Highlights From The Last 7 Days

The scoop:

• Team Blue Ocean Ideas has started a number of new projects in the last week: one working on a real estate photo sharing site, one for the 3rd largest association in Baltimore where we are helping to lead and shape their marketing efforts, and one is for a motion graphic project. In addition we have a boat load of projects in the hopper. Looks like it’s going to be a busy fall.
• My gorgeous wife turned 4x (you’ll have to ask her what x=). You can follow her on Twitter for updates on how 4x is going.
• Facebook is close to releasing Timeline for the general public. It’s very slick and probably another game changer in terms of how powerful Facebook is.
• If you want to try the new Facebook Timeline here’s a link that tells you how to install it.
• I was VERY excited about Google plus but I’m pretty sure the recent changes to Facebook including lists will probably kill it and show once again that Google doesn’t do social. I still like the IDEA of circles but the bottom line is if they can’t get masses to move their it won’t be successful.
• Timeline will make Facebook more attractive again to those who have found it has gotten stale.
• I ran my final marathon training run on Saturday morning at 7am with my cousin, John. John’s been VERY gracious to run 3 out of the last 4 training runs with me even though he could and probably should be moving faster than I am. I love being able to spend time together. 3 hours of running goes a lot faster with a partner.
• Josh’s broken leg seems to be healing nicely. After a part time start to last week he was back in school full days Thursday and Friday. The broken leg has only helped his comedic skills.

What I’ve been reading:

• Steven Pressfield has been inspiring me with “The War of Art” and “Do the Work”. I bought “Gates of Fire” on my iPad. Going to get started on that this week.
• I missed «GO» because I was in the hospital with Josh. But I have been studying up on the Enneagram and especially how different types deal with each other. Elise and I are 6 and 8 respectively.
• Great, short, post about using a sharpie for UX and wireframing.
• The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion. Tom Hood & Jackie Brown over at MACPA told me about this one. We preach this all the time. The way we say it is “Everything Matters” but it’s the same idea. I had a client make a bold statement on Friday: “We have a brutally strong strategy” while discussing an idea that is all about gaming pageviews to get people to believe a result that isn’t accurate. He doesn’t get it.
• No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton. I’ve never read anything by Thomas Merton before. This is my first foray. I’m a couple of chapters in and my Kindle app already has LOTS of highlights.

40 in 40: #22

Some posts are easy to write.

Today is Elise’s 44th Birthday. I’ve known her for 22 of the 44 years. Been married for 20.

When we were married I knew she was a terrific women.

What has floored me since then was the depth at which we have been knit together. Marriage is a gift far beyond what I could have ever imagined. I’m thankful every day.

Lesson #22

Eilse is the perfect fit for me. Finding a great spouse is on the VERY top of the bucket list.

Keep moving forward,

Greg

40 in 40: #19

I’m a little behind on my 40 in 40.

I’ve spend the last 10 days tending to a kid with a broken leg, starting fall sports, marathon training, and taking on some significant new Blue Ocean Ideas projects. It’s been hectic to say the least.

For one of our engagements, the client has engaged us to get their marketing and communications department in better shape. And quickly. They’ve been lacking leadership and the results are showing it.

I love these kinds of tasks. I get to do everything that I am good at and avoid all the things that I’m not so good at. Doesn’t get much better than that.

As I’ve poked around all week meeting with departments heads, marketing staff, and executives I have been reminded of this lesson:

Lesson #19

The system produces the results that it is designed to produce.

The first thing people want to do when they see poor results is blame the people. It’s the easiest thing to do:

• If only so and so was good at __________.
• __________ works too slow.
• I wish that __________ would stop being so lazy.
• __________ and __________ cannot get along.
• __________ is incompetent.

You could fill in the blanks couldn’t you? We’ve all heard this kind of talk in every job we’ve ever had.

In reality, 95% of the problems we face are a result of systemic problems that we don’t take the time to discover and fix. If we look at the systems that are in place and begin to understand why things happen we will begin to see that blaming the people is a waste of time.

Of course there are times someone is a bad fit, has bad intentions, or is not qualified. And you have to deal with that. But before that happens take a long, hard look at the systems and see what results they are designed to produce.

You’ll be surprised how rarely it’s the people.

What result are you currently blaming on people that is really a system issue?

Keep moving forward,

Greg

p.s. This is true in your personal life as it is in work. A friend of mine was telling me this week about a system that she changed that helped her lose 25lbs. She looks fabulous!

40 in 40: #16

My weekend was awesome:

• Finished a client meeting Friday at 5:30pm
• Dinner with Elise Friday night
• Tutti Frutti after dinner with Seth
• Early Saturday morning reading and praying
• Ran 18 miles with my cousin John Saturday morning (he’s a stud: ran 21)
• Football with my friends on the Pain Relievers (SOBO sports league)
• Went swimming with Jack Smith, Riley & Seth
• Grocery shopping with Riley
• Watched some TV with Josh and Elise
• Early Sunday morning reading and writing
• Small Group
• Church
• Watched a little football
• Ran & Swam to loosen up from yesterdays long run
• Watched Seth play flag football
• Now I’m settling in to make queso and watch the Eagles game (don’t ask me why but Josh and Seth love the Eagles)

Lesson #16

This is your one and only life. Don’t waste it. Spend your time doing the things you love to do with the people you love.

Time is really short. Yesterday it was January 1, 2011 and I blinked and now it’s September 18, 2011.

This is not about doing everything. None of us can do everything. That’s what makes the things we do with our time so important. They are the expression of what we love and care about.

It’s also not a post about being busy and packing your schedule with a million activities. I happen to like busy weekends. You may love days to unplug and slow down.

Tomorrow I head in to work for what looks like a VERY busy week. I’m going to enjoy that as well and spend time with the people I love there too.

How are you spending your time? Are you doing the things you want to do with the people you love?

Keep moving forward,

Greg

40 in 40: #15

I ask a lot of questions.

Not nearly as many questions as my business partner, Brody Bond, but I still ask my fair share and then some.

• In 1996 I asked a question of the CFO that landed me a new job at Erickson Retirement Communities.
• In 2006 I asked a question of a competitor in my business that changed the face of my construction company.
• In 2007 I asked a question of a mentor that changed my spiritual journey.
• Of course in 1990 I asked Elise a question that she said yes to and changed my life forever.

In the last month I’ve been asking a lot of questions that will continue to change life’s trajectory.

At some point I realized that those who ask good questions often get answers that others want but don’t get.

Lesson #15

Ask questions other people don’t ask and you will get information and opportunities that other people don’t get.

There is a simpler, classical way to say this: fortune favors the bold.

What questions are you asking yourself now? What questions should you be asking? Who should be on your “need to ask you questions” shortlist?

Keep moving forward,

Greg