The Squeaky Toy

I'm one of those people who have to keep their bedroom very dark - not because I can't sleep when it starts to get light but, rather, my dogs can't (yes, I know - dogs shouldn't sleep in the bedroom...not the point here). The moment there is a hint of light in the room, they are awake, on full alert, watching for that first flutter of an eyelid and then - -BAM! It's the first second of the first minute of the first day of the rest of your life!

With the excitement being generated, one would think they were both just shown the open door to a fully stocked butcher shop and welcomed in. Running, jumping, barking, chasing....it's manic!

Then it's a race to see who can first locate the squeaky toy - this disgusting, chewed up fluoro-green sausage-looking thing. The interesting bit about this toy is that, although it is pretty ragged looking, they have yet to manage to destroy it and rip its guts out like all their other toys...and it squeaks....LOUDLY! It becomes the main focus of the morning like a celebration of life. Whichever one has the squeaky toy parades all over the house chewing and squeaking the damn thing continuously - even pushing it into the other's face, mockingly.

Meanwhile, I am barely dragging myself out of bed, wondering how it got to be Monday so soon or is only Wednesday and why I wasn't born rich instead of so good looking (or some such thing).

So, I started thinking, "Why don't I have a squeaky toy?" What is my thing that makes me want to race out of bed in the morning and celebrate?

Many people will say, "I can't believe you are complaining." Well, I'm not....really. I have it pretty good - I have a great life and I am truly blessed with many "things"- amazing experiences, opportunities and options. But, I'd still like to have a squeaky toy.

I'm sure it's there and I just haven't found it this morning. It's probably under the bed or stuffed behind a sofa cushion, right where I left it. It could be in plain sight but in my rushing around or complaining about it being Tuesday -  I missed it.

Do you have a squeaky toy? Maybe I could borrow yours for a few minutes but then, it would always be YOUR squeaky toy. I think it's important for everyone to have one of their own. There would be a lot of noise in the morning but, then again, that's a lot better than wandering around in the dark.

May I Speak Now?

Ok - fair warning...this one is going to be a rant! I've had 3 of these little gems today and it's only just past noon...

Why is it that certain people in business think it is appropriate to raise issues and then immediately escalate, make noise, send the hares running, release the cat amongst the pigeons, and just, generally, cause trouble before anything can be done about the problem?

Don't get me wrong. I think that appropriate escalations in business are very necessary when things do go wrong (Hint, people - stuff DOES go wrong) and no one does anything about it but, does anyone think that all the extra activity, angst, non-productivity, running in circles like a headless chook is the right way to resolve problems before there is an opportunity given to sort things out?

There are also serial offenders in this space (you know who you are). You've been around for years...you even existed in 19th century folk tales - they called you Henny Penny or Chicken Little or or some such thing...and, no, the sky STILL isn't falling!

Let's all try to remember to "breathe" before you fire off that email, copying the world, assuring them that doomsday is nye, and that you first think about the damage it is creating to everyone else, their time AND to your reputation.

Now...I'm finished...

The Whole Picture Requires Many Puzzle Pieces - Problem Solving

I found myself thinking about a couple of issues at work the other day and felt frustrated that I couldn't come up with the solutions. I had some good ideas on parts of what was needed but I couldn't exactly make it all fit together.
Then I remembered last Easter when I was away in Noosa, a group of us were, collectively, putting together a jigsaw puzzle. I hadn't done many of those before but we all soon realised that if we each focused on a particular area of the puzzle, instead of looking at the "whole" puzzle, each of us could quickly solve for that component. The puzzle came together amazingly quick smart (then we were a bit bored for the rest of the rainy afternoon, but that's another story...).
Solving for part of a problem most often gets you to the full solution faster than trying to think about it end-to-end to start with.
Very few problems are not made up of steps in a process to solve for rather than a simple single decision.
Whether it's via a team approach or mapping out your ideas, almost like a jigsaw puzzle, those components of the solution will help you to clearly and more quickly solve the problem.

We Are All Attention Seekers

We're all attention seekers - that's not a bad thing...it's how we are wired. The interesting part for me (and it should be for anyone who wants to sell anything) is that we also pay attention to anything or anyone that pays attention to us.

