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Archive for December, 2014

Lean Startup Conference 2014: Metrics: The Data That Will Make or Break Your Business

Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

kg_charles-harris

KG Charles-Harris is once again attending the Lean Startup Conference and sharing his impressions and what he’s learning with you.

Tuesday

Metrics: The Data That Will Make or Break Your Business

Alistair Croll, Solve for Interesting, @Acroll

The first day at the Lean Startup Conference 2014 has been excellent!  I’ve been at an all-day seminar by Alistair Croll – the author of the book Lean Analytics.  A very boring sounding name, but really the essence of how to create a sustainable product market fit and scalable business.  How do I know that I’m on the right path with my products?  How do I know that the pricing is correct?  How do I find the factors that are influencing the growth of the company?  Etc.

I must say that every minute spent in the seminar (from 10 am to 5:30 pm) was worthwhile, even the time spent on the larger organizations, as he made it very useful by comparing to startups in every single part of the process.  Even for a startup guy from a tech startup, the part of the session that focused on innovation within large enterprise companies was fascinating.  Understanding the difficulties those intrapreneurs experience almost made the travails startups go through seem simple.  Alistair’s suggestions and advice for how to think around these issues and attain success.

The room was filled all day and I noticed that I wasn’t the only participant with rapt attention on the presentation – everyone else was very focused on what he was saying.  The sessions were very interactive with people feeling comfortable to ask questions and Alistair encouraging discussion.  Everyone I spoke with during lunch said they were captivated and that his lectures were transforming their thinking.

I am lucky to have been able to participate in this seminar – it is clear that it will have a strong effect on how I execute within my startup as we begin interacting with customers on a broader scale.

Ducks in a Row: Don’t Do As Sephora

Tuesday, December 9th, 2014

https://www.flickr.com/photos/34804353@N02/5743701159

As workloads have increased, companies are pushing people to move faster and faster—often to the company’s detriment.

At the same time employee engagement (AKA, giving a damn) has been plummeting like a rock.

This is especially true when it comes to written communications.

Whether errors are from lack of knowledge or carelessness doesn’t change their effect on readers.

Some errors just make a company’s workforce look ignorant and uneducated (here’s a list of 15 common errors), but some can make it a laughingstock and cost big-time.              

Consider the effect of a spelling error on Sephora.

In the lead up to its launch in Australia Sephora has made a doozy of a spelling mistake, leaving out the ‘o’ in its #countdowntobeauty hashtag on Facebook.

Social media is having a field day and it’s doubtful it will go away any time soon.

Obviously, the error wasn’t intentional; it’s more likely the result of not taking time to proof the copy, whether from being overloaded or just sloppy.

Either way, the damage is done.

Here are three simple things you can do to avoid finding your company in a similar situation.

  • Spell and grammar check should be the default on all company computers—executives and senior personnel aren’t immune to errors.
  • For critical content, writing and proofing should be done by different people; the second person is less likely to unconsciously correct an error.
  • Budget enough time to allow for proofing; reading a sentence backwards makes it easier to catch errors.

Flickr image credit: Jean-Daniel Echenard

The Wonder of ISS

Monday, December 8th, 2014

Rather than writing today I thought I would share my wonder and show you something amazing.

It’s the stuff of human dreams since time began.

The stuff that fires the imagination of anyone who sees it.

It’s a real-time view of Earth from the International Space Station.

Commentary and explanations from Business Insider.

Enjoy!


Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

And in case you are a reader, here’s a link from KG to The Best Science Books of 2014.

If the Shoe Fits: Diversity vs. the Rules of Tech

Friday, December 5th, 2014

A Friday series exploring Startups and the people who make them go. Read all If the Shoe Fits posts here

5726760809_bf0bf0f558_mIn the course of today’s culture I am a virtual nobody. Aside from this blog, LinkedIn profile and a few comments here and there over the years I have no visibility.

This was pointed out to me in an irate email that asked who I thought I was to belittle the wonderful world of tech on non-issues like diversity.

