Business

  • Ted Talk About the Building Blocks of Business Success: Autonomy, Mastery & Purpose

    This video provides a peek into the science of human motivation.

    There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business
    does.

    And what's alarming here is that our business operating system —
    think of the set of assumptions and protocols beneath our businesses,
    how we motivate people, how we apply our human resources — it's built
    entirely around these extrinsic motivators, around carrots and sticks.
    That's actually fine for many kinds of 20th century tasks. But for 21st
    century tasks, that mechanistic, reward-and-punishment approach doesn't
    work, often doesn't work, and often does harm    .

    Here is the direct link to the video on Ted's site.

    Here is an excerpt from the talk.

    Too many organizations are making their decisions, their policies about talent and people, based on assumptions that are outdated, unexamined, and rooted more in folklore than in science. And if we really want to get out of this economic mess, and if we really want high performance on those definitional tasks of the 21st century, the solution is not to do more of the wrong things. To entice people with a sweeter carrot, or threaten them with a sharper stick. We need a whole new approach.

    And the good news about all of this is that the scientists who've been studying motivation have given us this new approach. It's an approach built much more around intrinsic motivation. Around the desire to do things because they matter, because we like it, because they're interesting, because they are part of something important. And to my mind, that new operating system for our businesses revolves around three elements: autonomy, mastery and purpose.

    • Autonomy, the urge to direct our own lives.
    • Mastery, the desire to get better and better at something that matters.
    • Purpose, the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.

    These are the building blocks of an entirely new operating system for our businesses.

  • Virtual PCs

    Some technology is innovative and impressive, but doesn't serve a business need.  For example, you keep hearing about Cloud Computing. Yet, how likely is it that you're going to
    allow your business to put a bunch of your proprietary data out on the net
    anytime soon?

    I'm not saying bad things about clouds, I'm just saying that there are a number of other recent advances that are interesting and perhaps more relevant.  Some of these advances promise to save time and money while
    making the computer environment safer and more robust.  An example is the class of solutions that take advantage of shared resources (like database clustering and virtualizing
    servers and desktops).

    100124 VMware Logo For us, one of the biggest changes in information technology, recently, has been the increasing use of virtualization.

    What is Virtualization?

    Several years ago, I needed to purchase a big and powerful computer to run certain in-depth tests. Yet, only a small percent of the tests we run require a machine that big. Some of our other testing took a long time, but didn't require many of the computer's resources. In both cases, we were dramatically under-using the machine a majority of the time.

    With virtualization, you can take a big powerful machine and divide it into smaller less powerful machines when you need to. 

    That means you can use all of the machine's capacity for one purpose some of the time. While other times, you can load a configuration optimized for a different type of test, which lets you create more virtual machines.

    So, if you are running a test that might take one computer 24 hours to run (but didn't use much of the computer's processing power), you could use virtualization to split the computer into four virtual computers.  The result is that it might only take you six or seven hours to complete the same task.

    That is a simple example, but hopefully it gives you an idea of what is possible.

    There are two main players in this space, Microsoft and VMware.

    Virtual PCs Move to the Desktop.100124 Virtual PC Images

    That same technology has moved to the desktop.

    For example, Windows 7 comes with Microsoft's Virtual PC. This makes it easy for you to create a clone of the computer (running inside your computer) but that doesn't affect the primary operating system.

    You can use a different operating system in the Virtual PC. So, even
    though you might use Windows 7, you could setup the Virtual PC to run
    with Windows XP or even Linux (for compatibility or testing reasons).

    Another use of a Virtual PC is as a "sandbox" that lets you install and try software that you wouldn't otherwise try on your main computer.

    For example, Microsoft just came-out with a beta version of its Office 2010 product.  I asked some of our IT staff if I should install it on my PC to try.  When they stopped laughing at me, the answer was "absolutely not", because it might hang, damage something or create the need to re-install the computer.  A Virtual PC, however, is a great place to try something like that without risking your primary work environment.

    Give it a try.

    Resources:

  • Virtual PCs

    Some technology is innovative and impressive, but doesn't serve a business need.  For example, you keep hearing about Cloud Computing. Yet, how likely is it that you're going to
    allow your business to put a bunch of your proprietary data out on the net
    anytime soon?

