Mavericks at Work

Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win

by Williams C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre

It's easy to understand why I love this book because it demonstrates that being different makes all the difference. The authors' premise is that success is more about sharing values than selling values. The mavericks are inside such giants as IBM, Proctor and Gamble, HBO, Pixar, etc. They are the companies with the smartest customers and they are leaders that know character counts as much as credentials. They have devised exciting new answers to timeless challenges in strategy and in the simplicity of knowing how to connect with customers while unleashing new ideas.  Great leaders are insatiable learners. My challenge to you, my dear readers is to get off your "Someday Isle" and start reading and continue learning something new to keep you fresh and to keep your companies ahead of the competition.

I love creativity and as a wordsmith I love double entendres, alliteration, onomato... whatever the heck that one was. One of my quirky habits is collecting names of businesses that display any of the above. Here are two of my favorites:     

Dear Frank (Hot Dog Stand)

Life's a Cabernet (Wine, Spirits, Beer)

Dave Nelsen

Dave's formal title is President, Dialog Consulting Group.

From 2005 to 2009 he was CEO of TalkShoe, a social media company now serving more than one million monthly listeners...and the fabulous company I use to produce my monthly teleseminars.   

Google announced recently that they will be discontinuing one of the most useful free tools on the planet. Do not panic! It's still available until November 1, 2013, and maybe longer as this may be a simple marketing stunt to raise its visibility (arrrggh, it appears that I've fallen prey to their dastardly plan). 

I'm talking about iGoogle and you've got just 12 months left to experience it. If you're not familiar with iGoogle, your intuition is right on; it's going to be way cooler than the regular Google --- because it's got the "i".

iGoogle is an RSS reader (for the record, one of hundreds). Ignore the lingo and intimidating techno-speak; it's actually easy and intuitive. Go to www.google.com/ig to sign-up. You'll discover that iGoogle features the indispensible Google "search" box front and center, but also provides a comprehensive information dashboard --- one that you build as you go. 

From now on as you surf the web, keep an eye out for the ubiquitous, orange RSS icon.

  You'll find it on blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos and everything else that is serialized (including media sites such as www.nytimes.com).

Using RSS (really simple syndication) is much like subscribing to a magazine, but in this case for web content that's typically free. Like a magazine, whenever the next issue is available (AKA the next blog post, the next podcast, the next video episode), it comes to you automatically. RSS posts it directly to iGoogle, just like the old, reliable postman. 

Once you start looking for the orange RSS button, you'll see it's everywhere. If the content on a given site is valuable to you, click the button and answer "yes" when asked whether you want to add it to your iGoogle desktop. Thereafter it will come automatically to you. 

No new habit is required here, as most of us type www.google.com many times every day. Just tell iGoogle to "remember me" (when logging in) and every time you go to Google, iGoogle will appear with your subscribed content, neatly organized in its dashboard format. 

Unlike email, iGoogle won't overwhelm you either. Instead, it will display just the three newest pieces of content from each of your sources. And don't feel compelled to read everything. Instead, scan the headlines and click just those of interest, letting go of the rest. Next time you return to iGoogle, your content will be renewed. 

iGoogle, and more broadly RSS, is very much like a press clipping service of old. But in this case, it monitors not just press releases but also websites, blogs, Facebook pages, review sites, and even traditional media. It's incredibly valuable. 

I'm actually not worried about iGoogle disappearing. At worst, I expect Google to replace it with an even more amazing RSS reader based on Google+. So try it out and don't worry about becoming addicted to it. In a world of accelerating change, we need tools to help us manage information. iGoogle (and whatever replaces it) is one of the keys to staying on top.

You can find more formal details here: 

You can reach John directly at john@johngodoy.com or find out more at www.johngodoy.com.

We have been talking to thousands of people about the perils of a Great Depression in approximately 20 years. While there are always perils associated with an economic depression, there are things people of varying ages can do to prepare.  e regularly tell the 20 and 30-somethings in the audience that they need to start living below their income levels and to start saving now. Any reasonable solution to the economic woes facing our nation will have to include adjustments to Medicare, prescription drug plans and most likely social security as well. 

There is good news on the savings front. According to Vanguard Group Inc. the participation in retirement savings plans by 34 year olds and younger has increased over the last decade. Forty four percent of income earners under the age of 25 now participate in their company's retirement plan. That is up from 27% in 2003.  

This group has reduced their credit card balance as well. Debt reduction and savings will be extremely important 20 years from now. These two characteristics will go a long way in setting people up for success in a tough economic time. Tell your children they must start preparing now for what will be tough times in their middle age. 

I hope to start writing a book about the coming depression next year, discussing not only the reasons why the downturn will occur, but presenting strategies for success based upon income and age. 

Visionary - adjective (esp. of a person), thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom   

I speak of volunteerism is my speeches. I tell stories to inspire and challenge audiences to volunteer as individuals, as responsible business and community leaders. as parents/grandparents, and to get their children involved early. By the way, volunteerism is the number one way to raise self-esteem. What are you doing in this visionary effort? Each month I will give you a link to a site where you can volunteer. Please send me a link to your favorite volunteer opportunity to post.

www.thecaraprogram.org

February 7-9, 2013 in Chicago
 

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