Attribution…

I’ve noticed several “Career Advice” requests on LinkedIn about getting credit for one’s work.  In today’s world is there an increased need by folks to “get credit”?

I’m in favor of giving credit; recognition; attribution to people who are contributing to the cause.  Leaders; followers; insiders; outsiders; it often “takes a village” for a cause or a project to be successful.

OK, sometimes team effort and corresponding attribution can go awry:

The stages of Systems Development:

1. Wild enthusiasm

2. Disillusionment

3. Total confusion

4. Search for the guilty

5. Punishment of the innocent

6. Promotion of the non-participants

Arthur Black

It’s that “promotion of the non-participants” that bugs me; you?  Too many people just take credit, even when unearned.

Attribution is right and proper as long as the person has truly “done the work”.  But how do you measure that?  In my opinion, that question has led to some interesting thinking in the sales and marketing professions. 

On surface, some say a sales person’s attribution is based solely on comparing their sales to their quota.  If the sales rep is above quota, he or she is a hero; below quota, a bum. Can it be that simple?  I don’t believe so. 

There are many attributes that contribute to sales performance; knowledge; skill; effort to be sure.  Mental and emotional state (impacted at home and at the office) also deserve attribution.  A sales rep’s relationship with their manager; the state of the economy; their assigned territory; competition… a whole host of attributes can dramatically impact the sales vs. quota outcome. 

I have always believed blind faith deserves an attribution for sale rep success. Because no one actually knows the exact formula that leads to continuous and dependable sales success, our favorite Unknown Sage deserves attribution:

Finagle's Sixth Rule:

Do not believe in miracles - rely on them.

               

Attribution to blind faith is associated with sales reps’ “variable compensation plans” aka commissions.  I have often said, if a sales rep closes the sale he or she makes a commission and is able to pay the mortgage.  No sale? Now what?  See what I mean about blind faith attribution?

Marketing has it tough too.  Which marketing metrics matter?  Back to our Unknown Sage:

An old adage was that companies typically spent twice as much as necessary of advertising but had no way to figure out which half to cut.

I like to debate with my marketing colleagues about attribution.  I don’t think anyone would disagree that marketing is a critical factor to a company’s success.  At least half of it anyway LoL!   “Getting the word out” aka “demand generation” so prospects will engage with sales reps has been a key business process for centuries.  However, I draw the line at their request for “revenue attribution”.  I’m not the only one. 

Annuitas published this article, Revenue vs. Vanity: The Metrics that Matter for Driving Growth (link).  Never heard of Annuitas?  Well they claim:

From world-class Demand Marketing strategists, to authors, to Marketing Technology Experts, our talent and knowledge of demand is unmatched in the market.

“World-class Demand Marketing”? That’s OK by me.  But “demand” is not “revenue”. 

Do you think me selfish when I say if marketing wants to claim “revenue attribution” meaning some part of sales revenue comes from demand marketing, they have to assume a proportionate amount of the sales quota? 

The day that happens they may better understand the motivational attribution of “variable compensation” LoL!

                                                            GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Multitasking…

Working from home made me think of my colleagues and their desks at the office before current events hit.  At my company, having 2 monitors is the “norm” and several folks have 3.  Add in their laptop screen plus 1 or even 2 cell phones and their office cubes remind me of a fighter pilot’s cockpit LoL!

Naturally, my colleagues are using all their monitors and screens simultaneously aka “multitasking”, which seems to be held in high esteem in the technology sales profession these days.  I wonder how they feel about Susan Cain’s piece in her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking ©?

…even multitasking, that prized feat of modern-day office warriors, turns out to be a myth.  Scientists now know that the brain is incapable of paying attention to two things at the same time.  What looks like multitasking is really switching back and forth between multiple tasks, which reduces productivity and increases mistakes by up to 50 percent.

