Nice guys care too much about what everybody else thinks. The nice guy seeks approval. He wants to be liked, approved of, held in high regard. He lets other people define him. His goals are other people's goals. He seeks what he thinks people want rather than pursuing his desires. He has no desires of his own. He only seeks to become what other people want. Well, at least what he thinks other people want.
The nice guy never gets power. Power is nothing more than the freedom to act, the freedom to do what you think needs to be done (or what you want to do) with little regard to the expectations and feelings of others. The nice guy only cares about the feelings of others. The standard for all judgements is what other people, especially those deemed important, will think.
Who do you admire? Do you admire the milquetoast who goes with the flow, or do you admire the man who gets things done? We admire those who achieve, those who strive and claw and produce. That's not the legacy of the nice guy. The nice guy leaves no legacy. He leaves a trail of fading impressions.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Don't simplify. Expand
Simplify? That misses the point. Make your life richer by exploring new experiences. Unlimited experiences, new discoveries that warp and twist our perceptions of what's real and what's possible, beg for our notice. My explorations tend to focus on music, beer, and ideas. That's where I place my attention.
But that's really the point of the whole simplify your lifestyle movement. Our attention, energy, and focus are finite. Let's use those precious resources on things that really matter. Living in the moment. Appreciating what we have, not only the physical stuff but the important people in our life. Yes, the latest Facebook status update is probably not going to rattle the foundation of your beliefs. Your twitter feed probably won't reveal a fundamental truth that will have you questioning everything you thought was true about your life. Eliminate that noise. Don't eliminate all the good stuff.
Keep looking, trying new things, keep pushing the boundaries. This simplify stuff is all about how to make things smaller, more compact, more elegant. Sure, if you're distracted and overwhelmed by the noise of modern life, shake free. But Don't shrink. Expand.
But that's really the point of the whole simplify your lifestyle movement. Our attention, energy, and focus are finite. Let's use those precious resources on things that really matter. Living in the moment. Appreciating what we have, not only the physical stuff but the important people in our life. Yes, the latest Facebook status update is probably not going to rattle the foundation of your beliefs. Your twitter feed probably won't reveal a fundamental truth that will have you questioning everything you thought was true about your life. Eliminate that noise. Don't eliminate all the good stuff.
Keep looking, trying new things, keep pushing the boundaries. This simplify stuff is all about how to make things smaller, more compact, more elegant. Sure, if you're distracted and overwhelmed by the noise of modern life, shake free. But Don't shrink. Expand.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Why is every power point presentation the same?
Suffered through more marketing pap during a painful Brand School learning thing at work today. These seminars in conventional thinking are driving me crazy. Slides, talking, bad jokes, more bad slides, meaningless filler. It's becoming too much to bear. I want to do one just so I can rattle the cage a little bit. Put on a show. Make the damn thing an experience. Dramatic music. Maybe a light show.
The best talks are always entertaining. A little drama, a little storytelling. Create a jolting experience. Tickle the emotions. Make it more than a staid lecture. Make it an event. Make it something everybody will remember.
The best talks are always entertaining. A little drama, a little storytelling. Create a jolting experience. Tickle the emotions. Make it more than a staid lecture. Make it an event. Make it something everybody will remember.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Why bother going for good grades in an MBA program?
The grades that I get in my MBA classes may never have any relevance. If this is the case, I'm wasting my time when I put a big effort behind all of my assignments. Maybe my energy would be better spent getting more exercise or maybe I'd get a better long term return on the time I put into the assignment by going to bed earlier. Maybe. But I'm confident that it's worth my time to put in the effort to get the best grade possible.
Getting an MBA is about differentiation. Simply having the degree is one level of differentiation. The school is another level. Performance in the program is yet another differentiating variable. Plenty of people have an MBA. I'm not attending a big name school, although Marist is on everybody's favorite news magazine for rankings honor role for online MBA programs, so having a stellar GPA is the best way for me to influence how an evaluator incorporates my business school training into an overall evaluation of my abilities.
Reputation shapes our life. Anything exceptional carries tremendous weight in influencing the perception of others. Any opportunity to demonstrate exceptional performance must be seized. My MBA classes offer me an opportunity to do something exceptional. That's why I make the effort.
Getting an MBA is about differentiation. Simply having the degree is one level of differentiation. The school is another level. Performance in the program is yet another differentiating variable. Plenty of people have an MBA. I'm not attending a big name school, although Marist is on everybody's favorite news magazine for rankings honor role for online MBA programs, so having a stellar GPA is the best way for me to influence how an evaluator incorporates my business school training into an overall evaluation of my abilities.
Reputation shapes our life. Anything exceptional carries tremendous weight in influencing the perception of others. Any opportunity to demonstrate exceptional performance must be seized. My MBA classes offer me an opportunity to do something exceptional. That's why I make the effort.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Do different
The job seekers lacked an identity. There was nothing driving the acquisition of skills and experiences that they listed on their resume. They did as they were told and took pride in being a good instruction taker. Their only goal was to get promoted, to make a little more money, to have just a touch more job security. If I had asked them what they were trying to accomplish in their old position, what idea or vision were they trying to turn into reality, I would have gotten a blank stare.
That vision of what we're trying to achieve is all that differentiates us from the next guy. That something else is what drives us to do different. There is no reason to push if you're only trying to fit in. Finding the most comfortable spot in the hierarchy of some organization is an act of conformance. Using the organization to achieve your vision requires guts and balls.
It also requires having an idea of what you want to accomplish and what you want to achieve. You don't need a detailed plan. You just need to recognize that you don't want to follow along with the rest of the herd. You should expect to stand out. You'll be noticed if you're the only one challenging the system, asking the uncomfortable questions, and trying to do something that matters rather than simply doing something.
That vision of what we're trying to achieve is all that differentiates us from the next guy. That something else is what drives us to do different. There is no reason to push if you're only trying to fit in. Finding the most comfortable spot in the hierarchy of some organization is an act of conformance. Using the organization to achieve your vision requires guts and balls.
It also requires having an idea of what you want to accomplish and what you want to achieve. You don't need a detailed plan. You just need to recognize that you don't want to follow along with the rest of the herd. You should expect to stand out. You'll be noticed if you're the only one challenging the system, asking the uncomfortable questions, and trying to do something that matters rather than simply doing something.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Seeking surprise
I was watching the end of some catastrophe show on Discovery Channel, Scary Landings or some such drivel. The last bit of the show was about the crash landing of that plane in the Hudson. They were interviewing the captain and he mentioned that the airline industry does all that it can to avoid surprise. This statement blew me away. It was an almost throw away comment, but it spoke such a simple and profound truth.
I do all that I can to court surprise in my job. I try to find the new and unexpected to give us an edge. I look for surprises in a small range of things in my personal life. I like to try new beers. The internet makes checking out new music a virtually risk free endeavor.
My reaction to surprise, how much I need it, what I do when I stumble onto it, and whether I structure my life to tempt its arrival, says more about me than anything I may have professed on this blog. Our orientation to risk and surprise, whether we're thrilled by the new or uncertain about the uncertain, dictates our approach to all the really critical parts of life.
I do all that I can to court surprise in my job. I try to find the new and unexpected to give us an edge. I look for surprises in a small range of things in my personal life. I like to try new beers. The internet makes checking out new music a virtually risk free endeavor.
My reaction to surprise, how much I need it, what I do when I stumble onto it, and whether I structure my life to tempt its arrival, says more about me than anything I may have professed on this blog. Our orientation to risk and surprise, whether we're thrilled by the new or uncertain about the uncertain, dictates our approach to all the really critical parts of life.
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