Playing Catch-Up

After taking four days off I am truly amazed at how much stuff stacks up in the ol’ inbox! So instead of focusing on just one particular subject/article/train wreck of thought, I think we’ll just hit the highlights of the whole pile. Let’s dump it out on the floor, slap it up against the wall and see what sticks, shall we?

Honey, We’ve Been SLOBBED!

John Koetsier at bizhack has kindly awarded Middle Zone Musings with the highly-coveted SLOB award this week. (Thank you. Thank you very much.) It’s nice to know that someone has finally recognized my, um, slobworthiness. There’s even a badge of honor displayed in the sidebar, over there with all the other buttons. I’m truly humbled, folks. No, really, you’re too kind. My mudda thanks you, my fodda thanks you, my pet lizard thanks you…

Good Business Ideas Wanted

Ever wished you knew what it was exactly that Venture Capitalists would cheerfully fork over megabucks for? Well wonder no longer! If you’ve been interested in starting a new business and needed a sure-fire idea upon which to build, then you need to check out the Business 2.0 article where various VCs are asked what they would love to invest in (take note, friends – we’re talkin’ millions, here) and they have the cash to back it up. Be sure to click on the link that displays the whole list. A good business plan, some initiative, and perhaps a little luck, and you may be on your way to fame and fortune.

Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Just the Piano Player

In a great commentary on morality and personal responsibility, Seth Godin asks, “Is it possible to hold a marketer morally responsible?” Sure, Seth, anything is possible. But perhaps he’s really asking: should we? Try as you might, you can’t sidestep this issue. (Well, you can, but like it or not there will be both immediate and long-term consequences.) I like what Seth says about “owning” your decisions. Good thoughts for life.

The Contagious Culture

David Armano posted a delightful story that illustrates a beautifully human characteristic: our innate desire to be connected to something outside ourselves. I’m not going to give it away; you’ll have to read it for yourself, but I would LOVE to try it where I work.

Global Terrorism (Yikes!) vs. Global Warming (Yawn)

Anecdote summarizes an essay by Dan Gilbert that outlines why he thinks people are more disturbed about global terrorism than global warming and lists his four reasons:

• Global warming does not represent people attacking us and we have evolved to be incredibility interested in people.
• Global warming doesn’t violate our moral sensibilities in the same way transgressing social taboos will. As Gilbert says: “And so we are outraged about every breach of protocol except Kyoto.”
• Global warming is a long term threat and we have evolved to detect clear and present dangers.
• Rate of climate change is too slow for people to really notice and therefore care.

Reading the article, it comes across as a bit of a whine to me. Actually, I think the reason is simpler. We care more about terrorism because it’s more personal.

Leadership Secrets of … (fill in the blank)

If you were searching for a great book on the secrets of leadership, whose book would you turn to for inspiration? Bob Sutton (with Jeff Pfeffer) made me laugh the other day when they pointed out a few of the many surprising ways to fill in the blank in “Leadership Secrets of…” What’s funny is these have actually made it to print (Hint: at Amazon.com, Attila the Hun is #1, Santa Claus is #2. The Hun is also #1 on Google.)

Bob’s point is a good one, though: it’s actually quite easy to get advice. You barely have to ask and you’ll get smothered in it. (Hmm, check out a related post by Dustin Walper.) The hard part, and where most failures occur, is implementing what we already know to do.

“As Jeff and I argue, there actually is decent evidence out there about how to make many managerial decisions; the problem is that is routinely ignored and managers, boards, and consultants are almost never held accountable for ignoring it.”

You’re Too Young (to be an Entrepreneur)

Rob at Business Pundit has a few choice comments about the relationship between successful entrepreneurship and age. Sure to spark a few snarky comments, nevertheless he makes some valid points. In all fairness, I should point out that his article mainly serves to bring information to the forefront; what you do with it, as always, is up to you. (Film at 11.)

“There is value in what you can learn working for a corporation, and there is value in waiting until you are older to start a company. I did it at 26 and that was probably too young. There was so much I didn’t know. But then again there was so much I learned too.”

Mavericks at Work

Sounds like a book title doesn’t it? Well, you’d be right! A new book is coming in October titled “Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win“, by William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre of FAST COMPANY fame. Sounds like a good read, filled with stories of people who did things differently, and succeeded. This is not an endorsement, but since I always enjoyed reading the magazine, I hope it’s an indication of the quality of the book.

Requesting Help Via Email

Some great guidelines on making requests of people via email on Life At The Bar. Sadly, most people never learn them. The rest of us have to suffer. Oh, the humanity!

Compromise

Really great riff from Seth Godin on compromise. Well worth your time.

Live Laugh Love

Surely you’ve noticed the sudden proliferation of plaques and assorted other stuff with the statement above on it. Gag. Barf. Retch. Not that I don’t appreciate a good thought now and then (I’ve been known to have a few myself) – it’s just the sudden and unexpected barrage of the same saying, practically everywhere I go. Sheesh.

On the other hand…

I’d like to add one more -

Learn. Let’s end today with a quote from Galileo Galilei:

“I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn’t learn something from him.”

That’s enough for now, and thanks for joining me today. As we say here in Texas (well, some of us, anyway), “Ya’ll come back now, y’hear?”