers, aren't there...

One company is trying to remove that last one.  This article discusses the possibility of a universal robot prototyping software that helps you build a robot in just a few hours.  Again, the "possibilities are endless", but a) they haven't finished the program yet and b) you need to have additive manufacturing capabilities.

Automation like this is a great thing.  It looks like designers are learning from computer programmers.  Additive printing is a new technology that started by only taking CAD drawing or other drafting documents.  They're adding a layer of intelligence to it, making it much easier to program.

-sjk

Bacteria Backpacks

Whoo, doggy!  I'm always intrigued by the crazy things medical science comes up with when it comes to pharmacology.  The breadth of drugs, the diversity of their manufacture (traditional, biologics), and now their dosage medium.

According to an article I found from Kurzweil, scientists are trying to use bacteria for delivering nanomedications inside the body!  That means more targeted drug treatment with less side effects.  The caveat is that they sound very difficult to produce.  Just the idea of tying loaded beads with nano-wires boggles the mind.  It is certainly not something that can self-replicate. And scientists might have a tough time getting something like this shelf stable.

But I love the idea of tying bacteria up with nano-wires.  Nano-wires could be the next Spider-man-web-like material.  Maybe using these wires is the way to secure nano-level electronics?  I'm sure there will also be frivolous uses of such technology, such as individually branding a bacteria for carrier purposes.

Top 5 Map Comparisons for Mind Mapping

Mind-Mapping is a wonderful technique when you think there is nothing for you to talk about online. I took 45 minutes this morning to create some mind maps that allowed me to find probably 100 posts worth of topic material!  So here are my Top 5 Map Comparisons for Mind Mapping.  

1. It helps you figure things out when you're lost.  
2. You can see shortcuts between ideas.  
3. Someone else can follow you into your psyche.  
4. Shows you where you could use more detailed surveying.   
5. Use it with a moral compass to find your way in the world.  

I've found it much more useful when trying to trace my own thought pattern than generate ideas.  I haven't had much luck using a mind map for recording a brainstorming discussion, for example.  I think using it for mapping my existing knowledge base is the first time I've actually found a use for it that I endorse!

-sjk

Dose of Skepticism

Everyone knows that it is important to be skeptical to keep yourself from believing theories which don't fit with the facts of the world.  I'm not telling you to completely divorce yourself from the idea of religion, life after death, and other important metaphysical questions.  I'm suggesting that you don't fall for things like this bird-wing hoax.

In the elaborate hoax they pulled, they had videos, fake articles in media, website - the whole nine yards.  In fact, I was initially taken in, because it was such a cool idea that I wanted it to be true.  I'm so glad I wasn't the editor of some news outlet that picked it up, because they must have egg on their faces for not fact checking.

I'm glad they did this.  It pokes fun at the media who blindly accepted what they heard on the internet and it shines a light onto what could be a different part of our gullibility.  I thought my blind spots were pretty well covered, but this one just went right past my bull s*** detector.  It reminded me in a hilarious way that I can't accept everything I read on the internet.  Thank you, science pranksters!