Time to Think and Act Bigger

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream despite overwhelming opposition and it cost him his life. Steve Jobs built a company that changed the game. Mother Teresa served her religion and her people with dignity and grace. Oprah Winfrey smashed the glass ceiling while creating a unique brand.

Those are big ideas. And we all have them. They may not cure a disease or move a generation but we will never know their potential until we explore them, share them, and see where they'll go. No big idea was ever adapted or adopted immediately. In fact, most were ignored or discarded - often by those who had them in the first place.

Been there? Done that?

Tom Peters says; “The new idea either finds a champion or it dies. No ordinary involvement with a new idea provides the energy required to cope with the indifference and resistance that change provokes.”

The next time you can’t seem to shake the idea, let it percolate and rest. You won't have all the parts figured out at first. But discarding it the moment you meet resistance or a naysayer (which are guaranteed) you may be wasting an idea that could be big.

No is easy. Maybe is more difficult.
How is where our work begins.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

linkboook

Presenting Your Ideas

Whether you do professional speaking, facilitate workshops, coach professionals or attend conference calls – which makes up a lot of my work time - or you simply navigate regular business relationships, there is one common element we all share. It is what makes us similar and vastly different. It is something that we can implement or destroy.

Nancy Duarte has been studying this topic as well as what makes a great presentation for many years and she explains both in her 2011 TEDTalk.


__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture strategist, writer, speaker, executive coach engaging leaders, collaborative teams, and strong business results.

Nancy Duarte | TED

Embracing Your Big Ideas

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream despite overwhelming opposition and it cost him his life. Steve Jobs built a company that changed the game. Mother Teresa served her religion and her people with dignity and grace. Oprah Winfrey smashed the glass ceiling while creating a unique brand.

Those are big ideas. And we all have them. They don't have to cure a disease or move a generation but we will never know their potential until we explore them, share them, and see where they'll go.

Ideas come to us constantly

Change is work so you won't gain consensus from the start. We don't enjoy buy-in from inception. Management consultant Tom Peters says; “The new idea either finds a champion or it dies. No ordinary involvement with a new idea provides the energy required to cope with the indifference and resistance that change provokes.”

The next time you can’t seem to shake the idea, let it percolate and rest. You won't have all the parts figured out at first. Give it more time to develop. No big idea has ever or will ever be embraced by everyone right away. But throwing it away the moment it meets a naysayer is a waste of an idea that could be big.

Resistance to new ideas is easier than embracing them.
The trick is not to dismiss ours quickly.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture strategist, writer, speaker, executive coach engaging leaders, collaborative teams, and strong business results.

devwijewardane

The Magic of Collaboration

Each morning on Twitter, I post something insightful or funny or silly or inspiring. These are from websites I've visited, pieces I've written, historical inspiration that might help, leaders who give us perspective, and ideas in my head. October began with five quotes from the late Steve Jobs on the first anniversary of his death.

"One home run is much better than two doubles. Design is not what it looks like, design is how it works. Remembering you are going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. Stay hungry, stay foolish."

Here’s the rest of the list from October 2012

Focus on what went well this week. The past has passed unless we let it drag us down or we build on it.To my fellow Canadian friends - Happy Thanksgiving. To my American pals - Happy Columbus Day.

Leadership begins with you. Hindsight is a terrible business associate. We do our best work when it doesn't seem like work.

Never underestimate the power of questions. The perfect time will never arrive. Where we stretch, we learn and grow. Leadership is about guiding and helping then getting out of the way.

No one said it would be easy. Keep going. If you feel held back, loosen your reins. Belief in you begins with you.

Provide the guidance for them to lead themselves. Who can you call at 3am if you need them? Who has you on their list?

When did you last take an entire day just for you? Leadership begins with you. Ask them how they're doing and wait for their response. Have a look at your to-do list for this year, how are you doing so far?

Never underestimate the power of collaboration. Don't ask for praise, give it. Yes we can do better. Let's get on that today. If you're looking for inspiration, offer your help to someone who needs it. Share your mind, most can't read it. Say thank-you, often.

Step out of your comfort zone where you can grow.

Kneale Mann

apple

What's Your Big Idea?

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream despite overwhelming opposition and it cost him his life. Steve Jobs built a company that changed the game. Mother Teresa served her religion and her people with dignity and grace. Oprah Winfrey smashed the glass ceiling while creating a unique brand.

