2010 is not only a new year it’s a new decade; are you looking forward to big changes in your life? I am.

I thought I’d take today to tell you about mine and you can use comments to talk about yours.

Fortunately it’s not just good things that end, but also the not-so-good and the downright rotten. That includes 2009 and converting a consulting service into easily useable software and creating a new form of “Help” that is actually useful and useable.

• The biggest change on my horizon is (finally) the release Q1 of Option Sanity™, a SAAS (software as a service) product that’s been a bear to develop.

• Another change stems from the demise of Leadership Turn, the blog I’ve written for b5 Media for the last two-and-a-half years.
  • Many of my regular readers from LT are joining our community and that will increase our interaction, i.e., more comments, discussions and requests to address topics of interest to you.
  • I’m incorporating 3 of Leadership Turn’s weekly features
    • Tuesday’s Ducks in a Row: offering what-to’s, why-to’s and how-to’s about culture, managing and motivation;
    • Thursday’s Leadership’s Future: musings and commentary on topics that affect where we go in the future, such as education, attitudes, etc.;
    • Sunday’s Quotable Quotes which will run in addition to the mY generation comic
  • Saturday’s article links will be  under the new category of Expand Your Mind;
  • More of my own take on ‘leadership’—why initiative equates to leadership and how it should be a core competency and not just a vision by the person out front;
  • By the end of the month all my content from Leadership Turn (there were other authors previously) will be posted here and searchable from the main search box (we’re working out the technicalities now).

I have other major changes in the works, either too personal or too boring to share, but since those I’ve mentioned account for 85% of my focus you aren’t missing anything—suffice it to say I’m one of those dinosaurs who chooses not to live my private life online.

That’s what’s up with me—what’s up with you?

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To my readers: Leadership Turn is ending; its last day is December 29. I’ve enjoyed writing it and our interaction since August 16, 2007 and I hope we can continue at my other blog.

If you enjoy my views and writing, please join me at MAPping Company Success or subscribe via RSS or EMAIL.

The WELCOME MAT is out!

Your comments—priceless

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Welcome to all my readers from Leadership Turn

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Most of you probably don’t remember, but a while ago I asked readers for help coming up with a new tag line. That was actually the second time I tried tapping my readership for help.

During the time I’ve been mulling your responses and advice (thanks Dave!) my blog was totally redesigned—no more road.

Today, for whatever reason, the tag has been boiling, instead of at a low simmer on the back burner, and what popped into my head was YOUR leadership breakthrough, which, while not terrible, didn’t really light fires, although it goes well with the new design.

I kept re-reading what you all said, especially Dave Crain’s advice, which I knew, but needed to hear again.

I think ultimately, you are the one that needs to come up with the tagline, if you want one. We can give you ideas, maybe even inspiration, but I think the “flash of inspiration” has to come from you. Only you have the passion and the insight uniquely individual to you.

I kept thinking about what I write (and rant) constantly, that leadership isn’t positional; anybody with initiative has the potential to be a ‘leader in the instance’—there when they see the need.

And that’s when it finally happened; I had an epiphany.

YOU + initiative = leadership

What do you think?

As to the winner, although all your input helped and he didn’t come up with the exact phrase, it was Dave’s words that drove me, so I’m declaring him the winner. I hope he enjoys The Three Laws Of Performance.

Your comments—priceless

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See all mY generation posts here.

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

One of the most popular series of articles at Leadership Turn was written shortly before I came. It’s about styles of learning and how they apply to you, your colleagues, your team and your kids. Written by my editor, Mary Jo Manzanares, they are well worth your time. In fact, you’ll find it useful to review them from time to time, it’s the kind of information that gets pushed to the side, but pays large dividends when kept in the active file.

For those of you who deal with products in one way or another, here’s an interesting interview with Alberto Alessi on how to sustain innovation over time. You may have to register (free) to read it, but you’ll find it a source of great information.

There are lots of articles out there about large corporations who spend millions to create environments that spark creativity, encourage teamwork and facilitate a generally happier, i.e., more productive, workforce.

Startups are known for their cool and or funky offices often done on a shoestring. But they aren’t the only ones. It’s not just the big guys or the upstarts that are jumping on the trend. Lots of small businesses create innovative environments. Take a look at Madden Corporate Services, a 15 year old branding biz that’s grown to 39 people and learn how their modest investment pays off.

Your comments—priceless

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Wally Bock left a comment today on a post at Leadership Turn. In part it said,

“When I was responsible for hiring management trainees years ago, I discovered that grades and degrees and schools didn’t tell me much. What I looked for where two things. Could a prospect write? If not, there was no need to go farther. The other thing I looked for was actual work experience.”

Wally would have trouble hiring anyone these days considering the atrocious stuff written by students and grads who are so busy texting that they can’t be bothered to learn to write readable, coherent, English.

It’s a good thing that writing isn’t most managers make-or-break or offers would be few and far between—and I don’t just mean new grads.

I don’t have a great desire to be forced to decipher hip-hop, Valley Girl, Ebonics, Spanglish, Country-Western, 18-wheeler or all lower case with no punctuation in order to communicate.

None of these may matter in private life, but they don’t contribute a whole lot in the context of what it takes to make it today.

Several years ago I wrote Good writing fast—an oxymoron and last year I asked, “Are most people loosing their minds while I am losing mine? during another minor rant.

I’m not a total dinosaur, if all that’s wrong in most communications is a misplaced semi-colon or an occasional preposition at the end of a sentence who cares?

People don’t realize that, consciously or not, they’re judged by what they write, just as they are by what they wear or drive or went to school—even people whose own writing is terrible will downgrade others for the same thing.

