Though I have spent most of my career in marketing, I finally took my first real marketing class in the spring 2018 semester of my MBA. 30 of us paid a collective $60,000 to learn the 4 P’s, market research techniques, how to write a business plan, and a dozen other interesting concepts. I enjoyed … Continue reading Traditional and modern marketing
Business
Focus and Saying No
Focusing means choosing with intention what you aren’t going to do, how you are going to fail, and who you will disappoint. Yes, it’s also about choosing when, how, and with whom you are going to succeed, but that success isn’t possible without first saying no. The best teams are comprised of people who focus … Continue reading Focus and Saying No
Figure and Ground and Focus
The trouble with email is that it is flat. Important and unimportant emails alike are marked in the same binary way (read or unread), occupy the same rectangular screen space, and are usually sorted together in a chronological jumble. Of course, assiduous tagging of spam, the occasional admonishment of a chronic CCer, and prudent folder … Continue reading Figure and Ground and Focus
The 2 by 2 Quadrant
As exposure to consultant jargon increases and the distance to the nearest whiteboard decreases, the probability of someone drawing a 2 by 2 quadrant chart (Gartner style) approaches 1.
Fixed / Growth Mindsets and beer
People enjoy unhappiness. It’s interesting. That’s why even comedies are about problems that need to be resolved. So when coworkers get together outside of work, they complain. Focusing on mutual frustrations is more interesting than going on about successes. Everyone needs to blow off steam. The candor that is possible outside of work is useful. … Continue reading Fixed / Growth Mindsets and beer
