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

Most people consider it wrong to take something, whether tangible or intangible, from someone’s home without asking—it’s called stealing.

Most people will be highly offended, if not downright pissed off, if someone goes through their cell phone, contacts their friends or reads their texts and emails.

Companies, on the other hand, see nothing wrong with it—unless they are caught.

I’m not referring to sleazy porn sites, but to the biggest names in mobile and social, the ones that are role models; names like Google Android, Twitter, Foursquare, Apple i-Whatever (Apple claims they prohibit it, but Yelp, Gowalla, Hipster and Foodspotting all do it) and a host of startups and app makers.

The address book in smartphones — where some of the user’s most personal data is carried — is free for app developers to take at will, often without the phone owner’s knowledge.

Heck, appropriating data was actually industry standard, until they were caught, that is.

Now they all claim to be changing their practice and giving users notice when they take personal data.

Does that give you a warm feeling or do you still feel violated the way you would if your home was broken into? (Most people spend more time with their phone than their home.)

Do you trust them to be upfront/authentic/transparent/honest in the future?

Or do you wonder what else they are doing that they haven’t mentioned and probably won’t unless/until they are caught.

Trust is fragile and difficult to fix once it’s broken.

Even oblivious Americans are starting to notice.

Option Sanity™  is trustworthy.

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock allocation process; so easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.”
Use only as directed.
Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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

Bosses hiring for startups (or existing companies) wax lyrical on the benefits of hiring “stars” and are willing to jump through almost any hoop to get one.

Those of you who crave stars would do well to read the story of Jeremy Lin, who plays for the NY Knicks in the NBA.

Nobody considered Lin a star or even a potential star.

He was cut in December by the Golden State Warriors, his hometown team, after one season in which he rarely left the bench. The Warriors were intrigued enough to sign him but not enough to keep him. The Houston Rockets gave Lin a quick look and cut him.

Of course, his coaches didn’t play him, so they never learned what he could do.

The Knicks almost made the same mistake.

Lin started with two strikes against him; he is Chinese-American and graduated from Harvard—he doesn’t fit “the profile.”

In spite of superb high school playing he received no scholarship offers.

Similar scenarios play out every day in hiring decisions across industries and around the country.

In doing so managers walk by some of the best talent available.

How many Jeremy Lins have you missed?

How many of them now work for your competition?

Option Sanity™ recognizes stars-to-be

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock allocation process.  So easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.”
Use only as directed.
Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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As an article on in Forbes points out, your culture is the only part of a company that can’t be duplicated and is, therefore, your biggest and most sustainable asset—if you take the time and invest the energy to make it more than great-sounding words.

While the article doesn’t break new ground it did offer up a great image bite that may resonate with you.

All music is made from the same 12 notes. All culture is made from the same five components: behaviors, relationships, attitudes, values and environment. It’s the way those notes or components are put together that makes things sing.

It points out that the reason that culture can’t be duplicated is context, meaning that two people arranging the same components will have a different result.

That’s because context = MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™) and there is not such thing as two people with the same MAP.

Even identical twins won’t have identical MAP because MAP is the result of perception, not just experience.

The problem is building a culture that sings, whether concerto, R&B, pop or rap, takes effort, entrepreneurs are always in a time crunch and culture gets pushed to the back burner.

When that happens just remember that when reality requires you to pivot, when success requires you to staff up quickly, when the bugs surface or your competition is killing you the strength to overcome will be found in your culture—or not.

Flickr image credit: The-Lane-Team

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

Last year I wrote about Tony Hsieh’s approach to employee empowerment, featuring some great quotes from him.

As I said then, the thing that sets Hsieh apart is security.

Hsieh is comfortable in his own skin; secure in his own competency and limitations, so he doesn’t need to be the font from which all else flows.

Entrepreneurs can learn from this.

Startup hiring usually comes in waves as the company progresses.

While most founders will listen to their initial team and first few hires, those hired later often find it difficult to get their ideas heard.

Unfortunately, this behavior often sets a pattern, with the ideas and comments of each successive wave becoming fainter and fainter and those employees less and less engaged—and that translates to them caring less and less about your company’s success—call it wave deafness.

Wave deafness is costly.