Permit me to repeat (in case you were distracted by your other monitors and screens), scientifically confirmed multitasking, “reduces productivity and increases mistakes”.  Makes me think of:

Westheimer's Rule

To estimate the time it takes to do a task estimate the time you think it should take, multiply by two and change the unit of the measure to the next highest unit. Thus, we allocate two days for a one hour task.

Does that sound familiar?  How long does it take your company to complete projects?  I’m amazed being in the technology business how challenging in can be to get things done.  Probably the same in every business these days, true?

Westheimer’s Rule makes me think of Bill Gates:

The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency.  The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.

I wonder how many monitors Bill has in his home office.  Now that we are working from home, I wonder if my colleagues brought all of their equipment home so they can continue to use multiple screens and monitors for multitasking.  If they didn’t, I wonder if my company will be able to measure an up-tick in productivity and the improved accuracy cited science suggests.  What do you think about multitasking?  Does it magnify inefficiency?  Shorten our attention spans? 

I don’t know about you, but when I’m in a meeting; on a webcast; even talking on the phone, I can usually tell when the people I’m interacting with are multitasking.  Especially webcast meets, yes?  There’s that pause when we ask someone a question… and we wait … and we wait… and then comes the customary, “Sorry, I was on mute.”  I’m not calling others out – been there; done that; myself LoL!

Makes me think of my friend and former colleague Adam Katzenmeyer, a multi-monitored cube-mate of mine back in the day:

You only have to tell me twice, once.

Not that the other end of the focus spectrum is the answer.  We can become “overly focused”, just ask my wife:

My husband doesn’t watch TV; he becomes the TV!

I suppose the ideal answer lies somewhere in the middle; access multiple inputs, but keep them to a manageable level so as we switch back and forth we stay reasonably attentive to the task at hand.  Sounds easy, doesn’t it?  Hello?  Are you there?

                                                              GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Just pretend…

I know we missed NCAA Division I March Madness for the first time since… well… madness in March was created by NCAA men’s basketball.  Like all other sports; professional, college, high school, even the Olympics; we are missing opportunities to see greatness on the fields of play.

Don’t you wish the President came on television today and said, “April Fools!  I suspect that will not happen.  So, where do we find the strength to deal with our current events?  Where do we find avenues for relief?  Where can we watch greatness being achieved - in sports or otherwise? 

Do you know people who have achieved greatness and didn’t believe they were capable of being great?  I’m not talking about super stars’ “public” image (ranging from quiet confidence to over-the-top arrogance).  I’m talking about how people think of themselves deep down inside.

Our health care workers are achieving greatness, yes?  Is that how they think of themselves?  Or our teachers – many of them learning for themselves how to lead “distance teaching” for the first time.  Or you and me and every other ordinary person; sheltering in place while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.

Don’t worry about self-doubts; second-thoughts; fear.  If we don’t think of ourselves as being great, we can still apply lessons learned from basketball.

Take the Chicago Bulls for instance.  I’m from Chicago; a Phil Jackson fan; and was there when the Bulls won multiple NBA titles.  I was also living in Chicago during the days before Michael Jordan and before those great championship teams:

Former NBA center and coach Johnny Kerr said his biggest test as a coach came when he coached the then-expansion team the Chicago Bulls and his biggest player was 6'8" Erwin Mueller.

We had lost seven in a row and I decided to give a psychological pep talk before a game with the Celtics, Kerr said.  I told Bob Boozer to go out and pretend he was the best scorer in basketball.  I told Jerry Sloan to pretend he was the best defensive guard.  I told Guy Rodgers to pretend he could run an offense better than any other guard, and I told Erwin Mueller to pretend he was the best rebounding, shot-blocking, scoring center in the game.  We lost the game by 17.

 

I was pacing around the locker room afterward trying to figure out what to say when Mueller walked up, put his arm around me, and said, “Don't worry about it Coach.  Just pretend we won." 

         James S. Hewett

    

Inspiring.  If we don’t think of ourselves as great enough to conquer today’s daily challenges, we can always just pretend, true?  I think it comes down to thinking we can:

If you think you are beaten, you are,

If you think you dare not, you don’t.

