History was made this week with the results of the US Election and the topic of leadership is on everyone's mind around the world. If you're a regular or even occasional visitor here, you know I have a deep passion for leadership and have been working in the field of talent development for about two decades.
Can one person run a country? No.
Can one person run your company? No!
There is a ravenous appetite for information that seems to be more pronounced than in any other time in history. Information is travelling at the speed of light. Theories, news, priorities, ideas, deadlines, profits, voices, thoughts, it never seems to end but to borrow from the Bard, how much has any significance?
The problem we often face is we don't know what may be important until its emergency has passed. Everything is code red, all meetings deemed critical, every email needs a reply. Hurry up, this is important! I need to get to the next crucial deadline!
Busy is the new black
Here's a suggestion. Ask your team to cut every meeting next week by 50%. That one-hour meeting on Tuesday is now 30 minutes. If it doesn't have a stated reason, cancel it. Only those necessary should attend. And without clearly stating who does what by when, the meeting may be a complete waste of everyone's time.
A room full of people not paying attention while staring at their smartphones looking at email that might be important is not a collaborative exchange.
If we do less, perhaps we can accomplish more?
__________________________________________________________________
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
November 12, 2016
October 25, 2013
Successful Leaders Do Less
There is a ravenous appetite for information that seems to be more pronounced than in any other time in history. Information is travelling at the speed of light. Theories, news, priorities, ideas, deadlines, profits, voices, thoughts, it never seems to end but to borrow from the Bard, how much has any significance?The problem we often face is we don't know what may be important until its emergency has passed. Everything is code red, all meetings deemed critical, every email needs a reply. Hurry up, this is important! I need to get to the next crucial deadline!!
Busy is the new black
Here's a suggestion. Ask your team to cut every meeting next week by 50%. That one-hour meeting on Tuesday is now 30 minutes. If it doesn't have a stated reason, cancel it. Only those necessary should attend. And without clearly stating who does what by when, the meeting may be a complete waste of everyone's time.
A room full of people not paying attention while staring at their smartphones looking at email that might be important is not a collaborative exchange.
We need to do less so we can accomplish more.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.
writeanything
July 13, 2012
Anyone Can Do That
That conversation came to mind recently as I've been discussing with a few people about the possibility of writing a book. Despite publishing close to 750,000 words since this site was launched, it's not a simple undertaking. Discussions continue.
Easy Peasy
If you want to write a book, it’s somewhere in range of 60-100,000 words. There are editors and publishers, re-writes and research, long hours and marketing, events and online, retail and so on. No, not anyone can write a book. And few write a successful one. I know colleagues who have and it's a ton of work.
It's simple to opine something is easy when you haven't actually done it yourself. We can all scream from our chair when the pitcher floats a 90mph fastball high and inside handing the other team a three run homer. Anyone can pitch in the bigs, right? It’s effortless to scoff at a speaker for getting on stage because anyone can speak in front of a crowd, right?
Opinions as Opiates
I think Malcolm Gladwell is right. It takes about 10,000 hours to become proficient at something. That, by no means, makes us an expert. But we inch on to dangerous soil if we begin to make claims about something we actually know nothing about.
Some are quick to point out what leadership should be doing, what government should be changing, what those in an industry they know nothing about should be undertaking. Instead, we should learn from each other's perspective and experience which is the essence of collaboration.
No, not everyone can do that. And that is a good thing.
Kneale Mann
photobucket
May 13, 2010
Start Less and Finish More
Too Much Content
Hundreds of thousands of books are published every year. Some think the publishing industry is dying. They are incorrect.
Publishing is going through the same transition the music industry has experienced for fifteen years.
What it looks like a few years from now remains to be seen.
There is a ravenous appetite for information that seems to be more pronounced than in any other time in history.
There are over 250 million blogs according to Technorati. Another 100 new websites were published during the time it took for you to read the first sentence of this post. Anyone with a keyboard and an Internet connection can publish information. It may be inflammatory or incorrect but seems irrelevant.