Costly in productivity and passion, but even more costly in lost opportunities.

As Hsieh points out, there is no way he can think of as many good ideas as are produced if each employee has just one good idea in a year.

And not just from certain positions. I never heard of a manager, let alone a founder, admit to hiring dummies for any position, no matter the level.

So if you hire smart people and don’t listen to them, who is the dummy?

Option Sanity™ rewards creativity.

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock process.  It’s so easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.”
Use only as directed.
Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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

Last summer I wrote about the damage done by misrepresenting the real facts of your company culture.

Today I want you to think about the damage that can be done by misrepresenting your past—as was done by Yale football coach Tom Williams.

Williams said he had chosen to pursue a career in professional football at the expense of a possible Rhodes scholarship — and never regretted the decision. Witt leaned on his coach for advice, and eventually decided to play in the game. Yale was crushed, 45-7.

But Williams’s story was a lie.

Bottom line, Yale lost the game, Witt lost the scholarship, and Williams lost his job.

It doesn’t matter if the lie is large, like Williams’ was, or a minor tweaking of the facts; these are personal lies and they go beyond damaging cultural touchstones, they damage lives.

Too many entrepreneurs believe there is wiggle room as long as the words or actions further company goals or land rare and needed talent.

These entrepreneurs are willing to sacrifice not only everything, but everybody, to their vision.

Are you one of them?

Option Sanity™ isn’t for liars

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock process.  So easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.”
Option Sanity™ is not recommended for micromanagers, manipulators, or politicos. Founders and CEOs with large egos, or a sense of entitlement, should avoid prolonged exposure to Option Sanity™.
Use only as directed.
Excitement and a strong feeling of virtue are expected; contact your Option Sanity™ rep at the first sign of smugness or if you experience any difficulty explaining Option Sanity™ to others.
Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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

Hmm, does the following look like a list of characteristics often attributed to founders?

1. See themselves and their companies as dominating their environment
2. Identify so completely with the company that there is no clear boundary between their personal interests and their corporation’s interests
3. Think they have all the answers
4. Ruthlessly eliminate anyone who isn’t completely behind them
5. Consummate spokespersons, obsessed with the company image
6. Underestimate obstacles
7. Stubbornly rely on what worked for them in the past

Do you preen a bit when they are applied to you, albeit using less harsh language?

Do you see them, with the exception or modification of number seven, as the traits that will help drive your company to success?

Would it surprise you to know that the list is from The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives in Forbes?

Do you agree with the many comments saying that the same traits are found in highly successful CEOs, with Steve Jobs as most frequent example? In other words, it’s not the traits, but the actions they drive that matter most.

Do you embody these traits?

What actions do they drive in you?

Option Sanity™ drives transparency

Visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock process.  So easy even a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.” Use only as directed.

Option Sanity™ is not recommended for micromanagers, manipulators, or politicos. Founders and CEOs with large egos, or a sense of entitlement, should avoid prolonged exposure to Option Sanity™.

Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Use only as directed. Excitement and a strong feeling of virtue are expected; contact your Option Sanity™ rep at the first sign of smugness or if you experience difficulty explaining Option Sanity™ to others.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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

I met an interesting guy over the holiday.

“Chris” has a small startup in the financial services sector and is starting to gain traction.

He said it’s been an uphill battle and that he wishes he had spent the same energy doing something “socially responsible,” because it would be a lot more satisfying.

I’ve heard similar comments from other entrepreneurs and small biz owners.

Happily, this is one of those times it is possible to “have it all,” because all it takes is changing the way you look at the world.

Having a socially responsible business doesn’t require a focus on solving social ills and it certainly doesn’t mean forgoing profit—without profit your business won’t be around.

It does mean running your business in a responsible manner

• pricing fairly, passing on savings whenever possible and never gouging
• fair wages and other compensation
• fair employee treatment (not playing favorites, etc.)
• reducing your carbon footprint
• community involvement and contributing whenever possible; and
• believing that it’s not all about you.

None of this is rocket science and all of it makes good, profitable, business sense.

In fact, Chris and others who feel the pull to help fix the world would do well to read Richard Branson’s Screw Business As Usual to see how others are ‘doing well by doing good’.

