Talk Like a Pirate Day!

 

Capt Terry Sparrow and First Mate Deanna spend "Talk like a pirate day" talking like pirates. See First Mate get fired, play with a mime, ride dangerous elephants, and stand trial as a witch! (If nothing else the Hack and Slash portion is a good show!)

Corporations must make their own Game

Chris Brogan and Julien Smith talk about “Making your own game” in their recently released book Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust. According to Brogan and Smith (2009), “making your own game is not just about trying to find innovating ways to improve your brand or business: It’s about understanding that the tools to let you do this are at your disposal…”

An exercise in the book asks the reader to think about setting new rules and breaking old rules. Gatekeepers=status quo. Gatejumpers = rulebreakers or someone who has found innovative ways to accomplish things outside of the norm. Some examples listed were:

• Radio > podcasters
• Print magazines >blogs
• Microsoft Office > Google Docs

The concept is easy to understand right? I think so.

Tonight I was listening to a podcast, Media Hacks episode 16. If anyone is interested the podcast is available on iTunes for free.

Brogan and Smith participated in the podcast. I found the podcast interesting, but I have to comment about the idea that making your own game in a corporation is hard.

I think everyone would agree that getting an organization to change and be a gatejumper is hard. However, if a gatekeeper does not find a way to be a gatejumper won’t they cease to exist? Microsoft, Yahoo! and AOL are all examples of organizations that must gatejump or eventually cease to exist. The automobile industry is a perfect example of the status quo suffering from not innovating and breaking the rules.

Can one person on the inside of a gatekeeper make a difference? I think so. Isn’t this a key idea in Tribes? Spread your passion with a group and a common leader. The leader could be the innovative person in the gatekeeping organization. The leader might even be the data analyst that just automated a bunch of reports.

I think leader is the key. Innovation is not enough for an individual to change an organization. Breaking rules and innovating is still not enough to change an organization. Someone will need to lead and spread the innovation and passion throughout the organization.

Organizations can not leave this to management. Management is not what organizations need in today's fast paced business world. Organizations need leaders – at all levels. Take risks, failing is ok, learn from the failure and take more risks.

Corporations must make their own game. Will this be hard? Yes, but the alternative is a slow death.

Last night I came across another gatekeeper gatejumper example:

Wii > Project Natel

Project Natel, if successful, is a great example of gatejumping. Can you imagine a gaming system that recognizes you? I can barely imagine a gaming system without controllers? Wow!

What are some of the gatekeeper / gatejumping examples you came up with?

Huzzah!

The Maryland Renaissance Festival is here! The thirty-third season at Revel Grove in Crownsville, Maryland is back, full of fun and more importantly Cheesecake on a stick! Yummy!

For those that plan on attending the festival be sure to print out the discount coupon. You must hurry though, the coupon expires on September 14, 2009.

Entertainment Recommendations:

Hack and Slash - “Let the swooning begin!” This comedy team, with their love of ale, is one of my favorite acts at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. Swordplay, whip cracking, and a lot of laughs!

Swami Yohmahmi – Swami bills himself as the original slideshow geek. His act is PG-13 (Really!). Audience participation and a lot of laughs. Sadly, I have yet to see his show this year. In previous years this show made me glad I knew the answer is ‘42’ and that one should always let the Wookie win.

The Squire of the Wire: Michael Rosman – Michael’s show is comedy, juggling, and a high wire act. I’ve missed his act this year but thoroughly enjoyed it in previous years. Check out his promo video.

The Renaissance Man – Do not read your program during his show! Audience members are asked to volunteer for parts of his act. Comedy, improve, and a few bad but funny jokes.

A Fool Named “O” and “La-La” – Comedy show. O doesn’t say much but the audience participation, improv, and the comedy will keep you entertained!

Johnny Foxx – Johnny claims to have grown up in a circus. His sword swallowing, comedy and sleight of hand will amuse everyone in the family.

Jousting – A Renaissance Festival would not be complete without jousting. Here are some short video clips.

Food Recommendations:

• Cheesecake on a Stick!
• Turkey Leg
• Steak on a stake
• German Bratwurst with Sauerkraut.

The Maryland Renaissance Festival is fun for the whole family. My only complaint is there is not enough time to see all the shows! Plan on visiting numerous times to see all the high quality acts.

If you are unable to see them all check out my recommendations. You will not be disappointed!

E-mail revisited

In July I wrote a blog entry about email. Since then I’ve witnessed a few issues with the way people use email.

Case 1: The cover your ass email

Is there really a need to spam hundreds of people to deny an allegation? If the allegation is not true then why would one worry about the allegation?  Many more important tasks can be accomplished instead. Don’t sweat it! Let’s assume the person denying the allegation is a leader. What message would the email send to his direct reports?

Case 2: Not including all the facts

Let’s say I wanted everyone to buy into an idea or maybe a product I want to purchase. I am responsible for presenting all the facts or ideas, pro and con, to those I am attempting to influence.

I find it very irresponsible to present only those facts or ideas that support selfish goals that sell an idea or a product. One must include all pros and cons based on facts and team members’ experiences – not just the ones that further ones goals.