Actually, I was surprised at both the lack of four-letter words and that writer didn’t blast me publicly. When I complimented the former and inquired about the latter I was told that “Ryan” assumed I wouldn’t see anything done in social media (true), so he decided to write directly.

The following is specifically for Ryan and those who agree with him, as well as those who find these posts enlightening. And a shoutout to KG Charles-Harris, who sent me the link.

Leslie Miley wrote a post at Model View Culture called The Top 10 (%) Tech Rules, but could as easily have been “why nothing changes” or “a self-propagating culture.”

Hopefully Ryan and friends will accept Miley’s comments as valid, since his credentials are above reproach.

Working as an engineer at Google, Apple, and Twitter has afforded me a view of the hiring process that for years has produced a homogenous culture: mostly male, and significantly white and Asian.

The Silicon Valley hiring process has been homogenized to the point that it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy—as entrenched as the “old, white guy” culture in the east.

I don’t believe much will change in my lifetime and maybe not in yours or your kids.

As Miley points out, habits are hard to break and breaking this systemic habit will make quitting smoking look like a stroll on the beach.

I am not optimistic about the future of diversity in tech. I see too many of my co-workers ask what university before they ask what applicants have accomplished. I see bias in the CS questions culled from the top universities, and preference given to candidates from the top companies, referred by their peers. The system now serves itself. And that will be the hardest habit to break.

That said, it could change.

How?

Read Miley’s post carefully and then stop doing what it talks about. In other words, be your own person and stop being an organization person.

Talk about it and, whenever possible, call out those you see abiding by the system.

Then share it over and over until it goes viral.

It’s a start.

Image credit: HikingArtist

Entrepreneurs: David Kelly’s Mind Map

Thursday, December 4th, 2014

Kelley_David

Brainstorming is as vital to disruption and innovation as pizza is to all-nighters.

But what if you have no one with which to brainstorm?

IDEO’s founder David Kelly brainstorms on his own; here’s how he does it.

“When I want to do something analytical, I make a list. When I’m trying to come up with ideas or strategize, I make a mind map. Mind maps are organic and allow me to free associate. They are great for asking questions and revealing connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. I start in the center with the issue or problem I am working on and then as I move farther away I get better and better ideas as I force myself to follow the branches on the map and in my mind. The cool thing is that you allow yourself to follow your inner thoughts, which is different than making a list where you are trying to be complete and deal with data.” Bloomberg Business Week

Here’s an example of how it works.

k12_MIND MAP

Image credit: IDEO and servicedesigntools.org

December Leadership Development Carnival

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014

leadership-carnival-5-300x134There are times when we all need advice, encouragement and/or validation. We look for better ways to do things and new approaches to old problems.

The advantages of a blog carnival is that it provides, in one handy place, a curated list of links to some of the best bloggers in cyberspace offering creative, useable approaches in leadership, management, culture and “other practical Insights.”

It’s provided in its entirety below for current situations and to bookmark as a reference for future needs.

December Leadership Development Carnival

Leadership Skills

Many of this month’s featured posts focus on specific leadership skills we all need to develop.

For example, in “Seven Ways to Sell Your Ideas to Management,” Joel Garfinkle of the Career Advancement Blog shares how to present your ideas in order to get them implemented – a skill you need to master if you want to be an influential leader in your company.

Need a little tongue-in-cheek advice? In “7 Habits of Highly Inept Leaders,” Karin Hurt of the Lead Change Group provides basic yet insightful tips about things NOT to do as a leader, thus encouraging leaders to behave differently in order to most effectively lead their teams.

Dana Theus shared this helpful reminder on the InPower Blog: the job you want may not need what you do best right now. The higher you go in leadership, the more this is true. To learn more about how to develop the skills you will need in your next leadership role, check out “Sidestepping the Peter Principle for Career Success.”

Do you understand the two faces of leadership? Jesse Lyn Stone of the Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog explains that one face of leadership looks forward to the future, while the other face looks back at your followers. Learn more about this important leadership approach in “The Two Faces of Leadership.”

