No one wants to be the Blackberry in the iPhone world! The best ideas and processes from yesterday often delivery poor results in today’s world. There may still be a market or need at maturity, but there’s nothing, but heartache when you’re the Greatest Fool in the “Greater Fool” exercise!
We have all heard this singular point, but it is amazing how knowledgeable business professionals fall into this same trap. For whatever reason, people keep falling into the trap of Selling the Thing versus Selling the Solve!
Even though we know better, it is unclear whether it is hubris (“It’s not the best, but I can make it work.”) or fear/pressure (“I have to do it because…”) that leads us to do things proven not to get the results we ultimately seek.
In the twenty years since the Agile Manifesto, there have been many methodologies developed for the implementation of its basic principles. Some were in use or formulation with the original publishing date; others have evolved since. Interestingly, challenges that existed before or have arisen in the subsequent decades often manifest in the same ways that they always have.
Invariably, the challenging discussions in organizations often come down to three fundamental topics: Accountability, Ownership, and Prioritization. These types of questions come up often on a daily basis leading to problems and conflict left unaddressed.
Today, people have more free time than ever before. With this wide array of choices and freedom, we also have the widest range of mental health issues and unhealthy behaviors at most any time in history. Without positive ways to focus our attention and time, we tend to find negative ones.
The proliferation of channels means that there is a place for almost every appetite. If you can find the congregation space for your audience, there will be a platform dedicated to serving them. The challenge comes from the fact that creators and audiences need something from the other in the earliest stages of platforms.
It is frustrating to see people who profess to be Christ-followers politicizing their interactions with one another and even defaming each other based on their differing opinions. Few things are more damaging to the message we share than publicly acting in this fashion. To someone who has not heard the Gospel, why would they listen to our message when we, who proclaim it, speak of and treat each other in this fashion?
While “Whale-hunting” for viral attention-getting campaigns can offer large-scale rewards, building your following and nurturing your own audience through consistent engagement is still the most consistent path to growth. For every “Crazy-Girlfriend” meme that goes viral or every moment where a Hollywood star is seen wearing your t-shirt, there are many more opportunities where you can build authentic, engaged relationships with your target audience that grows into recurring interactions.
Our companies need to be planning and executing a marketing budget for employees in the same ways that they now market for customers. In the same way that you find an audience, nurture them in a relationship, and attempt to sell them your service or product, we need to communicate our vision and message in places where our best potential employees hang out and attracting them to us.
There is nothing wrong with reminiscing, but we have to make sure that we stay focused on what we are doing now and what we are now. Living in the past, whether remembering the good times or trying to forget the bad times can cloud our focus on those things we control – Now!