    I'm not saying bad things about clouds, I'm just saying that there are a number of other recent advances that are interesting and perhaps more relevant.  Some of these advances promise to save time and money while
    making the computer environment safer and more robust.  An example is the class of solutions that take advantage of shared resources (like database clustering and virtualizing
    servers and desktops).

    100124 VMware Logo For us, one of the biggest changes in information technology, recently, has been the increasing use of virtualization.

    What is Virtualization?

    Several years ago, I needed to purchase a big and powerful computer to run certain in-depth tests. Yet, only a small percent of the tests we run require a machine that big. Some of our other testing took a long time, but didn't require many of the computer's resources. In both cases, we were dramatically under-using the machine a majority of the time.

    With virtualization, you can take a big powerful machine and divide it into smaller less powerful machines when you need to. 

    That means you can use all of the machine's capacity for one purpose some of the time. While other times, you can load a configuration optimized for a different type of test, which lets you create more virtual machines.

    So, if you are running a test that might take one computer 24 hours to run (but didn't use much of the computer's processing power), you could use virtualization to split the computer into four virtual computers.  The result is that it might only take you six or seven hours to complete the same task.

    That is a simple example, but hopefully it gives you an idea of what is possible.

    There are two main players in this space, Microsoft and VMware.

    Virtual PCs Move to the Desktop.100124 Virtual PC Images

    That same technology has moved to the desktop.

    For example, Windows 7 comes with Microsoft's Virtual PC. This makes it easy for you to create a clone of the computer (running inside your computer) but that doesn't affect the primary operating system.

    You can use a different operating system in the Virtual PC. So, even
    though you might use Windows 7, you could setup the Virtual PC to run
    with Windows XP or even Linux (for compatibility or testing reasons).

    Another use of a Virtual PC is as a "sandbox" that lets you install and try software that you wouldn't otherwise try on your main computer.

    For example, Microsoft just came-out with a beta version of its Office 2010 product.  I asked some of our IT staff if I should install it on my PC to try.  When they stopped laughing at me, the answer was "absolutely not", because it might hang, damage something or create the need to re-install the computer.  A Virtual PC, however, is a great place to try something like that without risking your primary work environment.

    Give it a try.

    Resources:

  • Tap the Knowledge of People in Your Network

    Have you ever had a question that you just didn't know who to ask? There's a new website designed to help you. 

    Aardvark is a new kind of tool that lets you tap into the knowledge and experience of friends and friends-of-friends.  Think of it as a crowd-sourced (or human powered) knowledge engine. However, instead of just storing the answers, it tries to figure-out who to ask your question to in your network of contacts.

    100109 Aardvark Answers

    Send Aardvark a question (from the web, email, Twitter, IM, or iPhone) and you’ll get a quick, helpful response.

    I was a little skeptical; however, when I tried it, I got good answers very quickly. Finally, a business use for social networks (other than marketing).

    I recommend that you give it a try.

    Other Resources.

  • Tap the Knowledge of People in Your Network

    Have you ever had a question that you just didn't know who to ask? There's a new website designed to help you. 

    Aardvark is a new kind of tool that lets you tap into the knowledge and experience of friends and friends-of-friends.  Think of it as a crowd-sourced (or human powered) knowledge engine. However, instead of just storing the answers, it tries to figure-out who to ask your question to in your network of contacts.

    100109 Aardvark Answers

    Send Aardvark a question (from the web, email, Twitter, IM, or iPhone) and you’ll get a quick, helpful response.

    I was a little skeptical; however, when I tried it, I got good answers very quickly. Finally, a business use for social networks (other than marketing).

    I recommend that you give it a try.

    Other Resources.

  • Simon Sinek Says “Start with Why”

    091220-Simom-Sinek-and-Howa Inspiration is stronger than persuasion.  It gives people a sense of purpose and belonging that has little to do with external incentive or benefit.

    Simon Sinek, who is quite charismatic and well-spoken, is delivering this message to a rapidly growing fan-base. 

    My team thought Simon was inspiring, engaging and insightful.

    You can watch a short video that introduces his material below. 

    In addition, you can explore more of his ideas in his book,
    Start
    with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action    .

    An Example of Finding the Right Person for a Job.

    Who do you believe will do a better job, someone who takes a job because of the salary and benefits … or someone truly inspired to accomplish the job's purpose? 

    Phrased that way, of course you know the answer.  Still, how can you leverage this to better select customers and employees?