Theories are espoused and experts are self-created in a time when the loudest and most prevalent can infiltrate the grey matter of millions from the comfort of their sweat pants.
On the plane ride back from SOBCon last weekend, I made a short list of objectives – not wishes, not it would be cool if’s, objectives that I will accomplish. One is to read more, skim less.
While building and programming radio stations for years, the less is more approach was often the way to tighten things up and create more time spent listening. Play the most popular songs more often, upset your super core but grow your overall listenership. It sucks for us music heads but it works.
Are you reading or skimming your business?
Are you starting more and finishing fewer objectives? Are cluttering your day and blaming it on being busy?
Business owners and managers have far too much to deal with and it can be overwhelming. Leads must be followed, the online information explosion is impossible to keep up with, there certainly is no time for employee development while that proposal is the last email of the day as the clock approaches midnight.
Perhaps we need to get a little quieter. Maybe we need to start less and finish more. What are your thoughts?
@knealemann
strategy. marketing. social media.
photo credit: trendir
Hundreds of thousands of books are published every year. Some think the publishing industry is dying. They are incorrect. Publishing is going through the same transition the music industry has experienced for fifteen years.
What it looks like a few years from now remains to be seen.
There is a ravenous appetite for information that seems to be more pronounced than in any other time in history.
There are over 250 million blogs according to Technorati. Another 100 new websites were published during the time it took for you to read the first sentence of this post. Anyone with a keyboard and an Internet connection can publish information. It may be inflammatory or incorrect but seems irrelevant.
Theories are espoused and experts are self-created in a time when the loudest and most prevalent can infiltrate the grey matter of millions from the comfort of their sweat pants.
On the plane ride back from SOBCon last weekend, I made a short list of objectives – not wishes, not it would be cool if’s, objectives that I will accomplish. One is to read more, skim less.
While building and programming radio stations for years, the less is more approach was often the way to tighten things up and create more time spent listening. Play the most popular songs more often, upset your super core but grow your overall listenership. It sucks for us music heads but it works.
Are you reading or skimming your business?
Are you starting more and finishing fewer objectives? Are cluttering your day and blaming it on being busy?
Business owners and managers have far too much to deal with and it can be overwhelming. Leads must be followed, the online information explosion is impossible to keep up with, there certainly is no time for employee development while that proposal is the last email of the day as the clock approaches midnight.
Perhaps we need to get a little quieter. Maybe we need to start less and finish more. What are your thoughts?
@knealemann
strategy. marketing. social media.
photo credit: trendir
March 24, 2009
Media Hacks: A Must Listen
I was trying to catch up blogs and podcasts – which is an endless battle – but one of my new favorite spots to visit is Media Hacks.
New thinking on new media from more mouths.
This is a initiative that has been formed by Mitch Joel, Christopher Penn, Hugh McGuire, Chris Brogan, Julien Smith and CC Chapman. Whenever the group gets together on the phone or in person (whist eating large sandwiches) it usually features three to six of the contributors. They add guests as well.
The Hacks discuss marketing, advertising, media, publishing, digital, entertainment, content and social networking. They talk about the real world. They talk about human behavior. And they make you feel included in the conversation.
Real Issues. Real Solutions.
Media Hacks is not another group of talking heads discussing their lofty lives on top of the digital media space. It is six bright people working hard to improve the landscape, to reflect what is going on in the conversation and offer solutions. They don't always agree, they love to make fun of each other and Julien is usually good for an f-bomb or two.
Each podcast is free for download and runs 40-50 minutes. As Christopher Penn mentions, our time is precious. Well, this is well spent.
New thinking on new media from more mouths.
This is a initiative that has been formed by Mitch Joel, Christopher Penn, Hugh McGuire, Chris Brogan, Julien Smith and CC Chapman. Whenever the group gets together on the phone or in person (whist eating large sandwiches) it usually features three to six of the contributors. They add guests as well.
The Hacks discuss marketing, advertising, media, publishing, digital, entertainment, content and social networking. They talk about the real world. They talk about human behavior. And they make you feel included in the conversation.