If you can’t write and want a future take classes; if you’re people can’t write send them for training.

And if you won’t/can’t do that, there is one simple thing you can do to improve your writing.

Read. Turn off the computer and the TV; take off your iPod and turn off your phone; pick up a well-written book and READ. It doesn’t matter if it’s great literature, a biography, mystery, or hilarious chic lit.

Read every chance you get and make more chances; pay attention and you’ll be amazed at how fast your writing improves.

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Six weeks ago I started Seize Your Leadership Day; each post had info and links to resources or articles I felt would interest/be or use to you.

Based on your reaction to date, it’s been of little use to you—a giant yawn.

So I thought I’d ask you directly, do you like the feature?

If so, is the content I find of use to you or does it need refining?

If not, what would you like to see here on Saturdays?

Please don’t be shy. The worst thing for any blogger is to ask for guidance from readers and not get any. Makes us wonder if anyone is reading.

In the meantime, Here are a couple of goodies for today.

Margaret Heffernan’s two most recent posts (1/6 and 13) are the start of a series and offer smart, real-life examples on dealing with the recession. As Heffernan says,

“Think of recessions as tests. Companies that fail them die. Companies that survive live to fight another day. But a few companies emerge stronger than ever.”

They’re short, with solid lessons and ideas for you to start using immediately.

Another useful reminder for recession managing comes in an 18 month old article in Business Week on the value of failure in achieving success. It’s more important in today’s economy than it was then, because without a safe environment in which to fail there can be no innovation and a company without innovation is a company on the slippery, downward slope to mediocrity—or worse.

I hope they’re of use to you.

Don’t forget to leave your thoughts and preferences for Saturday subjects as requested earlier. If you’d rather send them for privacy, you can reach me at miki@RampUpSolutions.com (please put Leadership Turn in the subject line to avoid filters).

Your comments—priceless

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Here it is, Saturday again, and two very different views of culture are on the menu.

Let’s look first at a topic that’s the subject of a media frenzy: Steve Jobs and Apple.

Looking at the media, old and new, a large number seem to be leaning towards some level of mass hysteria along the lines of there is no Apple without Steve Jobs.

Now, I grant that Jobs is unique, especially his gift of seeing of seeing around corners and over the horizon, but at the same time his people have been steeped deep in a culture that believes doing that is possible and that belief is at least half the battle.

For a thoughtful analysis take a look at this Knowledge @ Wharton analysis with some fascinating insights from Wharton management professor Michael Useem, among others, on the part that culture does/will play at Apple.

And speaking of radical innovation, the kind in which Apple specializes, I again refer you to Radical Innovation Across Nations: The Pre-eminence of Corporate Culture by Gerard J. Tellis, Jaideep C. Prabhu, and Rajesh K. Chandy. Here’s a good review from Sloan MIT and, as is often the case, the most interesting part are the comments.

I hope you’ll take time to think about your own company’s culture after reading these.

Innovation, not cost cutting and layoffs, is your true lifeblood.

For a little extra on culture and innovation, check out the video interview with Judy Estrin at Leadership Turn.

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Today I’d like to thank you, all of you. You are what make writing Leadership Turn worthwhile—even though you aren’t as chatty as the Prison Break readers.

But today is the day; today I’m asking you to get chatting and tell me what you want from Leadership Turn in 2009.

What features do you like? Which do you hate? What would you like me to do differently?

Do you like Tuesday’s Ducks In A Row? Thursday’s Leadership’s Future focus on education and leading kids? What about CandidProf? Do you want to hear more from him?

Are the multiple links in the new Seize Your Leadership Day on Saturday helpful? Are you still enjoying Quotable Quotes with your Sunday coffee?

Click here, while you’re thinking about it, and tell me what you want. Or you may call me at 866.265.7267 or email miki@rampupsolutions.com.

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One more thing, last year I shared Business Week’s Marc Miller’s rhyming wrap-up of 2007; yesterday I posted Jib Jab’s 2008 wrap and now I have the pleasure of presenting parts of Miller’s rhyme for this year. Click the link to read the whole thing—it’s worth it!

At Christmastime 2008,
In this, our fragile fiscal state,
We search our economic soul
And find the world’s a lump of coal,…

You’re Big Biz? Well, it’s still no dice:
The credit market’s Arctic ice.
The Dow fell stomach-churningly,
And Bear Stearns is a memory,
Nor is there any point in dreamin’
Richard Fuld will bring back Lehman…
On the front page, Bernie Madoff;
On Page Two, new thousands laid off.
’08’s theme, if such there be,
Is simply negativity,…

In the business world, success
Was rarer than a C.D.S.
That didn’t wind up in a mess,
Yet some achieved it nonetheless….

Mr. Gates, with less to do,
We’re counting on good works from you.
(We’re confident at Microsoft
Steve Ballmer will keep things aloft.)
T. Boone Pickens, going green,
A blessing on your wind machine,…

For next year, we merely wish
A climate not so Hades-ish,
Where every week we don’t convene
To tear apart the magazine
And start from scratch, because we find
The landscape newly redesigned,
A market not so cellar-bound
(We can’t imagine turnaround),
Some leadership in Washington
That actually gets things done,
And globally, a brotherhood
That stumbles toward a common good.
I can’t say why, I don’t know how,
But if you’ve read this up to now,
You too may sense the universe
May soon get better (can’t get worse).
So raise a glass to auld lang syne,
And see you in 2009.

I really urge you to read it in it’s entirety, it’s worth your time.

Have a wonderful holiday today; I look forward to your thoughts on my direction.

Best wishes,
Miki

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