    Shackleton's Boat Stuck in Ice in at the South Pole For example, Simon uses the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton to illustrate this concept.  Shackleton was preparing to lead the first expedition across Antarctica in 1914. Legend has it that when seeking crew members for his journey, Shackleton placed the following ad in a newspaper:

    "MEN WANTED FOR HAZARDOUS JOURNEY. SMALL WAGES, BITTER COLD, LONG MONTHS OF COMPLETE DARKNESS, CONSTANT DANGER, SAFE RETURN DOUBTFUL. HONOUR AND RECOGNITION IN CASE OF SUCCESS.
    – SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON"

    When the expedition became stuck in the ice and could not be rescued for 22 months, not a single man was lost. The reason Simon gave for their unlikely survival was that Shackleton hired survivors that could deal with the situation and were aligned with the mission and purpose.

    Can you imagine writing an ad like that to attract the right people to your cause?

    Watch This Video.

    Here is a video of Simon speaking at a Ted Conference.  It is a great intro to his stuff. 

    Other Resources:

    Related Posts:

  • Simon Sinek Says “Start with Why”

    091220-Simom-Sinek-and-Howa Inspiration is stronger than persuasion.  It gives people a sense of purpose and belonging that has little to do with external incentive or benefit.

    Simon Sinek, who is quite charismatic and well-spoken, is delivering this message to a rapidly growing fan-base. 

    My team thought Simon was inspiring, engaging and insightful.

    You can watch a short video that introduces his material below. 

    In addition, you can explore more of his ideas in his book,
    Start
    with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action    .

    An Example of Finding the Right Person for a Job.

    Who do you believe will do a better job, someone who takes a job because of the salary and benefits … or someone truly inspired to accomplish the job's purpose? 

    Phrased that way, of course you know the answer.  Still, how can you leverage this to better select customers and employees?

    Shackleton's Boat Stuck in Ice in at the South Pole For example, Simon uses the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton to illustrate this concept.  Shackleton was preparing to lead the first expedition across Antarctica in 1914. Legend has it that when seeking crew members for his journey, Shackleton placed the following ad in a newspaper:

    "MEN WANTED FOR HAZARDOUS JOURNEY. SMALL WAGES, BITTER COLD, LONG MONTHS OF COMPLETE DARKNESS, CONSTANT DANGER, SAFE RETURN DOUBTFUL. HONOUR AND RECOGNITION IN CASE OF SUCCESS.
    – SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON"

    When the expedition became stuck in the ice and could not be rescued for 22 months, not a single man was lost. The reason Simon gave for their unlikely survival was that Shackleton hired survivors that could deal with the situation and were aligned with the mission and purpose.

    Can you imagine writing an ad like that to attract the right people to your cause?

    Watch This Video.

    Here is a video of Simon speaking at a Ted Conference.  It is a great intro to his stuff. 

    Other Resources:

    Related Posts:

  • Getting Ready for the New Year with Postive-Focused Planning

    Holiday shopping season is in full-force.  That means 2010 is right around the corner.

    091206-Good-News-Bad-News As an early gift, I got to go to a hockey game with my son.  This picture captures a Good News – Bad News moment for me.  On the positive side, I'm happy to see that my son shaved off his strangely orange mop of hair. However, standing next to him, I look like a professional "before" model.

    That helped me realize that it's time to start thinking about New Year's resolutions, and specifically some health related resolutions.

    Here is a summary of that process.  Hopefully, you can use some of these concepts.

    • Focus on What You Want.
    • Focus on Why You Want It.
    • Focus on Ways You Might Get it.
    • Focus on the Progress.

    Below, I'll take you through an example of the four steps you need to use Positive-Focused Planning to get what you want.

    Moving Towards a Solution, Rather Than Suffering with the Problem.

    My first instinct was to think "I need to lose weight".  Knowing that "you're fat" isn't helpful … my head, quickly translates that to something a tad more positive, yet generic, like: "I choose to be healthy and vital, and to live a healthy lifestyle".

    Blah, blah … They are just words.  What I needed was something specific, measurable and actionable.  How about: "I will lose 15 pounds and stop eating after dinner."  OK, but that isn't inspiring, and there isn't much for me to do. I can do better than that.

    Figure-Out a Big Enough WHY, Rather Than Worrying about the HOW's.

    This post isn't about health and fitness, it is about the mind-set and techniques you can use to set empowering goals and plans in any situation.