Where this starts to be important is that it seems to be all about devices today in reaching people. And, while its true that convenience plays a big part in getting your message out, if they aren't paying attention to you, you just become an annoyance.

Since I work in media, I started thinking about this and how newspapers have evolved and where they might be going.

Newspapers began with the thinking that everyone wanted to see the same thing at the same time (not that people had a lot of choice if they wanted news and other content). Advertisers quickly saw that this was to what people were paying attention and decided that if they were paying attention to the news and other stories, that they would HAVE to pay attention to the ads as well. This meant that I had to see ads about feminine hygeine products whether I wanted to or not. This, unfortunately, started to fall apart quickly (remember the annoyance factor above? - I even annoyed you by bolding and italicizing "paying attention" 3 times because you weren't really wanting to see that and maybe stopped paying attention).

So people started to source their information from places that seemed to pay attention to their wants and needs. They paid attention to things that paid attention to them.

The reason that there is such a focus on devices now is that the device is seen as the source of this attention. We all know its not but the reality of that hasn't struck home as yet.

What IS becoming clear to advertisers and content providers is that they really have to pay attention to all these attention seekers out there if they want to be successful. They have to give them what they want, where and when they want it. That's where the device plays a part, but only a part.

Targeted content and advertising is in its infancy really. When we can somehow provide this relevant content and relative advertising that is important to that individual, that's when THEY WILL PAY ATTENTION, and not because of the device!

The cache of Apple iPhones or Google Glass or any other manufacturer of devices will fade but the need to pay attention to attention seekers will always be there. When we focus on that endearing, innate aspect of human behaviour we will have their focused attention.

Following a Passion

This morning the alarm clock went off (for the 3rd time...I'm not really big on early mornings) to the old Survivor/Rocky song "Eye of the Tiger". Ok, before all of you say, "What radio station was THAT on!" - that isn't really my point. Showing my age, I remembered the lyrics to the song but, for the first time, some of those words really stuck to me. There's a line in the song that goes, "So many times, it happens so fast - you trade your passion for glory...".

I started to think about times in my life where I did exactly that - traded my passion for glory. Glory for money, for a more prestigious job, notoriety...whatever - it happened (happens?).

My first university degree was in music composition and I was a trumpet player, and a good one. I was incredibly passionate about it. I studied and practiced every day, 7 days a week, 5-6 hours a day. I performed, I loved it. I was also hungry. I looked at friends who had lots of free time, making more money than I was and, really quickly, decided I wanted to have those things too.

That was a long time ago. I do many things for which I feel passion today but none stand up to the passion I had for my music.

Had I not traded that passion, would I have found the "glory" I needed anyway? Would watching a musician perform on stage make me as emotional as it does now? Would I feel guilty that I hadn't practiced my horn for weeks? But would I have also found the time for new passions and creative innovations in which I have become a part?

We tell our children to follow their passion and that "the money will follow". Maybe it's more "don't do what you hate". You can't be good at what you hate and everyone wants to be good at what they do.

I do find I'm good at work things I am passionate about but which comes first? If you can be good at a few things (several things) you can create time for your real passion. 

I now play my trumpet "for my own amazement" and I do it when I want to. The times I play  I wouldn't trade for anything for but I wouldn't want to "have" to do it. That defines a passion for me.

So, should we follow our passions or just find time for them in our lives?

First World Problems

It's Friday...interesting week learning how to increase my patience with all those "1st world problems"...in no particular order...and why they are 1st world problems...
1. Challenging timelines to align the business to our new world (I have a job - much better than many)
2. Teenage children (I have healthy (mostly) happy children - some can't have)
3. Lot's of time on the phone with Telstra - more broadband problems (I have broadband)
4. Petrol is $1.57 a litre (I have a car)
5. Blocked toilet and had to call a plumber (I have a toilet...inside - and can pay for a plumber)
6. Council finally assigned a planner to my development approval after 3 months (I have a house and can afford to renovate it)
7. It feels really cold today (it's been over 30 degrees in early Spring and I live 5 minutes from the beach)
8. Feeling old this week (I'm alive and well)
9. My wife tells me I need a hobby (I have a wife and she wants me to be happy)
10. I'm hoping my mobile will hold out for a few more weeks until the iPhone 5S arrives (I have an iPhone 4S)
...and this is what I have to complain about...? Geeeez...