Leadership Lessons - From the Phillipines

Anna Cleal, a kiwi, is doing some work with people in the Phillipines at the moment and is an awesome representative of what can be achieved through micro-finance and in particular through Kiva.

If you hit the link below you will be re-directed to a fabulous little blog post she wrote on what we can learn from people in the Phillipines. 

It comes highly recommended.

http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2010/05/11/10-things-the-philippines-can-teach-the-world/

Remember - life isn't just about us.  It's about how we can help and assist others in their lives to be the best they can be - through whatever means we have available to us.

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frisno/2946657474/)

Quote of the Week - Success

"Eighty percent of success is showing up".  Woody Allen

Presentations That Work

Today I'm working our stand at a local expo.  And guess what?  It's going great!  What are we doing right?  We have a very simple stand set up over an area approximately 3m deep by 6m wide.  This is enormous for an expo but we have bought extra space because we need it.

The space at first glance appears to be a bit bare but it's about the customer experience and interaction that counts.  We have products that are simple to expain, people can put their hands on them and interact with them, and they are everyday products or items that people have just never thought about. 

The way it works - we get at most 2 minutes with every person that walks past. Thats 120 seconds max. So what we do is give the people something to put their hands on straight away and gain their interest. No standing around waiting in qqeues - just cut to the chase and sell what you've got.

So this year we have - a microscope for looking in, a laser sight for measuring heights, wooden kiwi's to give away and a grass meter (that measures grass depth.)  All of these take no more than 60 seconds to explain or to get peoples attention.  That leaves us with 60 seconds to sell our product (in this case education) before the people turn off, get bored or move on.
Short, sharp and simple.  Effective.

Brain Storming

One TV program my kids watch that has an tool for business is - "The Imagination Movers".  It is a light and fun program that introduces  a number of different key concepts and problem solving skills and practices for kids (and adults as well!).

The show in brief - a person comes to the Movers with an issue or a problem.  The Movers are then engaged to help find a solution to the particular problem. 

How do they do it?  The Movers employ the 'Brain Storming' process.  They even have a song about it.  They think about all the possible solutions and avenues that a possible answer could come from and then they start experimenting. 

So what can we learn from these guys?

1. Finding solutions for problem situations can be fun.
2. There are no wrong ideas when searching for a solution.
3. It takes a lot of trial and error before you will find the solution that fits.
4. Teamwork creates more ideas and reduces the time for implementation.

Here's a clip from the show that highlights the Brainstorming emphasis.



Or for a more serious option check out Mindtols.com - http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html or try this website from the UK - http://www.brainstorming.co.uk/

Constructive Criticism

Here's a quote from my mum - "If you've got nothing good to say - don't say anything at all".

I'm down with that.

The Power of Saying - Yes

In a weeks time I get a huge opportunity and the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream to be able to travel, and not only to travel, but travel into China.  To be honest I was pretty sure I would get there one day I just hadn'tfigured it would be in 7 days.

The really great aspect of the entire process of my being able to go all comes down to three basic things.

1. I said yes.
2. I was prepared at the right time.
3. I am ready to go and have the ability to.

In what I thought was just another plain day at work my boss asked me a completely random question.  Do you have a passport?  Answer - yes.  I had no idea where he was going with this.  Second question - is it current?  Answer - yes.  Now my interest was beginning to peak.  Then the third question - do you want to go to China?  Answer - Yes.

It really is that simple.  I made an on the spot decision and it has turned out to be all good.  To put this all into context what happened was my boss has previously visited China in the past few months and had an excellent time there.  While he was there he had the chance to meet faculty from the Nanjing Forestry University.

So what does this have to do with me?  The University have extended the invitation for us to visit again.  As my boss has been on a few international trips already recently he felt he did not have the time to commit with the ever increasing pressures of work.

So he decided to pass the opportunity on to someone else.  That someone - is me.  Awesome! 

So I must say a HUGE thanks to my wife is allowing me to go :-) and oh yeah - I even get to pop into Shanghai for the weekend for some sighseeing and shopping!  So I better bring home something nice!

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfgangstaudt/3856140286/

Leadership Lessons - General Colin Powell

When you can't say it better than someone else, let them say if for you. Thanks to the team at Slideshare and more importantly - vivekpokhare for taking the time to capture the information and post this presentation.

General Colin Powell A Leadership Primer

View more presentations from vivekpokhare.

Book Review - Getting From the Cubicle to the Corner Office

This book reminds me of an excellent cook book.  It is filled with how to recipies and illustrations to empower you to achieve success.  The author Joel Weiss is a guy that has gone places and has acheived great things and has the credentials to say what he does in this book.

In this little and light book Joel reflects and focuses on the little things that can make the difference to your career and can help you to get to the job and position you really want. 

The book is made up of a bunch of short chapters and looks at a different aspect of the business life and provides clear how to hints and thoughts on how to be a better manager, co-worker and employee.

Topics covered include - communication, reporting techniques, how to get a promotion.   Short punchy chapters that get straight to the point and leave you with clear and precise directions.

My overall impression - this is a great little book filled with helpful hints and easy to understand directions.  This is not a book that deals with the vague ideas and possibilites of strategy and management theory but is written (just like this blog) for the everyday people out there who want to be the best that they can be (without the bs).

It is a book however that if you should choose to heed the lessons will assist you to get ahead.

You can purchase a copy of the book through Amazon by clicking on this link - http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Cubicle-Corner-Office/dp/1586855247

Quote of the Week

"Some of the best business and nonprofit CEOs I've worked with over a sixty-five-year consulting career were not stereotypical leaders. They were all over the map in terms of their personalities, attitudes, values, strengths, and weaknesses."

Peter Drucker.

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyhorizons/2279948479/sizes/m/

Marketing - The Viral Way

I received this email from a 'friend' of mine about an hour ago -

"Easy, Hope ur all good. .

We're shooting a music vid this Sunday, & looking for people 2 come show there support..

Basicly, we're gonna throw a lil rave inside the tube train.. We bringin drums and shit, and probably a big Ghetto blaster playin the music for our nxt release.

It's not gona take long, n hopefully no 1 will get arrested ..  If u want som more details giv me a shout..

BiG LoV."

 

Now this type of email works on a whole lot of levels.  How?

• It speaks directly to people who have an interest in the actual topic or arena.  This isn't mass marketing but speaking to the people who want to hear the message.
• It has a certain mystery quality to it that entices the reader to think more and saw - ooh and aah.
• There is a call to action.  The reader has the opportunity to choose if they will engage or not. 
• It creates a sense of exclusivity.  That is one of the keys in sucessful products and marketing.  make it exclusive or give your product some glamour.

Unfortunately I don't live in England so I can't choose to respond.  However if I did live in England - I'd be telling all my friends about it as well!  Now that is smart marketing.