Organizational Courage

"The Last Lecture"

MAKE ten minutes today to watch this short film from the Oprah show. Inspiring points for a happy, authentic life.

Get viral. Have fun!

frank's friends at FigT Productions just kicked out a fun, short video commercial for a Nestle candy bar. No surprise that the video was great: FigT's a talented bunch.

The platform was interesting: rather than hosting a video contest on YouTube, Nestle went with XLNTAds, a web 2.0 video contest / branding hosting service. XLNTAds combines both the web 2.0 media with their branding expertise allowing organizations to use the meritocracy and user-generated verve of social media with a little branding polish.

So far XLNTAds doesn't feature (or seem to offer) employee films or internal organizational user-generated content / dialog. Brightcove - another frank favorite - hasn't done it yet either. But what a great edge for organizations: to create a StoryCorps type opportunity for employees to document their favorite short recollections of myths, heroes and legends from the company culture. And then to use that info for continuous improvement, deciding what cultural elements to reinforce. I haven't seen it online yet, but it seems like it would be easy to do. Thoughts?

Monday 9am TV

This week's film from Nic Askew is - as most are - kickin'. Well worth taking the seven minutes (or ten minutes, if you treat yourself to both films). Winner of the original 'Apprentice' reflects on being true to yourself, regardless of whatever is going on around you. Thanks Nic!

Learn. Have Fun. Feed the Hungry.

This is a GREAT example of viral social good. Check it out: freerice.com. You take a multiple choice vocabulary quiz. For each correct selection the site donates 20 grains of rice to the United Nations. It's positively addictive!

From a web 2.0 standpoint the two things I'd love to see this site add are: 1) a quick link allowing site users to forward it to their friends, and 2) a widget allowing users to compare scores against their friends'.

Organizations can learn from this: it's fun, it's fast, it's rewarding. It gives immediate feedback. The site design is clean. And since launching in October 2007 they've gotten 500,000 users / day. (See short video.) 

I donated 6540 grains of rice this before I ran out of time. My favorite new word is 'omphaloskepsis', meaning 'navel contemplation'. Niiiiiice!

Blog or Discussion Forum?

Sometimes it's necessary to choose between two really great ideas. Heath Bar Crunch or Cherry Garcia? Sneakers or flip flops? Oceans or mountains? Hip Hop or classical? Blog or discussion forum?

Like most things it's all a matter of preference. But here are some considerations:

• Conversation Style: Do you prefer being the main voice? Do you have lots of advice or opinions to share? Do you like posting or being online at odd hours? If so then a blog may be more your style. If you prefer more of the give-and-take of a widely open conversation then a discussion forum may be a better fit.
• Collaboration Level: Like the 'style' question above, if you're seeking more collaboration then a discussion forum may be a better fit. Many discussion forums have polling features, calendars and other collaboration tools. Blogs, while conversational, tend to have a main point of view and responses - a more one-way perspective.
• Time: how much time have you got to devote to care and feeding? Both blogs and discussion forums can survive with sporadic attention, both thrive with care and feeding. But if you truly don't have time to moderate (guide, respond to, weed through) your discussion forum you're probably better off blogging as you're able.
• Critical Mass:  do you have a group of like-minded individuals? Or are  you trying to build one? Blogs can start with a voice of one and build as more people comment. A discussion forum needs, well, discussion participants. Do you have them or can you find them?

These are just a few off-the-cuff considerations thrown out on a Saturday afternoon. What would you add?

A little too much authenticity = Big Brother? Or great bio-feedback?

This simply falls into the "creepy" category: Microsoft has filed a patent for a software that wirelessly transmits information regarding an employee's stress level (indicated by heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, etc.).

Sure, it could be used for bio-feedback. You could have a whole new source of information regarding your work's impact on your health. The Wild Divine project has had their game out there for years.

The difference is that this tool is designed (according to a Microsoft spokesperson) to let your manager know when you need help. In other words, it's not information for the employee but a tool for monitoring.

Makes me a little nervous, frankly. You?