I read an article tonight from the CyberPsychology & Behavior Journal.

Baker and Phillips (2007) claim ones “personal style may predict email use.” Those with low self-esteem, for example, may choose email over live interaction. Passing the buck, procrastination, or panic were other styles that could predict email use.

Baker and Phillips use the term e-break to describe the interruption in work flow monitoring email causes when it cannot be ignored. “Individuals who accesses e-mail when they had more important things they should have been doing were significantly e-breakers” (Baker and Phillips, 2007). One could argue that taking a break throughout the day is not a bad thing. However, does one really receive a mental and physical break by checking email?

Cassie e-breaking

One may try to rationalize the e-break but if the e-break is used to answer personal email this increases risk to the organization and the individual. Remember work email can be subpoenaed and individuals do receive disciplinary action for inappropriate email use.

In their study Baker and Phillips found 57% of email was used for work or study. Those that “are not buck passers are engaging in the greater (and more responsible) usage".”

One last interesting tidbit, the participants in the study reported they spent 7.41 hours a week on email. To me this seems high for a work environment.

How do you use email?

My weekend has gone to the dogs!

The kids are out of control this weekend!

Ahhhhh nap time!

Ok, I’m off to work on Success Factors. I’m sure the goals from management will be ready to be cascaded :)

E-mail is for the dogs … or is it?

Cassie, my German Shepherd, does not write email but she is an effective communicator. When Cassie wants to communicate she gets right to the point.

“Woof! woof,” she says as she drops her ball. (Translation: Let’s play!)

“Woof!,” (Translation: This is fun! Throw the ball! Throw the ball!)

“Yip, Yip, Woof! Woof!” (Translation: Glad you are home from work. Let’s go for a walk!”)

I can think of many more examples. Cassie says exactly what is on her mind. She does not dance around issues, make assumptions, or point fingers and place blame. She is all about action and getting things done. She has well defined priorities and goals!

“Woof, woof, woof!” (Translation: I love you. You may scratch behind my ears and rub my tummy!)

Cassie is limited in her ability to communicate. She is forced to use face-to-face communication. There are other methods one could use to communicate. The telephone, voicemail, and email are all reasonable options. Without fingers and opposable thumbs, Cassie’s options are limited.

There really should not be any doubt face-to-face communication is ideal. The telephone and voicemail are the next best options. Email, an excellent tool, should be used as a last resort when communicating important ideas, instructions, or simply trying to make plans for an event.

Email can be easily misunderstood. Some individuals take offense to the tone that can sometimes come across in email. Cover your ass (CYA) email and the blame game email really are not necessary in the business world nor the private world.

Email has a role in the business world and private world. Documenting minutes of a meeting, sending files to individuals, or communicating ideas which are not time sensitive are acceptable uses of email.

The next time someone in your organization says they sent an email about an action they are to follow-up on remind them it is more efficient to walk over and talk to the individual or call them.

If someone sends me a personal email, I assume the email is not urgent. If the topic is urgent, I expect the individual to pick up the phone and call.

Let all of us be more efficient with our time and the way we communicate. We should all take a lesson from Cassie and learn to bark. “Woof! Woof!”

Interesting links found on Twitter

@ArfanChaudhry Ananova - 'Pool got my daughter pregnant'

@timoreilly RT @sitepointmatt: Soft drinks make up 7% of all calories ingested in the USA. Yikes!

@TrendTracker Fastest-growing Demographic on Facebook: Women over 55

Books I am currently reading

Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity

A Game of Thrones

Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies

Outliers: The Story of Success

Breakthrough Rapid Reading

Books I want to read

Marketing of a President

The Dip: A little Book that teaches you when to quit (and When to Stick)

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by being remarkable

Cogito Ergo Sum

The mind is its own place and in itself can make a hell of heaven or a heaven of hell. —John Milton, Paradise Lost.

As I was eating lunch today I noticed a headline in the newspaper. The headline stated, “People select data with which they agree. (p.40)” The study found “people tend to avoid information that contradicts what they already think or believe” 67 percent are about twice as likely to select information that supports their point of view as opposed to the 33 percent that would consider an opposing idea.

Obviously I cannot use the two short newspaper paragraphs as a credible source. I really do not know anything about the study, how the study was conducted, how it was controlled, or even if it was reviewed by peers. The two paragraphs did make me think.

Are we, as a society, failing to think for ourselves? Are we not able to look at opposing views with an open mind? Are we programmed to not think critically about the massive amounts of information we must process daily?

Kurfiss (1988) stated:

“Critical thinking is a rational response to questions that cannot be answered definitively and for which all the relevant information may not be available. It is defined here as an investigation whose purpose is to explore a situation, phenomenon, question, or problem to arrive at a hypothesis or conclusion about it that integrates all available information and that can therefore be convincingly justified. In critical thinking, all assumptions are open to question, divergent views are aggressively sought, and the inquiry is not biased in favor of a particular outcome.