Neal Burgis, Ph.D. wrote about another leadership approach on the Practical Solutions blog. Neal writes, “Creativity is often described as the catalyst to innovation, and creativity does not need to be left up to chance.” Learn more about cultivating this mindset in “Creative Innovation as a Leadership Mindset.”

Are You Living Your Leadership Life to the Fullest? Mark Deterding of Triune Leadership Services explains where servant leaders focus their energy to lead a life of significant impact.

Character of a Leader

Our featured bloggers also submitted great advice on developing essential character strengths and qualities.

Mary Jo Asmus reminds us that a willingness to open up and be vulnerable can create deeper work relationships in her post “The V Word” on the Mary Jo Asmus blog.

As leaders, we can be hard on people, but when we’re quick to judge, we need to take a step back and think about the second chances we were given. Read more on this topic in “Be Grateful for Second Chances,” submitted by Jon Mertz of the Thin Difference blog.

Inspirational leadership is the catalyst that gets people to go the extra mile, and Dr. Anne Perschel of the Germane Insights blog has been writing a series of five posts to help you be a more inspirational leader. Don’t miss 5 Attributes of Inspirational Leadership: #3 Determination.

In “The Power of a Kind Leader,” Jeff Harmon shares that giving attention creates an engaged state in the brains of team members and employees that can result in an increase in creativity, more collaboration and greater accuracy. Check out Jeff’s blog on the Brilliance Within website.

Miki Saxon of MAPping Company Success shares “Traits of a Good Boss,” which highlights four important leadership traits as exemplified by Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s new CEO.

With competing priorities, where should a leader’s focus truly be? As John Hunter shares on his Curious Cat Management Comments blog, Alibaba founder Jack Ma takes this approach: “We believe customer number one, employee number two, shareholder number three…” Learn more in “Managing the Organization as a System with Many Stakeholders.”

There are no shortcuts to developing high-trust relationships. In “4 Timeless Principles About Building Trustful Relationships,” published on the Leading with Trust blog, Randy Conley shares four principles you should keep in mind about the role time plays in building trust.

Lisa Kohn of Chatsworth Consulting Group shares “Four Ways We Sabotage Our Own Leadership” on The Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog. In this post, Lisa discusses why making sure you’re credible, trustworthy, consistent, and real will help you be the leader you want to be and make people want to follow you.

Management Issues

Need advice on a management issue? These experts may just offer the answers you need.

Well-orchestrated talent management practices can make the difference for your organization and position it to thrive, grow and weather change on the strength of its current and future leaders to face the challenges of doing business in 2015 head-on. Evan Sinar, Ph.D., DDI Chief Scientist and Director, Center for Analytics and Behavioral Research (CABER), shares Strong Bench Readiness May be Rare, but It’s Not an Accident on DDI’s Talent Management intelligence blog.

Beth Armknecht Miller of Executive Velocity Inc. tackles the question “How Valuable Are Employee Self-Assessments When it Comes to Tracking Employee Performance?” Integrating an employee’s self-assessment into the performance feedback process can uncover gaps between your perception and an employee’s perception of his or her performance before the actual review, providing you with a direction for feedback and enhancing your conversation.

Employee engagement is always an important management issue. Engagement begets more engagement…so how do you get the cycle started? Julie Winkle Giulioni shares advice in “The Engagement Ring.” Read more of her advice at www.juliewinklegiulioni.com.

Adam Harkness of The Productivity Blog shares this post on implementing analytics for HR, “Talking Predictive Analytics with a VP of Talent Management.” Similar to predicting the weather, attempting to predict performance is as much a science as it is an art; the field has evolved over the years and companies are now leveraging predictive analytics in the HR space to better understand their workforces.

Company Culture

From explaining the company vision to making culture “sticky,” company culture is something all leaders should be intentional about.

Do your employees “get” the company vision? Jennifer V. Miller of The People Equation offers up five ways to know in Don’t Wait Around for the Company CEO to Explain the Vision.

Chris Edmonds of Driving Results Through Culture shares “Is Your Culture ‘Sticky’?” – a post/cast that provides steps to follow to ensure that a high performing, values-aligned culture remains and thrives after the culture champion moves on.