          If you like to win, but you think you can’t,

              It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,

For out in the world we find,

Success begins with a fellow’s will –

It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,

You’ve got to think high to rise,

You’ve got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But soon or later that man who wins

Is the man who thinks he can.

                                  Unknown Sage

I think we can – and I’m not pretending!

                              GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Hoping in Duple Time…

What stimulates your hope? 

The Polka is a happy, little tune - don’t you think?  (Really, Gary?  The Polka?  Slow day?)

No, really.  I was station-surfing the other day; looking for a little hard-rock music; it was my “Mandatory Metallica Monday”.  I came across Polka music on the radio and it immediately triggered memories of my childhood - and the movie “Home Alone”.  Did you see that movie?  John Candy played Gus Polinski, the leader of a Polka Band from Milwaukee. Remember his pride over one of their hits, “Polka-Polka-Polka”?  Classic!

From Centralhome.com (of all places):

Polka is defined as a vivacious couple dance of Bohemian origin in duple time; it is a basic pattern of hop-step-close-step; a lively dance tune in 2/4 time.

Vivacious; lively; duple time; doesn’t that just perk you right up?  OK, who brought the accordian?

Answer.com adds:

Polka music is a form of European dance music which originated in Bohemia (what is now an area within the Czech Republic).

And from Wikipedia:

Apparently, it was so well-received that it became a sort of dance craze, spreading across all of Europe, and to the US.

“OK Gary, but the Polka?  Today?  How does that stimulate hope?” 

Well, you see the Polka is part of my family roots.  When I was grade school aged and visited my Aunt and Grandmother in Chicago, I watched my Cousin John practice and play the accordion.  At family gatherings everyone would dance (lively; in duple time!).  I remember the cold beer would flow, as would the rich happiness of blue collar, working families, who made the most of celebrations that they could rarely afford.  Although they struggled to make ends meet, when they partied – they really partied – and they polkaed!

There have been other dance crazes, for sure.  In the ‘60’s it was the Twist.  Anyone remember the Hustle from the ‘70’s?  Who hasn’t heard of the Electric Slide?   How many of these dances will outlast the Polka?

 

Back to Wikipedia:

The actual dance and accompanying music called "polka" are generally attributed to a girl, Anna Slezakova of Labska Tynice, Bohemia, in 1834.

Alright Anna! 186 years and still going strong!

When my relatives danced the Polka years ago, it was all about celebration.  Celebrating some occasion, for sure; but also celebrating family; celebrating life; celebrating hope!  The hardest working people are often the ones that enjoy family gatherings and modest accouterments the most, yes? 

These celebrations are enthusiastic expressions of hope.  Blue collar families stay pretty focused day-to-day; living paycheck to paycheck.  They have to.  But when it’s time for a family celebration, hope springs eternal! 

Throughout the ages, dances of hope were common among many people. Texas Bix Bender, who brought us such sage advice as:

Don’t squat with your boots on.

and, 

Never drink down stream from the herd.

Also offers us insight about dance, the future, timing, and hope.  In the Great Plains and throughout the West, for instance, we’ve all read lore about the rain dance.  And Texas Bix said:
 

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

So I’m smiling today about the timing of my life and the opportunity to envision memories of my Cousin John playing the accordion while my Uncle Frank and Aunt Bernice danced the Polka into the wee hours of the morning. Yes - the Polka – a happy (and hopeful) little tune indeed. 

What stimulates your hope?

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Day by day…

Happy Anniversary Debbie!

Tomorrow will mark 47 years.  That is the equivalent of 17,155 days.  A significant amount of time to be with one’s significant other, true?

In reality it’s actually been more than 17,155 days when I add in the 365 days we were engaged, plus the many more days we dated from high school into college. And every day for over 17,155 days - more than 47 years - I have enjoyed being married to my high school sweetheart. 