Those are big ideas. And we all have them. They don't have to cure a disease or move a generation but we will never know their potential until we explore them, share them, and see where they'll go.

Ideas come to us constantly

Tom Peters says; “The new idea either finds a champion or it dies. No ordinary involvement with a new idea provides the energy required to cope with the indifference and resistance that change provokes.” Change is work so you won't gain consensus from the start.

The next time you can’t seem to shake the idea, let it percolate and rest. You won't have all the parts figured out at first. Give it more time to develop. No big idea has ever or will ever be embraced by everyone right away. But throwing it away the moment it meets a naysayer is a waste of an idea that could be big.

Resistance to new ideas is easier than embracing them.
The trick is not to resist our own too quickly.

Kneale Mann

australianhouse

How Do You Present Yourself?

Whether you do professional speaking, facilitate workshops, coach professionals or attend conference calls – which makes up a lot of my work time - or you simply navigate regular business relationships, there is one common element we all share. It is what makes us similar and vastly different. It is something that we can implement or destroy.

From our constant human interaction – through technology, the social web, email or in-person – this is one element that we carry with us all the time. But the question remains whether we activate it or not. We all have the potential to use it but it’s not as simple as taking it out and showing it to the world. Action and perseverance are required.

Nancy Duarte has been studying this topic as well as what makes a great presentation for many years and she explains both in her 2011 TEDx Talk.

If you do presentations, speak in front of an audience or simply navigate everyday life, this video is 18 minutes well spent.


Kneale Mann

visual credit: Nancy Duarte | TED

Let’s Be More Foolish

For many, this is a reflective time of year. While we look at the best and worst of 2011, the world lost Steve Jobs. He wasn't superhero. He was a man full of flaws like all of us who simply tried stuff he thought about trying and the result was a cool organization, an animation company, thousands of forward thinking creative people and millions of evangelistic customers around the world. You're sitting on that idea, you've always wanted to try that concept. Why wait?

Let's turn reflection into action


Kneale Mann

visual credit: stanford

Resolution Revisited

I was sifting through some archives to review my year-end lists from last year. This year's lists will be on Dec 31 and Jan 1. Here's something that was originally posted last December. Have we gotten anywhere yet?

Widgets: Take your seats.

If you read this space once in a while, you probably have a couple social media profiles and tweet and read up on the topic of social networking and see the constant battle between tools and talk. We can drown in discussion and it’s time for us to move.

Activity does not equal progress. Most of us have learned that lesson the hard way.

Twitter will never make you Hemingway, website design templates will not guarantee you a career in user experience and a MacBook Air has yet to give birth to the next Steve Jobs. We need talent. A lot of it. Now. Let’s actually collaborate and make some decisions. Let's get creative and spend 100% of our time on the projects we want to do with the people with which we want to do them.

If you have some time off over the Holidays, sift through your network and make a list of the people who you can help and who can help you.

Make another list of the people that compliment your skills and could make potential collaborators on projects. Toss that box of what-if’s, self-doubts and no ways immediately. You will be far too busy for that.

Learn the tools, have fun with the tools, discuss the tools, embrace the tools, then let's get some stuff done. You in?

knealemann | email


image credit: istock

It's Not About The Tools? | Meet iPad

Standing Ovation, Mr. Jobs. Not for bringing out another new gadget but for giving us the desire to promote it. Nice work.

• Will iPad change the way we use computers? Who knows.

• Will we get to a point when we're all walking around with handheld computers rather than being teathered to a desk? Absolutely

• Will more business owners finally discover that creativity and collaboration is not linked to rooms and cubicles and work spaces? They will if they want to succeed.

If it's not about the tools, then why are we losing our minds giving Apple all this free publicity?



@knealemann
strategy. marketing. social media. communications.

Resolution 2010 | Let’s Get Stuff Done

Widgets: Take your seats.

If you read this space once in a while, you probably have a couple social media profiles.

Perhaps you tweet and read up on the topic of social networking and see the constant battle between tools and talk.

We can drown in discussion and it’s time for us to move.


And activity does not equal progress - most of us have learned that lesson the hard way.

Twitter will never make you Hemingway, website design templates will not guarantee you a career in user experience and a MacBook Air has yet to give birth to the next Steve Jobs.

We need talent. A lot of it. Now.

Let’s actually collaborate and make some decisions. Let's get creative and spend 100% of our time on the projects we want to do with the people with which we want to do them.