CEO Blogs

An encouraging trend! There seem to be more leadership blogs emerging. A few notable examples include:

 

Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman's blog

 

Jonathan Schwartz, Sun Microsystem's CEO's blog

 

Jacque Kemp, ING Asia / Pacific CEO's blog

 

Mark Price, Waitrose Managing Director's blog

 

Of these, I think my favorite is Mark Price's blog. He combines his personal experience (trying to lose weight) with practical advice (a nutritionist offering tips and feedback) as well as recipes (healthy and otherwise), a discussion forum, and shopping list functionality.  In my mind Mr. Price has done a wonderful job of mixing his humanity with business. The blog site is human, conversational, practical and usable. He invites a conversation. These are the marks of a great blog to which I aspire. For more objective standards you may want to check out the Blogger’s Choice Awards.

 

But hey, since this is my blog, here’s where I’ll offer my own two cents.

 

In Mr. Kemp’s blog I love that he’s using social media to talk about social media. He brings in terrific examples of how ING is using Web 2.0 to create conversation. Mr. Kemp uses illustrative maps, refers to ING’s use of Second Life, and uses SlideShare (a sort of slide version of YouTube) while talking about ING strategy, technology and community activities. The tone is conversational and comfortable. Blogger’s Choice agrees: “My Cup of Cha” has been nominated as one of the best corporate blogs.

Personally I’d love to see some additional user interaction on the blog. Links to financial planning tools. Links to additional leadership blogs within ING. Perhaps some personal tidbits about Mr. Kemp and other ING leaders. It’s a great company. Let us get to know you a little bit!

   

But all in all, a “My Cup of Cha” is a wonderful example of leadership blogging in action.

   

Similarly, Mr. Lutz’s blog offers terrific information about (not surprisingly) GM cars. If you love a GM car, chances are that he (or his writing team) have blogged about it. He gets a fair number of comments, so kudos to Mr. Lutz for interaction. His tone is fairly open and conversational. He doesn’t discourage conversation, even when it’s a bit controversial.

 

Again, I'd love to see Mr. Lutz adopt some additional user interaction, a la Car Talk. OK, since I’m from Boston I’ll be the first to admit that I'm a sucker for the Tappet brothers, but their 'Time Kill Central' rocks. It's the perfect mix of humor and information.

Overall I'm simply thrilled that more leaders are blogging. Cheers to the folks listed above, among others! And the more leaders that get their thoughts out there in a personal way, the better.

Get the Word Out!

Yeah yeah yeah I know this is the lazy blogger's post, but this is good stuff, so what the hell. Great online article by Sante J. Achille on publicizing your blog. Simple, easy to follow and well written. Enjoy!

MoBlog Thoughts for a New Year: Forget Resolutions, You're Perfect

Happy 2008! Now I love a good New Year resolution as much as the next gal. So hopeful. So optimistic, despite the fact that mine are normally forgotten or broken like discarded Christmas toys thrown in a corner by January 10th.

But I'm trying on a new idea this year. How about the radical thought that I (or you) are wonderful just as we are? At this weight, with these habits. To quote Helen Fielding in "Bridget Jones's Diary"...."Just as we are."

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Here's to a perfectly imperfect 2008.

Jacqueline Prescott 612.860.8928 areyoufrank.com

"You Got a Pen?"

Don't you just love those energetic and inspiring beings who see the best of who you are? When I'm around these people the "JP" they see is smarter, funnier, bolder and more courageous than the "JP" I'm familiar with. It's not that I'm not my authentic self around them: I am. But somehow what they see and reflect back to me is the best of me.

I was lucky enough to have dinner with one of those people tonight. Hours after the table is cleared I'm still smiling.

My colleague and friend John Nielson is a brilliant creative writer. He was recently at a conference talking about his new book "Toe Jam and the Toenail Fairies".  John talked about how kids would get so excited - a real live author! - and ask him for his autograph. Now John's a modest guy. His reaction was "Um, sure...got a pen?"

Who are the inspiring people in your world - home, work, wherever - who see you with that lense? The lense that holds you as bolder, brighter, smarter, wittier, more lovable than you normally see yourself?