Sometimes when things get tough it helps to have something right in front of you to grab hold of; not so much to keep going, but to help you change course.

Changing course is often the best way to get past a problem; it’s no that you ignore it, rather you approach it from another direction—or find that it’s not necessary and just let it go and move on.

Ten years ago my niece sent me a card that I framed. It’s hung on the wall by my desk at three different locations and it still works.

It’s from a hand made card by Mary Anne Radmacher.

Live Loudly

Peer over the edge of your possibility.

If you’re looking for a very special message, for you or someone else, check out her website or look for them in a good card shop.

Image credit: francescopozzi on flickr

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Do you have a nickname? I’ll bet you also have a nicktitle—do you know it?

There’s an unwritten equation that who you are (your MAP) = what you do = what you’re called.

When you’re at the top of a company you’re called ‘CEO’.

But what’s the nicktitle? What does CEO mean these days?

When it comes to business titles people are creative and the variations are numerous and telling.

Here’s a tiny sample of what I’ve heard from people when asked to define ‘CEO’ based on what they read and their own experience.

On one hand you have

• Conceited Egomaniacal Overlord;
• Caddish Elitist Obstructionist;
• Controlling Embarrassing Obsessor;

and on the other you have

• Concerned Energetic Overachiever
• Caring Enabling Oddity
• Charismatic Enterprising Optimizer

and in-between you have thousands of variations.

What’s nicktitle?

If you don’t like your own it then it’s time to change your actions, which means changing your MAP.

And whether you consider that good or bad news, the main point never changes—it’s your choice.

For the sake of your staff, family, friends and other stakeholders I hope you choose wisely and well!

Image credit: Marco Bellucci on flickr

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I’ve always said that no one ever really thinks outside their box, they just keep enlarging it. Rather than reprinting these posts, please read three of them here.

And here’s a riddle for a bit of box stretching and Friday fun.

Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter.

Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.

2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.

3) If she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Logically, there are three choices,

• The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
• The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
• The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

But is there a fourth and better way out of the dilemma?

Take a moment to share your idea in comments and if you’re correct I’ll send you a management book (chosen based on your interests). If more than one of you gets it right the winner will be chosen using random.org.

I’ll post the answer next Friday, be sure to come back and see if your mind achieved what the girl’s did.

Image credit: piblet on flickr

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I’m fortunate to be a member ExpertCEO, an online community of CEOs of startups and fast growing companies that offers peer support and advice.

A couple of weeks ago a member invited everybody to post “things you’d never hear a VC say.”

They were pretty hilarious, with some of the best responses coming from VCs themselves.

Apparently I’m not the only one who felt that they’re too good not to share and today we were presented with a great compilation of the 12 best entries.

Anyone who has worked in a startup or spent time around VCs will appreciate the following; anyone contemplating doing so should appreciate the insights.

Image credit: vcobserver.

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Everybody has a different approach to the current economic upheaval depending on their MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™).

Some see calamity where others see opportunity. There’s a lot of confusion and still a number of fiddlers who continue as if nothing is wrong or different. Let’s take a look at some examples.

We’ve been reading for more than 50 years about one type of survivalist—from those who built nuclear shelters to those who fled to the wilderness loaded with various weapons. Now comes a suburban version fueled by the economic meltdown.

While others see this as a time to push innovation to the extreme; witness the air-powered car—works for me!

Pity some of the affluent kids who are finding spending four or five thousand dollars (or more) on summer volunteer efforts overseas, but instead are having to work at more mundane jobs.

Honors have taken a big hit. All those glitterati studded fund raisers that honored this person or that are hurting, since far fewer are willing to pay for the honor. (What? You thought they were free?)

Apparently the fashion world doesn’t believe all the talk of the new frugality, since Tom Ford’s shorts cost $650 and Armani’s are $775. Prada’s are a steal at $465 or you can splurge on Thom Browne’s $1,495 seersucker man-skort.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Image credit: MykReeve on flickr

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Note: this Calvin dates back about 15 years. (<sigh> I still miss Calvin!)

Be sure to check out yet another bad culture

Image credit: feloniousrambler on flickr

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A bit of an eclectic collection today. Enjoy!

I don’t hang out of the bleeding edge of techdom nor am I an early adopter, but I saw this and thought it would be interesting to y’all.

“The new system, Wolfram Alpha, showcased at Harvard University in the US last week, takes the first step towards what many consider to be the internet’s Holy Grail – a global store of information that understands and responds to ordinary language in the same way a person does.”

Next, a great 2-part post from Steve Roesler on why we fear success and what to do about it.

Third, here’s a way to do as the big shots do—even if you’re not around to enjoy the show. A kind of last hurrah with panache.

Finally, AIG beat out all comers to win the Consumerist’s Golden Poo Trophy as the 2009 Worst Company In America. I heartily concur with the final vote—Comcast, B of A and the rest don’t even come close.

Image credit: MykReeve on flickr

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See all mY generation posts here.

Be sure to stop by Leadership Turn to see Miki’s birthday rhyme.

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Just one link for you today.

It’s a new site dedicated to the premise that not all CEOs are bad guys.

So grab yourself some coffee, or a beer if it’s that time, and take a look at what some of the thousands of good CEOs are doing to have fun and/or give back.

I hope you have a great time at Not All CEOs Are Jerks.

Image: MykReeve on credit: flickr

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Just one item today. I realize you may have seen it elsewhere, but it’s still good for a laugh. And if you haven’t seen it, it will make your day!

(Hat tip to Fred and Same for sending it to me:)

Uploaded on authorSTREAM by MariosFinanincing

Image credit: flickr and AuthorSTREAM

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