Many of you are in a long-lasting relationship; many have been married longer than we.  A Mile High Salute!  Maybe my relationship thrived because I was a “Road Warrior” for several years?  A colleague of mine once said:

           

The secret to a long marriage is a husband that travels.  

Lisa Kwiecien

As you know, I write about my wife frequently; not necessarily daily; but frequently.  Like any couple, we have our good days and our not-so-good days.  Like many couples, we’ve also had some of those relationship-testing; foundation-rattling; we’re-not-going-to-make-it; kind of days.   When those days have occurred we followed James P. Owen’s advice:

When you’re riding through hell… keep riding.

Any meaningful journey is like that, don’t you think?  Even one of America’s most famous sweethearts offered all of us her guidance on life’s journey:

Pain nourishes courage.  You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.  

Mary Tyler Moore

Over our 17,000+ days, we have had more than our share of wonderful things happen; all driven by love.  In fact, 47 years ago this month the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 was “Love Train” by the O’Jays.  According to Wikipedia:

 

The word 'train' comes from the Old French trahiner, from the Latin trahere meaning pull, or draw.

I have been a passenger on that love train as my wife has pulled us along for 47 years!  Of course, I’ve tried to pay attention to the little things that make a difference day by day; lighten her load a bit; smooth the tracks.  Rob Gilbert made a list:

How to have a Winning Day:

You have to listen more than you talk…

You have to smile more than you frown…

You have to be fascinated more than you're frustrated…

You have to believe in yourself more than you doubt yourself.

You have to work more than you whine.

You have to do more than you don't.

                                 

I have also paid attention to my role, responsibilities and boundaries:

Men ordering custom colors must first bring in a note from their wife.  

Guiry Paint Store

It’s OK; she writes the notes; I run the errands; we make a great team.  And on those occasional occasions where disagreement looms, I heed Harlan Miller’s advice:

Often the difference between a successful marriage and a mediocre one consists of leaving three or four things a day unsaid.

                                 

17,155 days and our love train is still rolling strong.  No matter our future course; no matter the challenges we will face; the trials that will test us; not even the weather we may encounter; our love train will continue – pulled along by my significant other – regardless of whether the wind is boosting us from behind our back or resisting us as it blows hard in our face.  Etheridge Knight’s words will continue to guide us:

Love is a rock against the wind.

Happy 47^th Anniversary Dear!  You’re my rock and I love you.

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Start-Up…

I had a LinkedIn exchange recently with a woman seeking career advice.  She was exploring a career pivot; going into business for herself; starting her own company.  She told me she “has this idea…”

That phrase reminded me of my volunteer experience at Denver Start-Up Week in 2017.  I staffed the coffee depot at “base camp”, where local restaurants donated free coffee and pastries daily for Start-Up Week attendees.  That year there were over 12,000 attendees!

In my LinkedIn exchange, I related that experience and recommended books by Brad Feld, a highly educated and tremendously successful investor.  He was one of the keynote presenters at Denver Start-Up Week.  I met him at base camp; commented on his Star Wars shoes LoL! 

I cautioned my LinkedIn pen pal though – Brad’s views are; shall we say; direct.  Like this preface in one of his books: 

Trust Me.  Your Idea is Worthless.

He elaborated that we sometimes feel we have an idea that is totally original and unique.  Based on all the “pitches” he has seen over the years; Brad thinks we haven’t.  It’s OK though… investors don’t invest in ideas.  They invest in people.

Atul Gawande wrote in The Checklist Manifesto ©:

But finding a good idea is apparently not all that hard.  Finding an entrepreneur who can execute a good idea is a different matter entirely.

I suggested to this fledgling entrepreneur to solidify exactly how she will start-up; and then “ramp-up” her company.

Several years ago I was a volunteer consultant for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), part of the Small Business Administration.  I too benefited from the market research they offered on small companies’ successes - and failures.  The stark reality is up to 90% of start-ups fail.  The #1 reason for failure is lack of sales over the first 5 years.  A close 2^nd is lack of capital in the face of slow sales.