    091206 Peaceful Easy Feeling So, while I could list a lot of ways to lose weight; and I might even remember to do some of them, when you create a driving force, the momentum takes care of itself.  The first step in doing that is knowing WHY you want something.

    I really do want to be healthy and vital (it sure beats the alternatives), and I want to have the energy and confidence to live and enjoy my life fully.  The world is my playground, and I want to take advantage of more opportunities to play with family and friends.  In order to do those things, I must find better ways for me to live a healthy lifestyle.

    The WHYs are just as important for business goals too.

    Focus on Potential Solutions, Rather than Problems or Challenges.

    091206 Obstacle Obstacles Exist. The bad news: I don't eat fish and I don't like vegetables (unless French Fries are vegetables).  My joints aren't close to healthy from years of violent contact sports.  And I rarely get 7 hours of sleep.  The good news: is none of those things matter; and even if they did, it just would mean that I have a lot of room for progress.

    It is natural to focus on obstacles.  Use them as a reminder to focus on potential solutions instead. They are beacons, pointing the way.

    How do you do it?  To focus on solutions, you can make two action-based lists: one is of things To-Do … and another is of things Not To-Do.

    Here are some of the sample To-Do Items:

    • I will drink more water than coffee.
    • I will stretch, or do basic calisthenics, on days that I do not go to the gym.
    • I will make a healthy shake as a meal replacement rather than a meal supplement.
    • I will focus on relaxation and meditation, as much as I focus on strength & physical exercises.

    Here is the actionable list of Not To-Do Items.

    • I will not buy new pants or wear stretchy pants.
    • I will not eat snacks out their container, and will portion-out what I want first.
    • I will not compare my current level of fitness to what I used to be able to do. Instead I will focus on my actions and improvement.

    Create Healthier Habits.

    It is easy to follow your routine.  So, make your routine better.  Here are some examples of things you could do to make being healthier happen with less effort.

    • Pre-sort your vitamins into daily doses, and keep them by the coffee machine.
    • Buy healthy snacks, like fruit, raw nuts or organic energy bars (instead of chips).
    • Make exercise time, the time you enjoy listening to music.
    • Park at the end of the parking lot, so you get to walk.
    • Meet with friends at the gym, rather than a bar or restaurant.

    You get the idea.  Get in the habit of looking for ways to create better habits.  What habits could you alter slightly, to make a big difference?  Which things can you automate or outsource?

    Focus on Your Progress.

    In this case, it really is about the journey.  Instead of keeping track of how far you have to go … notice how far you've come.  It is about creating energy, momentum and a sense of possibility.  You may have a big, hairy, audacious goal in mind.  That's fine, as long as you realize that reaching each milestone along the way is still an accomplishment.

    • Find shoes that don't hurt your feet.
    • Pick a gym, or a personal trainer.
    • Run more than two laps without stopping.

    It doesn't matter what they are are … they all count, as long as you know that you are moving in the right direction.

    Summary.

    The point of this exercise as was not really to focus on fitness. These techniques and goal-setting tools work in any situation. The principles are:

    1. First, figure out what you want, and why it is important to you. 
    2. Second, find something you can do, right now, which moves you in the right direction.
    3. Third, notice which things create (rather than take) energy. Spend your time on those, and automate or create routines to take care of the rest.
    4. Fourth, set milestones so that you can recognize and celebrate your progress.

  • Getting Ready for the New Year with Postive-Focused Planning

    Holiday shopping season is in full-force.  That means 2010 is right around the corner.

    091206-Good-News-Bad-News As an early gift, I got to go to a hockey game with my son.  This picture captures a Good News – Bad News moment for me.  On the positive side, I'm happy to see that my son shaved off his strangely orange mop of hair. However, standing next to him, I look like a professional "before" model.

    That helped me realize that it's time to start thinking about New Year's resolutions, and specifically some health related resolutions.

    Here is a summary of that process.  Hopefully, you can use some of these concepts.

    • Focus on What You Want.
    • Focus on Why You Want It.
    • Focus on Ways You Might Get it.
    • Focus on the Progress.

    Below, I'll take you through an example of the four steps you need to use Positive-Focused Planning to get what you want.

    Moving Towards a Solution, Rather Than Suffering with the Problem.