Real Issues. Real Solutions.
Media Hacks is not another group of talking heads discussing their lofty lives on top of the digital media space. It is six bright people working hard to improve the landscape, to reflect what is going on in the conversation and offer solutions. They don't always agree, they love to make fun of each other and Julien is usually good for an f-bomb or two.
Each podcast is free for download and runs 40-50 minutes. As Christopher Penn mentions, our time is precious. Well, this is well spent.
February 26, 2009
E-Books: Free For The Learning
One of my true passions is music. I fought for artists and publishers in the music industry for more than a decade. This was not some clueless struggle against technology or progress but rather a discovery of how the music industry could remain healthy while giving music fans what they want - and were now taking for free.
At the core of any venture is the need to be good at it. Music downloading did not create better musicians and not everyone in the industry is out to steal from artists. But if you let people know the food on the menu is free every Thursday, the line-up will be quite a bit shorter on Friday.
I have all the data from the "I only download some music" group and the "they already make enough money" group but we can save that for another time.
Download Books for Free?
One of the coolest trends lately is e-books. These are tightly packed 30-40 page manuals jammed with information that can help you. E-books offer practical information for your business, industry and career.
E-books are easy to read and re-read and re-read again. If you want to write your own, you can!
Books Are Cool
While the publishing industry evolves, the web has allowed anyone to self-publish. You won’t make money from writing an e-book but it allows you the opportunity to share some information and most importantly give readers a better chance to get to know you.
Plus, writing an e-book can lead to business for your company in the future. But, like with music downloading your e-book must actually have substance and something people want to read.
Can You Be Trusted?
Trust is one of the biggest topics these days so if you can gain trust through sharing information, the chances of building better business relationships will increase.
As one who has a renewed interest in the publishing industry, we must look at the changes in the music industry throughout the last decade. It is imperative that the creators are compensated and protected.
Some samples
If you travel in the world of media, social networking, marketing, publishing or entertainment, here are some gems that may help you.
Download, digest and do.
Blink: A Social Media Guide from The Edge
Todd Defren
It is refreshing to read Todd’s work. Defren is a principal with Shift Communications – a PR agency with offices in San Francisco and Boston.
Blink is crammed with nothing but meat. Todd mentions in the opening that he is not going to waste a lot of time getting to real useable information and he keeps that promise. I would say there is a lot of common sense here but as I’ve previously posted, that too is rare. You may find yourself nodding your head a lot but your next step is to create action in your own life with this information. This is a fantastic book.
Unleashing The Ideavirus
Seth Godin
This is a classic! Seth wrote this in 2000 and it’s still ahead of it’s time today. If you are even marginally in the marketing industry, you have heard of Seth. His work, his energy, his mind, and his contribution to the industry is well documented.
If you haven’t read “Unleashing The Ideavirus” or it’s been a while – it’s worth a re-read. Congrats to Seth for publishing his 3,000th blog post this week. And check out his TEDTalk on sliced bread.
Fish Where The Fish Are
Using The Social Web to Find Work
Branding for the Business Professional
Chris Brogan
If you are even a casual social media participant, you have heard of Chris. He is the president of New Marketing Labs with partners Justin Levy and Colin Browning. Chris travels the world giving presentations to businesses that include practical applications for marketing and social networking. I had the pleasure of spending some time with him at PodCamp Toronto. If you did the same, you know he is the real deal.
Word of Mouth Manual
Dave Balter
With all the tools and tricks and data at our disposal, word of mouth still holds true as an extremely powerful way for people to find out about you and your business. It can work in your favor or work against you. Building positive word of mouth can take time but negative news travels quickly. Dave is the founder and CEO of BzzAgents – a word of mouth marketing and media network so he knows of what he writes.
Trust Economies
Julien Smith & Chris Brogan
Julien Smith was an early adopter to the social space through In Over Your Head which began in November 2004. He is a writer, designer and entrepreneur. He is also one of six contributors to a new initiative called Media Hacks hosted by Mitch Joel with Hugh McGuire, Brogan, CC Chapman, and Christopher S. Penn.