Today it’s tempting to turn to investors.  “Hey, I don’t have enough money and our sales are a bit light…  I’ll just ask someone else to fund me… because I have this great idea!  Like Shark Tank.  That’s it; I’ll present my great idea on Shark Tank!”

Makes me think of Mark Cuban who has shared many views on that show as well as in other venues, true?  Starting up a company is so hard they even made a game show out of the premise!  He even summarized his main points in this infographic: https://inc42.com/entrepreneurship/mark-cubans-12-rules-for-startups-infographic/ Rules #1 and #2 standout; Rule #4 is absolutely key to success. I chuckled at Rule #10. 

Still, I have a great deal of respect for the women I have worked for and been mentored by over the years.  I’m meeting with one of my mentors this week.  Teah Bennett was the Female Entrepreneur of the Year in Colorado a few years ago.  Teah started several successful companies; failed at one as well.  She mentors me to this day.  She’s awesome! 

I know that when women put their mind to something, all things are possible.  Our favorite, Unknown Sage offers:

Woman's Equation

Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.

So after cautioning my LinkedIn pen pal that her road ahead would be difficult, I encouraged her to go for it!  After all, running her own company is her dream.  Who am I to say a woman can’t succeed?

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Mutual Mystification…

What do you think?  If someone asked, “How much does something like that cost?” how would you respond?  Before you answer, think about whether your answer clarifies, confuses, or confounds your customer.

I have written about this often.  When facing the money question if we respond with something along the lines of, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly give you an answer without conducting a complete portfolio review first…” how do you think that response will go over?

I was the prospective customer in that very scene recently during a financial planning seminar.  The presenters wanted to be considered subject matter experts and not product peddlers.  They were presenting investment products and the underlying strategies they aligned to.  Their presentation was very interesting.  Interest on the part of the prospective customer almost always stimulates the money question.

I asked it – they avoided it; and just that fast they undermined their credentials.  They gave me the proverbial “non-answer, answer”.  They said I had to jump through more hoops first.  The prospective customer hates jumping through hoops needlessly; you and I hate jumping through hoops.

Oh, if they were here they would probably say that it is inappropriate to recommend any investment product before having an understanding of the customer’s financial situation.  In the brokerage industry, that is referred to as “know your customer”.  I suspect they would respond that they are financial planners and not stock brokers.  Fair enough perhaps, but just relating these events to you reeks of “hoops”.

Investing is complicated; I was mystified.  I wasn’t asking to buy; I was seeking context.  It’s the “fork in the road”.  When asking straight forward questions, customers prefer straight forward answers.  It’s not a quote; it’s an answer; we don’t know yet if the product or service is a good fit.  But before any more time is invested to clarify fit, fair or unfair today’s modern buyer needs an understanding of how the money works up front.

When we flinch in the face of money, the prospective customer will see it and make their decision based on our flinch.  If we flinch, more times than not the customer decides, “sounds expensive”; or “sounds complicated”; and that can easily put them on the defensive.

Mahan Khalsa, put it this way:

If you walk out of qualifying meetings with clients and do not know how much they are thinking of spending, and they do not know how much you are thinking of charging, you will both be guessing.  This is mutual mystification.

A direct answer to the direct money question is not a quote.  The transaction is not ready to be finalized.  But let’s not flinch in the face of money and inadvertently “spook” the customer.  Mystified customers do not transact.

Answering how the money works up front may lead to further conversations.  Or, the prospective customer may just walk away.  The cost may not be what they had in mind.  Our price may simply not be a good fit.

 

On the other hand, for every transaction that seems to be in the realm of possibility in the mind of the customer, they will then agree to jump through the necessary hoops.  The customer wants to confirm the degree of fit and cost justification.  When we are purchasing something, we all want to make fully informed decisions.

It’s not mystification that leads to a successful transaction.  Today, the customer’s money question must be addressed up front; before further hoop-jumping.

                              GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.