    My first instinct was to think "I need to lose weight".  Knowing that "you're fat" isn't helpful … my head, quickly translates that to something a tad more positive, yet generic, like: "I choose to be healthy and vital, and to live a healthy lifestyle".

    Blah, blah … They are just words.  What I needed was something specific, measurable and actionable.  How about: "I will lose 15 pounds and stop eating after dinner."  OK, but that isn't inspiring, and there isn't much for me to do. I can do better than that.

    Figure-Out a Big Enough WHY, Rather Than Worrying about the HOW's.

    This post isn't about health and fitness, it is about the mind-set and techniques you can use to set empowering goals and plans in any situation.

    091206 Peaceful Easy Feeling So, while I could list a lot of ways to lose weight; and I might even remember to do some of them, when you create a driving force, the momentum takes care of itself.  The first step in doing that is knowing WHY you want something.

    I really do want to be healthy and vital (it sure beats the alternatives), and I want to have the energy and confidence to live and enjoy my life fully.  The world is my playground, and I want to take advantage of more opportunities to play with family and friends.  In order to do those things, I must find better ways for me to live a healthy lifestyle.

    The WHYs are just as important for business goals too.

    Focus on Potential Solutions, Rather than Problems or Challenges.

    091206 Obstacle Obstacles Exist. The bad news: I don't eat fish and I don't like vegetables (unless French Fries are vegetables).  My joints aren't close to healthy from years of violent contact sports.  And I rarely get 7 hours of sleep.  The good news: is none of those things matter; and even if they did, it just would mean that I have a lot of room for progress.

    It is natural to focus on obstacles.  Use them as a reminder to focus on potential solutions instead. They are beacons, pointing the way.

    How do you do it?  To focus on solutions, you can make two action-based lists: one is of things To-Do … and another is of things Not To-Do.

    Here are some of the sample To-Do Items:

    • I will drink more water than coffee.
    • I will stretch, or do basic calisthenics, on days that I do not go to the gym.
    • I will make a healthy shake as a meal replacement rather than a meal supplement.
    • I will focus on relaxation and meditation, as much as I focus on strength & physical exercises.

    Here is the actionable list of Not To-Do Items.

    • I will not buy new pants or wear stretchy pants.
    • I will not eat snacks out their container, and will portion-out what I want first.
    • I will not compare my current level of fitness to what I used to be able to do. Instead I will focus on my actions and improvement.

    Create Healthier Habits.

    It is easy to follow your routine.  So, make your routine better.  Here are some examples of things you could do to make being healthier happen with less effort.

    • Pre-sort your vitamins into daily doses, and keep them by the coffee machine.
    • Buy healthy snacks, like fruit, raw nuts or organic energy bars (instead of chips).
    • Make exercise time, the time you enjoy listening to music.
    • Park at the end of the parking lot, so you get to walk.
    • Meet with friends at the gym, rather than a bar or restaurant.

    You get the idea.  Get in the habit of looking for ways to create better habits.  What habits could you alter slightly, to make a big difference?  Which things can you automate or outsource?

    Focus on Your Progress.

    In this case, it really is about the journey.  Instead of keeping track of how far you have to go … notice how far you've come.  It is about creating energy, momentum and a sense of possibility.  You may have a big, hairy, audacious goal in mind.  That's fine, as long as you realize that reaching each milestone along the way is still an accomplishment.

    • Find shoes that don't hurt your feet.
    • Pick a gym, or a personal trainer.
    • Run more than two laps without stopping.

    It doesn't matter what they are are … they all count, as long as you know that you are moving in the right direction.

    Summary.

    The point of this exercise as was not really to focus on fitness. These techniques and goal-setting tools work in any situation. The principles are:

    1. First, figure out what you want, and why it is important to you. 
    2. Second, find something you can do, right now, which moves you in the right direction.
    3. Third, notice which things create (rather than take) energy. Spend your time on those, and automate or create routines to take care of the rest.
    4. Fourth, set milestones so that you can recognize and celebrate your progress.

  • Shopping Smarter: Where to Find the Best Deals this Season

    Here is a list of shopping tools that can save you money and time.

    These are sites I've used myself and was happy about using.  Please let me know if you have additions or suggestions.

    The suggestions fall into several main categories: Deals, Price Comparison, and Phone Apps.

    Deals:


    Price Comparison:


    Phone Apps:


    Honorable Mentions: Other Resources Worth Checking