Nicholas Bate

Seven Questions For

Today's off-site: (1) but what if we did? (2) what if it isn't that their products are better; it's simply that their people sell better? (3) where exactly are we different compared to our competitors? (4) what do we learn from Kodak? (5) what are we going to do differently as a result of this meeting? (6) Do we really understand the implications of the Boston Consulting Matrix? (7) what's the question none of us are willing to ask because it is simply too hard to answer?

StrategiesForSuccess: ThirtyEight: AreYouKidding?

So write down what's stopping you. Everything. The whole lot. All the stuff. Now say to yourself in a loud voice-no louder than that-ARE YOU KIDDING? Is that all that's stopping you?

Absolutely. You can overcome every damn thing on that list.

And You Thought They Were Just Stacks..

"He ignored the elevator and walked up the steps.  He wanted to taste the transition.  Halfway up it hit him.  The biographies and histories and reference stacks.  The second floor was better.  If it was beef it would be the 28-day stuff, right?  Aged perfectly.  These were the good smells.  Shelves and shelves of the stuff, set in Baskerville and Garamond.  Times Roman.  Shit."

more here

Inspired By Starbucks 7

1. Geography is a flavour (Starbucks current advertising blurb)
2. History is a texture
3. English Language is a breakthrough
4. Math is an alternate universe
5. Spanish is a love affair
6. Politics is a smoke screen
7. Chemistry is you

StrategiesForSuccessFifty: ThirtySeven: time vs. TIME

Not all time is the same. Any 'piece' of time can be used in different ways. Just as with 'if you had a 1000 dollars/pounds/euros, what would you do with it?' the possibilities are endless but generally we are seeking-in our view- the best return on that money. So it is with time. We can watch the game, we can read, work on our start-up plan, make some home-made bread....The key is knowing that we are getting the return we desire: not all time is the same.

Mmmm

StrategiesForSuccessFifty: ThirtySix: Know Your Enemy

Not know the enemy. The enemy is when you think you don't have time, worrying about your MBA essays, the commute, the amount you spend at Starbucks. No: what's your enemy? That's more subtle. It's specific to you. And when you get beyond the generalisation "I NEVER have any time for myself" to the specific "I actually never plan any time for myself" you can beat your enemy. You might beat him head-on or in a pincer movement or simply by ignoring him. But you can beat him. But you have got to know him.

Jargon

explained.

Look Up!

what's that cloud?!

If You Are In Planning Mode

Guy Kawasaki has templates. Lots of them.