Note: the unseen pause is between ‘screw’ and ‘business’, not between ‘business’ and ‘as’,

Option Sanity™ is socially responsible

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock process—so easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.
Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.” Use only as directed.

Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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

I frequently praise the sound of silence and the benefits of unplugging.

It doesn’t have to be 100% and every little bit helps.

Starting tomorrow through January 31^st, MAPping Company Success will be silent for the first time since March, 2006; I’m also going to curtail my online reading (I’m not social, so I don’t have to stop that.).

I’m not planning a trip and I won’t stop working, because I can’t change client deadlines, but I will eliminate as much online activity as possible.

What will I do with all those free hours?

• Clear and organize my office; something I’ve been fantasizing about and trying to do a bit here and a bit there all year.
• Catch up on all the put-offable stuff of everyday life.
• Winter garden clean-up if weather permits.

And, I hope, spend phone time with some of you.

Seriously, give me a call at 360.335.8054. I’m usually available between 8:30 and 11 PM, barring errands, lunches and gardening.

I’d love to talk to you about anything you want. Perhaps we can solve a problem you’re having or at least shed light on it; maybe you have a question, subject or pet peeve you want to hash out; or you’re curious and just want to chat and get to know each other.

I hope you’ll take me up on my invitation; conversation with new people is at the top of my holiday wish list.

I also hope you’ll follow my example, cut back your online activities and give that time to your family, friends or favorite cause.

Have a wonderful Chrismakwanzkkah (as a friend says) and I wish you great happiness and success in 2012.

Option Sanity™ — Do the Right Thing

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock process.  It’s so easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.” Use only as directed.

Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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

Have you ever had something you were aware jump up and hit you in the face? It’s not new information and your reaction is the same, but the impact is enormous?

That is what’s happening to me as I read Richard Branson’s Screw Business As Usual (I’ll be reviewing it next Thursday, December 22)

Maybe it’s just the entrepreneurs Branson talks about, but their goals seem so different from the entrepreneurs in the US.

The “already done it”entrepreneurs in Branson’s book grew up, as did Branson, with an eye to improving the world and knowing that they needed to a financial base from which to do it, but they never lost track of their main goal.

The current entrepreneurs he describes, many of them young, have a keen focus on creating jobs and improving their communities and see their company as a way to accomplish that.

They buy whole-heartedly into Branson’s basic idea for running Virgin, i.e., doing good is good for business.

Whereas a large segment of US entrepreneurs, especially the younger ones, seem to see their startups as the fastest way to get rich since the  financial, consulting and legal sector jobs dried up.

Obviously, not all of them, but a significant number.

“Doing well by doing good” just isn’t mainstream in the US.

Or is it?

Where do you fit?

Option Sanity™ helps equity do the right thing for all your stakeholders.

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock process.  It’s so easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.” Use only as directed.

Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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

The dichotomy between what founders think/say and what they actually do never ceases to amaze me.

I’m not referring to the ‘malice aforethought’ type hypocrites who know damn well that their actions contradict their words, but

• believe no one will notice, AKA, they won’t be caught;
• provide abundant excuses when they are; or
• offer rationalizations to prove why “this time it’s different.”

I’m referring to the inadvertent ones who are totally clueless.

I see this a lot in founders who are so totally focused on short term product development that they ignore or delegate the stuff that will make or break their company down the road.

Culture and business planning, especially staffing plans, are two items that founders often kick to the side or delegate; and while I’m all for delegation some stuff just shouldn’t be.

Culture is the values of the company made visible for all to see. Can you really delegate that with a few notes on a napkin and instructions to a harried colleague?

Founders know that strong financials are necessary if they want funding, but other planning functions, such as staffing plans, often don’t seem as critical, so they are delegated or, worse, procrastinated.

The toll these inadvertent actions take can be huge and often far enough in the future that their actual origins are lost.

This “stuff” can break your social contract.

Do you make time for this stuff?

Option Sanity™ facilitates business planning

Come visit Option Sanity for an easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement stock process.  It’s so easy a CEO can do it.

Warning.

Do not attempt to use Option Sanity™ without a strong commitment to business planning, financial controls, honesty, ethics, and “doing the right thing.” Use only as directed.

Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.

Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

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