The ART of SUBTLETY and INTRIGUE

Great brands master the art of subtlety and intrigue. They don't jump on you, they instead pull you in. Steve Wazniak, said about Apple (Steve Jobs), they are masters at pulling you into their sand box and keeping you there. Subtlety and intrigue have power!

HARD WORK on RIGHT THINGS by Seth Godin

I don't think winners beat the competition because they work harder. And it's not even clear that they win because they have more creativity. The secret, I think, is in understanding what matters.

It's not obvious, and it changes. It changes by culture, by buyer, by product and even by the day of the week. But those that manage to capture the imagination, make sales and grow are doing it by perfecting the things that matter and ignoring the rest.

Both parts are difficult, particularly when you are surrounded by people who insist on fretting about and working on the stuff that makes no difference at all. -Seth Godin

The PIG FARMER

Manwel told me a story about his grandfather.

With great admiration, he described him as a Mexican pig farmer and a very wise man. While visiting one day, a young veterinarian dropped by to check on a few pigs. The Veterinarian pointed to several groups of pigs describing their condition and what to do to correct their ailments. The farmer listened carefully and thanked the young vet for dropping by.

Manwel, he said, the young doctor does not know my pigs.  He then outlined his own recommendations on what to do. Only a couple of pigs need treatment, he said, the rest need nothing. Let's watch over the next few days and see what happens. It became obvious that Manwel's grandfather was right. The pigs were doing fine. He told Manwel that not only do you have to understand your business, you have to "FEEL" your business. I know my pigs, he said! What a great lesson for the impressionable young grandson.

Just a few years later, Manwel bought his own business in another country called America. He credits much of his success to his wise grandfather.

You have to get a "FEEL" for your business! Any Business!

TEACH by NOT TEACHING

Brent Hales

Great teachers create peak experiences!

I attended a Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute session last week. Brent Hales, Associate Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi was a speaker. The subject was "Building Sustainable Entrepreneurship Programs". The presentation was excellent. A key takeaway for me was that great teachers "Teach by not teaching". They instead create peak experiences. Reminds me of what the great historian and teacher David McCullough says about history. In must be made alive to be real to students. 

A few days later, it hit me that not only do the best teachers, teach buy not teaching, the best salespeople, sell by not selling and the best managers, manage by not managing. I then thought that leaders must be the exception. But that's not true either. The best leaders, lead by not leading. They "multiply"!

This is counter intuitive for most of us. But then again, we are talking about the exceptions!

MIKE

A quick story from a few years ago.

Mike is the guy in the middle, Doug on the left and me on the right. Mike said my dad is a doctor, so is my sister and my brother is a lawyer. One day my dad said, son it's time to decide what you're going to do with your life. Mike said, dad, I'm just not interested in following the family line. His dad said, then find your passion and go do it. Mike thought a minute and said, ha, the only thing I can think of that I like to do is fish. So Mike became a fishing guide, 6 months in Alaska and 6 months in Fiji. Mike said, "I absolutely love what I'm doing".

I like Mike!