I listened to a great speaker and leader (Peter Guber) give advice on business and leadership earlier this year. I was inspired and believe that his advice may help you with your 365 list and your day. Here are some things he had to day:
Customer vs Audience
- When you call someone a “customer” they cover their ass and their wallet. Instead, see people as an audience who expects an experience.
- Pay attention to your audience and work to be in sync.
- Audiences want to be participants, not just passengers, engagement is crucial.
- Create shared experience with participants, not passengers.
Culture
- Culture is the best business plan. Create a robust culture. Engagement and meaning are central.
- Think of the “promise” not the problem.
- Everybody must know the promise, know the promise of your endeavor, its “why.”
- Constantly believe this is the beginning not the end.
- Talk, not me, “we.”
- Don’t create a walled garden also known as silos, “we’re all in” means we are emotionally open.
- Keep the vision clear, allow people to own the process, meaning it depends on them – more than inspiring.
- Create an environment where the best ideas come to the surface – so compelling you are pulled to it.
- Courage means willingness to make mistakes.
Success and Failure
- You can’t succeed if you don’t understand the objective. To illustrate this point he told the story of a ball park owner who was showing him around his stadium during a game. The owner pointed out the long lines at the hot dog stands as evidence of how successful the enterprise was. Again, you can’t succeed if you don’t understand the objective.
- Success = the amount of uncertainty you can handle.
- You can’t be risk averse. Declare it, name it, visualize it, time limit it, commit to it.
- You don’t succeed alone, you succeed with a team.
- Don’t surrender the vision when someone says no, be dyslexic, no means “on.”
- Failure is an inevitable cul-de-sac on the road to success.
- Have a vision and believe you are going to get it done.
- Authentic = feet, tongue, wallet.
- Tell the story, put yourself on the line, burn the boats, be curious not critical.
- Create products that delight your audience.
- It’s mental, never talk negatively about it being hard.
- Go for new success, ask of the old success to get the new.
- Success and failure are very close together; manage that emotionally, financially, and intellectually.
Some Final Thoughts
- Think what the question is telling you not asking you.
- The journey is the thing.
- All you have is your experience
Have a great day!
Ben Wagner (100)
Member 365 Commitment
