As a result I will add this to the subjects I am going to pass comment on occasionally. When I first arrived, I went to see the Canucks several times at the end of last season – this coincided with them falling apart, losing most of their final few games and missing the play offs! The season in effect ended with, what I can only call a total lack of passion, at home against the Oilers (a team with nothing to play for and plenty of missing players). Needing a win to keep the season alive, the Canucks appeared to just give up? I didn’t even support them and I WAS PISSED.

This was not helped by this really irritating Oilers fan in front of me cheering every goal (can you imagine an Arsenal fan in the Spurs seats cheering a Van Persie strike – he would do it only once! – but here people just accept it!)………I will have to be more tolerant (or get a good lawyer)

So, here we had a team of well (over) paid superstars, with a passionate following (200+ sell out games) failing to deliver……….as a life long Spurs fan I had found my team!

This season has been far better – expected to fail, they have exceeded expectations and are well placed to push for a play off place. Plus they have just signed a another “superstar” to the team.

At 150+ a ticket I am only taking in 2/3 games a month but no worries because my new found passion includes junior hockey………..15 plus games and counting this season….And I ve adopted the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL to support (a long story)

More observations and ramblings to follow

I am keeping up to date with all sorts of stuff all over the world and it’s a great way of finding out local stuff, events etc…….

And I am learning how to make this work for Business – the practical application of technology

Take a look at this – the media and marketing Twitter Power 150

From the numerous things he said I added my own interpretation and came up with a short list of MUST HAVES for success:

• The “Cause” - the organisation (department or team) to understand and believe in
• The Location - somewhere people want to come to with the space to do things
• The People (right) – realise you are not Tiger Woods – you need others to do that stuff
• Plan – short term detail/longer term concept – get the balance right
• Do stuff - “FIRE” – quick wins and keep moving
• Learn/change/adapt - do more stuff
• Consult everyone - a team of 60 is a TEAM of 60 – always!
• Decency - give respect, grace, integrity
• Communicate – personal!
• Persevere
• Support - at every stage – financial/administration …..

All sounds so simple!

www.tompeters.com

….he also said…..

A Leader…..MUST be determined to create a legacy of earthshaking transformation in their domain create/must necessarily create organizations which are …no less than Cathedrals in which the full and awesome power of the Imagination and Spirit and native Entrepreneurial flair of diverse individuals is unleashed … In passionate pursuit of jointly perceived soaring purpose and personal and community and client service Excellence.

Think!

He has a great list to follow:

1. Ready. Fire! Aim.

2. If it ain’t broke … Break it!

3. Hire crazies.

4. Ask dumb questions.

5. Pursue failure.

6. Lead, follow … or get out of the way!

7. Spread confusion.

8. Ditch your office.

9. Read odd stuff.

10. Avoid moderation!

Worth thinking about

www.saatchikevin.com

1. Movement - in all you do/say/act, think about how you move and the message it sends

2. Focus - future/positive things – ALWAYS

3. Language - use questions; choose positive words

You set the tone

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Gandhi

1. The CEO must own the marketing – how often do I see the top person ignore this!

2. Keep the marketing team small and flat – avoid large/layered organisations

3. Maintain direct contact with customers

4. Be careful with market research

5. Hire missionaries not marketeers – love this one

6. Love and respect customers – not numbers

7. Create customer communities

8. Rethink the marketing mix

9. Use common sense and be fresh and different

10. Be true to the Brand

Interesting ideas and certainly food for thought

www.samhillonline.com

A few changes since I left ….

1. We have moved 7577km from London to Vancouver
2. After a “lifetime” on a PC – I am now a mac user
3. I ve been to see a lot more music
4. I ve found a number of really interesting projects in Canada
5. I ve got older

More on all these later…….

Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive – Harvey Mackay

Almost 20 years since I first read it, but I still stopped, sat down and spent a couple of hours enthralled by it…

Hundreds of thoughts and observations including:

• You’ll always get the good news; it’s how quickly you get the bad news that counts
• Little things don’t mean a lot; they mean everything
• Treat your people the way you treat your customers
• There is no future in saying it can’t be done

More information…Amazon >>

Recommended by a friend and it was worth the time …..will certainly stay in my “consult” group…

What more is there to say?

More…Amazon >>

He demanded a huge amount of information that he couldn’t possibly use and 90 percent of which was focused on the past!

I said we should be providing him and his team with the right information at the right time in the right format to enable them to work effectively, efficiently and positively for the organisation.

Hence the information should be prioritised to focus on

1. Key indicators he was going to act on
2. Information he and his team could use to actually improve their marketing activities!

(If he needs anymore one off reports/research then the system has amazing ad hoc reporting tools – but let’s not print off 60 pages a week!)

One example…..he wanted a breakdown of every offices advertising spend over the past 6 months against the same period each year going back 3 years! When I asked him why…he told me he then asks each regional director to provide him with a report explaining the variances….I then asked him how this helped the organisation market and sell ……he got angry with me.

Now, I know you need some form of reporting and analysis of the past…. but my point was that meanwhile the world and market is changing and surely his job was about marketing and the future…not getting left behind!

He would be better off in the finance department…….although I know lots of accountants who think like me and are changing their departments to support the business….!

So what’s the point here?

You should think about what you do with information and how this really helps the business move forward.

1. When you provide information or report to someone else – go to see them, sit down and ask them
   • “what do you do with this information?”
   • “is is the right information?
   • “what would be better?”
   • “what would happen if I gave you less?”
   • “how does this information help the organisation move forward?”
   • You get the idea…..this is especially important if it’s your boss!
2. When you request or receive information/reports – do the same….someone is spending time and money providing this to you!

Do be afraid to use the shredder