The outcomes of a critical inquiry are twofold: a conclusion (or hypothesis) and the justification offered in support of it. These outcomes are usually set forth in the form of an argument, defined as “the sequence of interlinked claims and reasons that, between them, establish the content and force of the position for which a particular speaker is arguing” (Toulmin, Rieke, and Janik 1979, p. 13). The need for justification arises from the ill-defined nature of problems to which the term “critical thinking” generally applies. Because conclusions cannot be tested (as they can be in problem solving), the arguer must demonstrate their plausibility by offering supporting reasons (Voss, Tyler, and Yengo 1983).”

If the definition offered by Kurfiss is accepted, and the study listed in the newspaper is credible, then society is failing as critical thinkers. The next time you are in a discussion with someone who has an opposing view see if they use one of the fallacies of informal reasoning as listed by Kurfiss:

1. Provincialism: The tendency to accept or reject ideas on the basis of experience in one's own group or society rather than on evidence or in light of knowledge and beliefs of other societies.
2. Ad hominem: An attack on a person's credibility or character rather than on the arguments presented.
3. False dilemma: “Erroneously reducing the number of possible choices on an issue” (Barry 1983, p. 108).
4. Hasty conclusion or generalization: Drawing conclusions from too little evidence or from unrepresentative samples.
5. Begging the question, circularity: “Endorsing without proof some form of the very question at issue” (Kahane 1984, p. 82) (Barry 1983; Kahane 1984; Toulmin, Rieke, and Janik 1979).

Other fallacies commonly mentioned are straw men, suppressed evidence, non sequiturs or “irrelevant reason” (Kahane 1980), appeal to authority, arguing from what is to what ought to be, wishful thinking, and self-deception.

I challenge my friends, my family, and my co-workers when they refuse to look at other points of view. I find my friends challenging me when I slip into a comfortable idea. There should not be topics off limits to scrutiny. Religion, politics, history, and especially media reports must be critically examined.

We are not sheep. Think.

Interesting Links

@TheDailyBuzzz - Naked 'Terminator' arrested at casino.

WSJ publisher calls Google 'digital vampire'

10 Spam / Fake Twitter Clues to watch for

David Pogue's Productivity Secrets Revealed

Microsoft drops vomiting ad after complaints

Way too competitive: Tech Gurus Flock to World Series of Poker

@TheDailyBuzzz - Blackholes do join together

Recommended Reading:

Critical Thinking: Theory, Research, Practice, and Possibilities: ASHE-ERIC/Higher Education Research Report (J-B ASHE Higher Education Report Series (AEHE))

Books I am currently reading:

Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10)

Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies
Outliers: The Story of Success
Breakthrough Rapid Reading

Wax on. Wax Off

The first time I saw a Madame Tussauds, I was in San Francisco in the early 1990’s. I remember thinking the price to see the attraction was expensive. I expected the attraction to be cheesy and a tourist trap.

Today, I visited Madame Tussauds in Washington, DC. The entry fee wasn’t too bad. $43 for my daughter and I. I was surprised my 12 year old did not qualify for the child ticket. Their website quotes child prices and adult prices for 12 year olds. There is a $5 difference in price. I sent them an email today suggesting they clarify the prices.

A short movie is the first attraction museum visitors will see. The movie educates the public on the history of Madame Tussauds and how the wax figures are made.

As one strolls through the museum one is allowed to photograph and touch the wax figures. My daughter enjoyed posing with a number of the figures.

The hall of Presidents is very well done. President Obama is a popular wax attraction. We waited in a line so we could take pictures with Obama, but we eventually gave up. Rachel opted to give a press briefing before heading to the oval office to do the country’s work.

I managed to run into Bill and Hillary. They were nice enough to take a photo with me even though I wasn’t dressed for the occasion.

I would rate the experience 3 out of 4 stars. My daughter is a very curious young lady, she enjoyed the different trivia challenges set up throughout the attraction. I recommend taking a digital camera. There are many photo opportunities. Although the iPhone helped me out today, I wish I would have used a digital point and shoot.

I’ll leave you with one last photo – Hoover interrogating Rachel.

Interesting Links:

@joesebok mentioned this on twitter: Morality: Stephen King's All-New Story of Recession

@TheDailyBuzz pointed out an article about the iPhone SMS patch: Apple prepares iPhone SMS Patch

Books I am currently reading:

Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies

Outliers: The Story of Success

Breakthrough Rapid Reading

Social media

Social Media Strategy

What is the goal of social media for the organization?

I. Build relationships with consumers

• engage
• energize
• support
• Listen
  

Relationship must be two way

II. Promotions


To be continued


-- Post From My iPhone

What does one do.....

What should one do while one waits for the iPhone to charge?

• Read
• Work on the social media presentation due Friday
• Write papers due Monday
• Sleep

Cassie opted for a cat nap!

What does one really do while one waits for the iPhone to charge?

• Walk the dog
• Feed the dog
• Read e-mail
• Check for iPhone apps
• Read Twitter
• Read Facebook
• Create a blog

I may have procrastinated a little tonight but the procrastination was acceptable "per the order" :)