Other Practical Insights

Not sure how to navigate your upcoming office holiday celebration? Or struggling with the balance between empathy and enforcing performance expectations? Look no further than these helpful posts.

Managers need to figure out how to navigate the tricky waters of office holiday celebrations. Read Dan McCarthy’s post over at About.com Management and Leadership: A Manager’s Guide for the Holiday Season for some common sense tips.

Leaders who are overwhelmed may not admit it, but their staff bear the brunt. Jill Malleck shares “Herculean Efforts Not Always Heroic” on the Epiphanies at Work blog.

When should you lower your expectations bar for the sake of empathy?  This post from Mary Ila Ward at The Point helps leaders think through balancing empathy and expectations with three simple questions. Read “3 Questions for Balancing Empathy and Expectations as a Leader.”

Wally Bock of Three Star Leadership writes that planning can help you succeed, but only if you review and modify your plan. Read more on approaching planning with the right mindset in “Plan, Review, Adjust, Repeat.”

Our world is rapidly changing as a result of globalization, technology and the steady emergence of economically hungry developing countries, further amplifying the need for strong leadership at both the political and corporate levels. Learn more about “Leading in a Time of Rapidly Shifting Tectonic Plates” with this post from Jim Taggart on his blog, ChangingWinds.

And finally, I recently wrote about a helpful tool for addressing leadership gaps in your organization. Learn more about “Closing the Leadership Gap” here on my blog.

Image credit: Great Leadership

Ducks in a Row: the Difference Between Winning and Losing

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014

https://www.flickr.com/photos/formatc1/2378617163

What separates success and failure for new CEOs?

Some crash and burn, like Robert Nardelli and Apple retail chief Ron Johnson when he moved to Penney.

Others flourish.

Since becoming CEO at Microsoft, Satya Nadella has made revolutionary changes in both products and culture that would/could never have happened under the old regime and the stock is up 53%.

The world said that Apple under Tim Cook would be mediocre or even fail; it was assumed that no one could follow Steve Jobs. But in the three years April since Cook took the reins Apple split 7:1 and more than doubled its stock price.

What do these pairs have in common?

Culture.

Nardelli and Johnson were both outsiders who lacked interest or understanding of the existing culture. Both tried to use brute force to radically overhaul the existing culture and both failed miserably.

Nadella and Cook were both insiders; Cook was with Apple 13 years, while Nadella had 24 at Microsoft, and so far both are succeeding brilliantly.

Does this mean CEO jobs should always go to insiders?

Absolutely not.

Does it mean that changing the culture is a bad idea?

Absolutely not.

Lou Gerstner was an outsider who radically changed the culture at IBM.

And he sums the lesson up best.

“I came to see, in my time at IBM, that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game—it is the game.”

Flickr image credit: Jeffrey

Shodan and the Internet of Things

Monday, December 1st, 2014

https://www.flickr.com/photos/centralasian/8261449212

Over the holiday weekend “Eric” canceled his email subscription and the reason given made me smile.

He said my post about the potential for hacking the “Internet of Things” was more fear-mongering than fact, so he was, as I always recommend, “voting with his feet” and unsubscribing.

Granted, I should have referenced my proof, but it’s hard to remember every article I read and this one dates back 15 months.

It’s an article about a search engine called Shodan — the Internet of Things’ worst nightmare.

Shodan crawls the Internet looking for devices, many of which are programmed to answer. It has found cars, fetal heart monitors, office building heating-control systems, water treatment facilities, power plant controls, traffic lights and glucose meters. (…) “Google crawls for websites. I crawl for devices,” says John Matherly, the tall, goateed 29-year-old who released Shodan in 2009.

Shodan wasn’t built for nefarious purposes, but intent has very little to do with actual usage.

Currently, Shodan is the only device search engine with public search results, which is, obviously, a boon to hackers.

However, I agree with Matherly, because if he hadn’t built it someone else would have.

“I don’t consider my search engine scary. It’s scary that there are power plants connected to the Internet.”

And, in case you are wondering, yes, I sent the article URL to Eric.

Flickr image credit: centralasian

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