Along with Brogan, Smith has co-authored “Trust Agents” which will be released in August. He is wicked smart and very funny. He has more energy than an NFL franchise and a warning: he will in fact tell you the truth.
Have you written or have you ever thought about writing an e-book?
@knealemann
At the core of any venture is the need to be good at it. Music downloading did not create better musicians and not everyone in the industry is out to steal from artists. But if you let people know the food on the menu is free every Thursday, the line-up will be quite a bit shorter on Friday.
I have all the data from the "I only download some music" group and the "they already make enough money" group but we can save that for another time.
Download Books for Free?
One of the coolest trends lately is e-books. These are tightly packed 30-40 page manuals jammed with information that can help you. E-books offer practical information for your business, industry and career.
E-books are easy to read and re-read and re-read again. If you want to write your own, you can!
Books Are Cool
While the publishing industry evolves, the web has allowed anyone to self-publish. You won’t make money from writing an e-book but it allows you the opportunity to share some information and most importantly give readers a better chance to get to know you.
Plus, writing an e-book can lead to business for your company in the future. But, like with music downloading your e-book must actually have substance and something people want to read.
Can You Be Trusted?
Trust is one of the biggest topics these days so if you can gain trust through sharing information, the chances of building better business relationships will increase.
As one who has a renewed interest in the publishing industry, we must look at the changes in the music industry throughout the last decade. It is imperative that the creators are compensated and protected.
Some samples
If you travel in the world of media, social networking, marketing, publishing or entertainment, here are some gems that may help you.
Download, digest and do.
Blink: A Social Media Guide from The Edge
Todd Defren
It is refreshing to read Todd’s work. Defren is a principal with Shift Communications – a PR agency with offices in San Francisco and Boston.
Blink is crammed with nothing but meat. Todd mentions in the opening that he is not going to waste a lot of time getting to real useable information and he keeps that promise. I would say there is a lot of common sense here but as I’ve previously posted, that too is rare. You may find yourself nodding your head a lot but your next step is to create action in your own life with this information. This is a fantastic book.
Unleashing The Ideavirus
Seth Godin
This is a classic! Seth wrote this in 2000 and it’s still ahead of it’s time today. If you are even marginally in the marketing industry, you have heard of Seth. His work, his energy, his mind, and his contribution to the industry is well documented.
If you haven’t read “Unleashing The Ideavirus” or it’s been a while – it’s worth a re-read. Congrats to Seth for publishing his 3,000th blog post this week. And check out his TEDTalk on sliced bread.
Fish Where The Fish Are
Using The Social Web to Find Work
Branding for the Business Professional
Chris Brogan
If you are even a casual social media participant, you have heard of Chris. He is the president of New Marketing Labs with partners Justin Levy and Colin Browning. Chris travels the world giving presentations to businesses that include practical applications for marketing and social networking. I had the pleasure of spending some time with him at PodCamp Toronto. If you did the same, you know he is the real deal.
Word of Mouth Manual
Dave Balter
With all the tools and tricks and data at our disposal, word of mouth still holds true as an extremely powerful way for people to find out about you and your business. It can work in your favor or work against you. Building positive word of mouth can take time but negative news travels quickly. Dave is the founder and CEO of BzzAgents – a word of mouth marketing and media network so he knows of what he writes.
Trust Economies
Julien Smith & Chris Brogan
Julien Smith was an early adopter to the social space through In Over Your Head which began in November 2004. He is a writer, designer and entrepreneur. He is also one of six contributors to a new initiative called Media Hacks hosted by Mitch Joel with Hugh McGuire, Brogan, CC Chapman, and Christopher S. Penn.
Along with Brogan, Smith has co-authored “Trust Agents” which will be released in August. He is wicked smart and very funny. He has more energy than an NFL franchise and a warning: he will in fact tell you the truth.
Have you written or have you ever thought about writing an e-book?
@knealemann