If you have some time off over the Holidays, sift through your network and make a list of the people who you can help and who can help you.

Make another list of the people that compliment your skills and could make potential collaborators on projects. Toss that box of what-if’s, self-doubts and no ways immediately. You will be far too busy for that.

Learn the tools, have fun with the tools, discuss the tools, then let's get some stuff done. You in?

@knealemann
marketing and social media strategy

image credit: octagonpartners.net

Oprah Jobs and Other Personal Brands

Steve Jobs announced yesterday that he is stepping down for a few months from his chief big guy spot at Apple. Speculation is that he won’t be back. However with a mindful eye on business and a publicly traded company with a very public boss, there is concern of a stock tumble if this becomes a permanent situation.

We Are All Just People

Pardon the human comment but let’s first have some compassion for a guy named Steve who is in the prime of his life. He isn’t well, despite speculation few know exactly how serious but let’s remember he’s not a robot. Best wishes to him and his family and hope that he is back stronger than ever in June.

Go With Your Gut

It's not easy to trust your gut. It's not simple to keep moving forward when self-doubt or naysayers are all around.

Oprah Winfrey made a decision years ago that she was not going to take her talk show in the downward direction her contemporaries were taking theirs. Instead, she felt it was important to go with her gut and her heart and build an empire of talk shows, a magazine, a radio network, publishing company, a worldwide charity – The Angel Network, The Academy For Girls in South Africa, and soon the OWN television network. And do it all on her terms in spirit of goodness.

Oprah makes a lot of money. Oprah employs hundreds of people. Oprah gives back. Oprah is Harpo Productions. But unlike Jobs, she is building a roster of contributors who are household names because there will be a day when she won’t be able to be out in front as much as she is now.

Any Flat Surface

Anyone who thinks they can “re-brand” a “product” is fooling themselves. That is the job of the audience and customer. We can attempt to create a space where people will want to spend time and money, but that’s it.

Slick marketing campaigns, social network channels, nimble promotional concepts all help get the word out - but until a human connection occurs, it's just another product or idea.

Steve Jobs rejuvenated the company he co-founded into an environment featuring a suite of products that are cutting edge, work well, solve problems, are fun to use and are cool. Oh and while away he co-founded this little company you may have heard of called Pixar.

He has a large talented team but he is the visionary and as many have cited one of the best pitch men ever. That was never more evident than the wave that was caused when he cancelled his appearance at Macworld this year.

Connect. Engage. Inspire.

There is a connection to Jobs' foreword thinking spirit and desire to take chances that resonates with millions of people.

Winfrey is a sharp business owner but never forgets that top priority is the connection to her audience and customers.

"I Love You, Oprah!" "I Love Apple!"

These are phrases uttered all over the world.

It is no secret that Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey are billionaires. Jobs is #154 on the Forbes List with an estimated personal wealth of $5.4B while Winfrey is #462 with about $2.6B.

We admire people who take chances. We look to people who are brave and step out. We connect with people who build strong companies and environments where others can thrive.

And no amount of money will allow us to escape what is truly human. Steve Jobs is dealing with that right now.

Questions we all can ask ourselves:

How can I help others?
How can I be braver and take more chances?
How am I building my personal brand?
How can I connect and engage and inspire?

km

Misguided Talent

I was at a coffee shop drive-thru and in the parking lot next to the place was a mechanic’s garage with a half-full parking lot of vehicles in various conditions.

On a large cube van, there was some very well done graffiti that simply said “Liar”. I’d love to know the story behind that artwork! But it got me thinking about something that pops in my head whenever I get a piece of junk email.

Just imagine if someone discovered that graffiti artist? Who knows, he or she may be the next Jackson Pollack?!

There are those who find joy in writing computer code which will turn in to a virus which will mess up computers all over the world. There is no glory; we don’t often find the author. Who knows, he or she may be the next Steve Jobs?!

And finally there is a large group of the population who seem to spend a vast amount of energy toiling away in cubicles and offices all over the world. These are well dressed people with hopes and dreams – in some cases dreams that have been dashed by the mother corp. They show up and swipe their card and eat their lunch at 12:30 and keep their head down and get that report done in time. How many are there in your organization?

There are those who enjoy defacing others’ property or writing computer viruses but for the most part there is a lot of untapped talent out there right in front of us. Look around at who you work with, he or she may have next great idea.

km